Police forces, the health service and the government have set out plans to reduce the amount of time police spend attending mental health callouts, under a new framework called the National Partnership Agreement.
The government says that patients experiencing a mental health crisis will be treated by the most appropriate agency, helping free up police time and ensuring care is provided by someone with the most relevant skills and experience.
The plan is that local health partners and police forces in England will work together to implement the new approach, aiming towards ending involvement of police where no crime is being committed or there is no threat to safety.
Where police officers do take a person in a mental health crisis to a health setting under the Mental Health Act, this agreement emphasises the need for local partners to work towards handovers happening within one hour.
The government says these plans and timelines for implementation will need to reflect the needs of local communities, as well as the capacity of local police and mental health services, and any additional resources required.