Sweeping changes are set to be made to how police deal with people in mental health crises in Bolton and across the region

This comes with Greater Manchester Police set to adopt a the “Right Care, Right Person” model that sees medical professionals rather than police respond to mental health crises calls.

Bolton Council cabinet member for stronger communities Cllr Rabiya Jiva said that this came about after recognising police were not always the best response to crises like these.

Cllr Jiva said: “Sending officers to deal with mental health concerns may criminalise, stigmatise and traumatise those in crisis.”

She added: “Right Care, Right Person will make sure the most appropriate care is provided by the right agency, with the right skills and the right training to provide support to those in crises.”

Questions were put at Bolton Town HallQuestions were put at Bolton Town Hall (Image: Newsquest)

Cllr Jiva said that police would still be sent out in situations where there is a threat to life or when children could be in danger.

But when there is not risk to life, she said people calling the police will instead by redirected to other agencies.

Cllr Jiva said: “The caller will be informed that the police are not the most appropriate agency, and the caller will be signposted to contact mental health professionals with the NHS 111 line option two.”

She said this would also help to free up police time to deal with criminal issues and other emergencies and that she would continue to hold meetings with senior officers.

The Right Care, Right Person model has already been adopted by the Metropolitan Police in London, with Greater Manchester set to follow suite.

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Cllr Jiva had been responding to questions put at a full meeting of Bolton Council put by Cllr Emily Mort, of Tonge with the Haulgh.

Quoting from Met Police commissioner Mark Rowley, she said that resorting to sending police officers out to deal with mental health issues could mean failing people in need.

Cllr Mort said: “In fact we fail residents twice.

“They are failed when police officers and not medical professionals attend people in mental health crisis.

“And then we fail residents a second time by taking up large amounts of officer time.”