MORE needs to be done to prevent people who have been detained under the Mental Health Act being taken to police cells, according to the latest report from Swindon Borough Council.

Although the number of people detained under the act has dropped in recent months, the report said cells should only be an option in exceptional circumstances, such as when the person is being extremely violent or aggressive.

Only one person was detained in each month across Wiltshire and Swindon in February and March this year according to the report, which is set to go before the council’s health and wellbeing board next Wednesday. But in April this figure rose yet again with six people detained, one of which was in Swindon.

In March, the Adver revealed one person spent almost two days in a police cell, with 200 people being detained due to a lack of healthcare provision in the last two years.

Next week’s report also gives an example of one detainee who was kept in a police cell for 29 hours due a lack of beds and transport.

The report said: “From the time of arrival at the police station, the patient spent over 29 hours in police custody. This is despite the Mental Health Act Assessment taking place within the three-hour timeframe mentioned within the Crisis Care Concordat.

“This extended period of detention in police custody was due to significant delays in locating a hospital bed followed by a five-hour wait for transport to arrive. Clearly it is not ideal for anyone to be detained for so long when in need of a hospital bed but the inappropriateness of such a long period of detention is only heightened when the individual is held in a police cell.”

While significant effort has been made to reduce the figure in Wiltshire and Swindon, some areas have a figure of zero so alternatives to police cells need to be found.

“Notwithstanding the significant fall in those taken to police custody due to all health-based places of safety being occupied, alternative provision needs to be considered in such circumstances rather than police custody,” said the report.

“Further consideration also needs to be given to dealing with violent/aggressive people detained under Section 136 to ensure that police custody is only ever used in exceptional circumstances.”

“It is recognised that the level of perceived violence can be very subjective but given some other Forces have had no detainees under Section 136 taken to police custody, options need to be explored as to how these difficult situations are managed within Wiltshire and Swindon.”

Police and Crime Commissioner Angus Macpherson said sending patients to police cells is not acceptable and he will work to cut out the practice.

He said: “People who are facing a mental health crisis need to be cared for by trained health professionals in safe and suitable accommodation. Too often they have ended up in police cells which can be stressful for the individuals concerned.

“I am a member of the health and wellbeing boards in both Wiltshire and Swindon and I promoted the Mental Health Concordat. I am pleased that Wiltshire Police are among the organisations that have signed up to it.”