British Police forces dealt with 500,000 mental-health related incidents in 2019, according to new research from the Parliament Street think tank. The data, which was obtained under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) showed that incidents have risen 20 per cent in the last three years since 2016.
The highest number of mental health-related incidents was recorded by the Metropolitan Police at 39,584 followed by South Wales Police who experienced 32,145.
The research found that 66 per cent of forces have seen a per centage increase in mental health-related incidents on the first available data they provided Parliament Street (either 2016,2017, or 2018). The highest rise was experienced by Staffordshire Police who have seen a per centage increase of 100 per cent, shortly followed by Northumbria Police at 93 per cent and North Wales at 74 per cent.
Derrick Farrell, CEO at Vita Health Group, comments: “These figures show the real level of Britain’s mental health crisis. Tackling this surge in incidents requires every officer to be properly trained and equipped with the very latest support skills, so that victims are treated with the highest standards of care and consideration. As a society, we need to start taking the issue of mental health support more seriously, with employers also taking a lead to ensure professional support is available in the workplace.”
Danny Bowman, head of campaigns, Parliament Street comments: “We cannot continue this false economy of limiting investment in mental health, only to find the cost being transferred onto blue-light services.”
|
Police Forces (Great Britain) |
2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
| Metropolitan | 39,584 | 13,123 | 0 | 0 | 66.8% increase since 2018 |
| South Wales | 32,145 | 29,131 | 27,789 | 38,712 | 16.9% decrease since 2016 |
| Hampshire | 27,601 | 34,600 | 36,352 | 9,597 | 65.2% increase since 2016 |
| Kent | 24,195 | 20,602 | 18,519 | 0 | 23.4% increase since 2017 |
| Avon and Somerset | 23,854 | 18,564 | 18,341 | 0 | 23.1% increase since 2017 |
| West Yorkshire | 21,253 | 19,423 | 1,967 | 14,879 | 29.9% increase since 2016 |
| North Yorkshire | 19,610 | n/a | 13,911 | 12,596 | 35.7% increase since 2016 |
| Hertfordshire | 18,645 | 21,696 | 0 | 0 | 14% decrease since 2018 |
| West Midlands | 17,038 | 16,170 | 0 | 18,000 | 5.3% decrease since 2016 |
| Humberside | 16,896 | 0 | 8,822 | 0 | 47.7% increase since 2017 |
| Merseyside | 15,128 | 9,282 | 7,172 | 6,912 | 54.3% increase since 2016 |
| Northumbria | 14,130 | 6,422 | 979 | 0 | 93.0% increase since 2017 |
| Lancashire | 12,820 | 12,234 | 7,766 | 5,707 | 55.4% increase since 2016 |
| Surrey | 12,639 | 10,818 | 9,060 | 0 | 28.3% increase since 2017 |
| South Yorkshire | 12,518 | 6,516 | 0 | 0 | 47.9% increase since 2018 |
| Gwent | 11,422 | 0 | 12,519 | 17,907 | 36.2% decrease since 2016 |
| Norfolk | 10,692 | 11,304 | 10,542 | 9,816 | 8.9% increase since 2016 |
| Cambridgeshire | 9,988 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Derbyshire | 9,805 | 8,065 | 8,600 | 7,869 | 19.7% increase since 2016 |
| Devon and Cornwall | 9,372 | 7,840 | 7,218 | 6,467 | 30.9% increase since 2016 |
| West Mercia | 8,809 | 0 | 6,193 | 7,023 | 20.2% increase since 2016 |
| Dyfed-Powys | 7,735 | 6,383 | 3,873 | 0 | 49.9% increase since 2017 |
| Durham | 7,605 | 4,549 | 15,377 | 5,850 | 30% increase since 2016 |
| Dorset | 7,152 | 7,113 | 0 | 0 | 0.5% increase since 2018 |
| Leicestershire | 6,946 | 0 | 7,263 | 2,805 | 59.6% increase since 2016 |
| Northamptonshire | 6,731 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Staffordshire | 6,223 | 5,431 | 4,914 | 3,112 | 99.9% increase since 2016 |
| Gloucestershire | 6,006 | 7,039 | 6,903 | 0 | 12.9% decrease since 2017 |
| Cleveland | 5,933 | 5,955 | 0 | 0 | 0.3% decrease since 2018 |
| Cheshire | 5,260 | 0 | 7,041 | 0 | 25.2% decrease since 2017 |
| Bedfordshire | 5,060 | 4,958 | 3,528 | 5,582 | 9.3% decrease since 2016 |
| Suffolk | 4,481 | 4,518 | 4,357 | 14,731 | 69.5% decrease since 2016 |
| Cumbria | 4,312 | 4,960 | 4,759 | 3,109 | 38.6% increase since 2016 |
| Lincolnshire | 4,175 | 4,118 | 3,369 | 2,512 | 39.8% increase since 2016 |
| Nottinghamshire | 3,837 | 16,928 | 0 | 19,973 | 80.7% decrease since 2016 |
| Wiltshire | 3,417 | 4,084 | 2,495 | 3,443 | 0.7% decrease since 2016 |
| North Wales | 2,915 | 1,744 | 0 | 766 | 73.7% increase since 2016 |
| Warwickshire | 1,403 | 0 | 1,633 | 2,783 | 49.5% decrease since 2016 |
| City of London | 116 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Essex | 0 | 11,852 | 0 | 9,002 | 0 |
| Greater Manchester | 0 | 17735 | 17902 | 18987 | 0 |
| Total | 457,451 | 353,157 | 279,146 | 248,140 |
About the Parliament Street think tank
Parliament Street is one of the UK’s most influential think tanks. The organisation produces policy papers, research and recommendations which influence policy makers. In addition, Parliament Street regularly hosts parliamentary debates in Parliament on the latest topics impacting public issues and the media agenda.
