PSOs an option for mental health support

Opinion 

BY STUART GRIMLY

WESTERN VICTORIA UPPER HOUSE MP

LAST sitting week in State Parliament I spoke about the fact that Police are often taken off the beat when they have to detain a person under Section 351 of the Mental Health Act (i.e. when someone is having a mental health episode). They are legally required to be transported to hospital by Police.

In most instances a detained person is held until they can be assessed by a mental health professional or doctor. Police can legally only leave the patient once he or she is signed over to a health professional. On average, Police spend up to four hours with a patient.

As a former police officer I know how much this affects police resources (with one mental health callout every 12 minutes across Victoria). As a result, I asked the Minister for Police whether or not there is potentially a less resource intensive process being explored which sees PSOs look after patients in hospital prior to assessment rather than frontline police.

On that note, mental health is a serious issue affecting our community, especially in Ballarat where it has been revealed the suicide rate for men is almost 30 per cent higher than for men across Victoria. Some months ago in Parliament I asked the State government to address funding for mental health services across rural Victoria such as in Ballarat, where those in the area in need of help can wait up to six weeks before they are assessed. This is totally unacceptable.

I also asked the Government to adopt my suggestion to replace police officers escorting people to hospital with PSOs. In some Police Service Areas this can take away the only police unit available in the town or area for half of their shift and when responding to threats of suicide, police can have multiple calls and sometimes be tied up for an entire shift.

I believe such changes would improve police efficiency in addition to improving public safety by freeing up frontline cops to remain on the beat. We are not expecting a policy change overnight, but I think that the government need to address this. As a matter of urgency.