The Buckinghamshire Street Triage service have been working in partnership with Thames Valley Police since 2015 to provide a triage service to those who present to the police with a mental health crisis. The team is based in police stations and responds to 999 calls where there is a mental health element.

They attend situations with a police officer and, between them and the service user, they work hard to collaboratively resolve crisis and plan the most appropriate care, helping the person to access the most appropriate pathway for their needs.

The team is made up of three nurses, a team lead and manager and an administrator. By providing immediate access to a trained mental health professional the service is able to offer advice and appropriate support and reduces the need for members of the public to be taken to a custody suite as a place of safety.

Teress Mclarty, Team Manager said: “We are very proud of the Street Triage team.  Their determination to provide exceptional care to service users and support to the officers of Thames Valley Police has shone throughout during this challenging year.

“Their hard work and commitment support other areas of the service and partner agencies by helping to avoid unnecessary admissions to hospital and reduce attendances to the A+E departments.”

One service user said: “Thank you so much for your help, it was nice to chat to someone and get advice and support” while another thanks the team for “speaking with me and putting me at ease. I really appreciated triage support and would highly recommend them as a service.”

Another reviewer said, “The nurse helped me feel more positive that I could get help.”

A final service user said: “Thank you for coming out to see my son, nurses and police were very friendly and spent a lot of time talking to him.”