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Clegg: Locking up mentally ill in police cells 'unacceptable'
It is "unacceptable" that children suffering a mental health crisis are being locked up in police cells because of a lack of mental health services, the Deputy Prime Minister has said.
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Clegg: 'Mental health is as important as physical health'
The agreement between police, mental health trusts and paramedics among others, states that police custody suites should not be used because mental health services are not available.
The Police and Crime Commissioners (PCC) organisation said 36% of mentally ill people found in a public place who are detained by police end up in cells. The pledge, called the Crisis Care Concordat, challenges services to ensure they are always available for patients who need them urgently.
Health officials hope that the agreement will half the number of people inappropriately detained in police cells by next year. In 2011/12, 8,667 people were detained in England, the Department of Health said.
Clegg: Locking mentally ill in police cells 'unacceptable'
It is "unacceptable" that children suffering a mental health crisis are being locked up in police cells because of a lack of mental health services, the Deputy Prime Minister has said.
Nick Clegg condemned the practice of confining mentally ill people, including children, to a police custody suite when appropriate services are not available.
His comments come as a number of national organisations have signed a pledge to improve the care of mentally ill people in a crisis.