Member

Section 136 allows the police to remove someone to, or keep them at, a place of safety, by force if necessary, if they appear to be suffering from a mental disorder and need immediate care or control. Again, extending this power to health and social care staff would represent a major shift in their relationship with patients and the public. While in some cases approved mental health practitioners already have these powers—they can, for example, normally enter properties with permission—for other professionals, such as midwives or paramedics, the amendment would be a much more significant change.