October 24, 2005
by staff reporter

Campaigners have welcomed government funding of £130m for mental health trusts to build appropriate "places of safety" for sectioned people brought in by police.

Currently many people picked up by police under mental health sectioning powers are taken to police stations as the place of safety for further assessment.

But a parliamentary joint committee on human rights has warned such a practice may mean that patient rights are being breached. Police cells have been widely criticised as being an inappropriate environment to detain someone in acute distress.

The department of health money is earmarked for updating psychiatric inpatient wards to provide such places of safety.

Paul Corry, director of campaigns and communications with the mental health charity Rethink, said: "This welcome new announcement will bring the day closer when police stations are no longer used anywhere to house people in acute medical need."

Sophie Corlett, director of policy at another mental health charity, Mind, said: "We hope that the investment will reach all parts of the country, including rural areas."

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