Right Care, Right Person

Implementation of Right Care Right Person

Right Care Right Person is a national model being rolled out across the UK aimed at ensuring adults with health-related concerns get the help they need from the right expert or agency.

Following the national partnership agreement signed by NHS England, The Department for Health and Social Care and the National Police Chiefs Council, Right Care Right Person will be rolled out in a phased approach in Surrey from April 2024. The model will be used to triage incoming 999 calls and decide on an appropriate course of action, including whether to deploy police officers.

First adopted at Humberside Police, the model recognises that police officers often cannot provide the level of specialist medical care or support required by those seeking help for their mental health.

Surrey Police has worked closely with local NHS Trusts, the ambulance service, and social care teams to plan, test and implement this model. We will continue to collaborate as we evaluate it’s success. Across the emergency services in Surrey we collectively believe that implementing Right Care Right Person is the correct course of action to help our communities get the high standards of care they deserve, by the most appropriate agency or professional.

Applying Right Care Right Person will not mean withdrawing from all welfare or mental health related calls for adults, and there will many cases where deploying a police officer is the right thing to do. This includes where there is a threat to life, a policing purpose or a clear need for an urgent response. RCRP considerations will only be applied to calls for service relating to adults and will not be applied to calls concerning a child (under 18 years old), or where a child is present. We have a duty to protect the public, and will continue to do so.

However, in other cases it is recognised that the police is not the correct agency to respond, and will no longer do so, as our skilled and compassionate officers are not equipped to provide the level of specialist medical care or protracted support required.

Chief Constable Tim De Meyer said: “Working with our partners we can best support those seeking help for their mental health, and make sure that our officers are out doing the jobs only they can do – preventing and solving crime."

Surrey Police call handlers have undergone in-depth training to use the Right Care Right Person triage model, and experts will be “walking the floor” in the contact centre to support staff to correctly and effectively manage calls.

Graham Wareham, Chief Executive at Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We want the right person to support someone in distress or crisis, to ensure nobody is in danger. We value the way in which Surrey Police has engaged with us and have been reassured that Surrey Police will continue to attend calls when that is the right approach.”

Tim Oliver, Leader of Surrey County Council said: “We understand the intentions of Right Care, Right Person, and - like other local partners - we are committed to working with Surrey Police to help them introduce the scheme for adults in a safe and sensitive way for residents and staff alike.

“We also understand this model will not mean police withdraw from all welfare or mental health related calls and we know there will continue to be many cases where deploying a police officer is the right thing to do. In partnership, we will work together to ensure residents are provided with the right type of care and support from the most appropriate agency.”