A mental health role based in Bedfordshire Police’s control room is set to be replaced with a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week online support service, the police and crime commissioner (PCC) has confirmed.
At Tuesday’s (3 February) meeting of the Bedfordshire Police and Crime Panel, cllr Marc Frost (Conservative, Bedford Borough Council) questioned whether this post was being defunded as part of budget savings.
Responding, PCC John Tizard (Labour) said this was an operational decision, therefore a matter for the chief constable.
“My understanding is that there are plans to replace that appointment with a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week online mental health support service,” he told the panel.
“That service will, by definition, work more hours than an individual,” he said.
Following the meeting, superintendent Lee Haines told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), “We continue to regularly review the services we offer and how we work with partners, to ensure that we are meeting demand across the county and providing the best value and service we can to our public.
“Due to continuing financial pressures, we have had to make the difficult decision not to continue funding our mental health nurses.
“Right Care Right Person was implemented in 2024 in collaboration with health and social care partners to change how emergency services respond to medical and mental health-related calls, ensuring that vulnerable people receive the right specialist health support.
“Our officers and staff will still have access to a 24-hour professionals’ line for advice and support when dealing with mental-health related incidents, and our mental health street triage service will still be available to attend incidents where there is a threat to life or risk of significant harm.”
By John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
