@MPSLewisham in the news

Personally I am quite happy with the language used. Say it as it is, and highlight the situation to the masses to allow them to understand.

I commend the police for being honest via social media. Solving problems requires honesty.

Maybe we do have a disproportionate number of mental health sufferers in this borough (with facilities like Honor Lea, Miriam Lodge etc) - and perhaps more could to be done to prevent public incidents which the police have to attend.

Not suggesting we spend more money - money we do not have - but possibly the reallocation of sufferers to other boroughs/regions with more capacity, or policy changes to make Care in the Community safer for the public.

Its not just Lewisham, it is countrywide. Every person I know who works in the police has missing persons, mental health and domestics as their major useage of their time. The are effectively being used as social workers.

Indeed, the police up and down the country are all bogged down with such things. Of course it is imperative that these people receive the help they need, and the police seem to be the only service that has the capacity (barely) and facilities to respond.
Have seen many a tweet following the progress of an MH patient, and the desperate struggle to find them the required accommodation, so they can be handed over. 12+ hours is not uncommon.

I guess somewhere along the line there needs to be the investment in a county wide response service, with specially trained staff to deal with and transport such vulnerable people.

Also worth noting that a lot of flying time by the NPAS guys is used looking for missing persons too.

This happens already, all the time. Sometimes the patients are eventually found somewhere in the home counties, when nowhere in London has space. Not sure that Care in the Community is the issue, certainly not the danger to public. A lot of these people are far more a danger to themselves than anyone else. MH issues are not all about hurting or being a risk to others.