Mental Health Tactical Advice Service
Our Greater Manchester Mental Health Tactical Advice Service is a 24/7 service based within the Control Room at Greater Manchester Police Headquarters.
The service is delivered in partnership with Pennine Care and Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust and works with Greater Manchester Police to support police officers and call handlers to deal with mental health issues more effectively.
We do this by providing access to our team of registered mental health professionals, who will support police staff with decision-making and onward referrals to services through telephone and video conferencing.
The service operates as a part of the Vulnerability Support Unit, which screen calls and offer specialist support to frontline officers, or divert people from a police response to the appropriate health and social care services across Greater Manchester.
What do we do?
Our team of healthcare professionals will:
- Assess police incidents that contain a mental health element, supporting the triage of response priority
- Provide real-time clinical advice to police officers and screen call logs to identify level of need
- Support police officers by adding relevant information to the police log to support more informed decision making
- Work closely with local street triage services and urgent care teams, transferring care to these services at the earliest opportunity
- Communicate with existing care providers and GPs across Greater Manchester
- Seek to identify learning opportunities to improve mental health awareness and upskill police officers in handling incidents relating to mental health
- Work alongside care providers, police and individuals to understand reasons behind frequent calls being made to the police and emergency services
- Provide consultation prior to decision making in the use of Section 136 and when considering attendance at A&E for mental health-related concerns
The service has the kind permission of Dr Sands et al (2015) © to utilise the mental health triage tool in clinical practice.
How to access our service
The Mental Health Tactical Advice Service is a support service for Greater Manchester Police staff and is not publicly accessible. Police staff can access the service via the Greater Manchester Police control room.
Privacy notices
The Mental Health Tactical Advice Service is a partnership of four organisations working together across Greater Manchester. Below you can view the privacy notices for each individual organisation to explain how they process personal data:
- Greater Manchester Police privacy notice
- Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust privacy notice
- Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust privacy notice
If you need help in a crisis
Our free 24/7 mental health crisis helpline for all ages is here to help our service users, carers, and people living in the areas we serve. If you are worried or anxious about your mental health or feeling as though you are in a mental health crisis and need urgent support and help, please don't hesitate to call. The mental health crisis helpline is also there for you if you are concerned about a loved one, neighbour, friend or family member. It is open all day and night, 365 days per year and it is free of charge.
We sometimes receive a large number of calls, so please bear with us.
0800 953 0285
For more information on crisis care services please see: Crisis Care | Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS FT (gmmh.nhs.uk)
As a service user, relative or carer using our services, sometimes you may need to turn to someone for help, advice, and support.
Find resources for carers and service users Contact the Trust