Policing should not be used to bridge a capacity gap within the NHS.

I am incredibly proud to be the Chief Constable of British Transport Police . We protect passengers across three countries and our jurisdiction is the biggest geographic area of any UK police force. But sadly, at BTP, we experience – on average – a suicide or an attempted suicide every day. And for every life lost on the railway, we make eight life-saving interventions.

Each of those interventions represents a member of the public, or a member of rail staff, noticing another person’s distress and doing something about it. That can be as simple as asking the person a question, or texting BTP – simply reaching out and saving a life.

Whilst I’m proud of the work we do, I wish we did not have to respond to so many incidents where people find themselves in crisis and I hope for a time when help is available much earlier.

We’re currently working with Network Rail to do just that. Our Harm Reduction Team is a pilot focusing on proactive intervention to support people who are located on a frequent basis at railway stations. It sees mental health practitioners working with specialist police officers to reach out and engage with people in a protective way. Feedback from both health care practitioners and individuals or their families has been incredibly positive. So, my challenge to BTP and rail is whether this is something that could be rolled out nationwide to support colleagues in the NHS and better protect vulnerable people. A true collaboration that benefits everyone.

With 3,000 mental health detentions in the last two years - and an average of eight hours per detention – an incredible amount of our police time is spent responding to and helping vulnerable people. There is a growing dependency on police resources to support and supplement onwards care due to the increasing demand on health services and associated disinvestment. But with that, we must consider the question, “where would you like police responders to be?”

We’re proud to be there when people need us most, but policing should not be used to bridge a capacity gap within the NHS.

As a national force and with one of our ACCs being the National Police Chiefs' Council Police Chief Council lead for Suicide Prevention, we are in a unique position. We work in partnership with 330 local authorities, 220 or more health trusts, 50 plus mental health trusts, as well as 11 ambulance trusts and 44 police forces. We are supported by the rail industry. The number of interested parties across the three countries and a variance in structures can be complex to navigate.

We care deeply about ensuring those in mental health crisis receive the appropriate support wherever they interact with BTP, which is why we are working to influence change.

Vulnerable people have always gravitated to the railway. And so much of vulnerability is linked to mental health. From the thousands of referrals each year regarding child and adult protection, to the vital work of our modern slavery oversight team and the safeguarding carried out by our County Lines taskforce, we work with the purpose of keeping people safe. Our partnership with Railway Children provides children and young people who come to police attention with an opportunity to receive support from their fantastic team, through the referrals we make.

Our reach also extends beyond the confines of policing to the Safeguarding on Rail Scheme. This Department for Transport (DfT) funded scheme is an opportunity for organisations operating on the UK rail network to demonstrate how they are proactively involved in safeguarding vulnerable people. Becoming an accredited organisation provides reassurance to both passengers and staff that there is commitment to protecting those who are most vulnerable. I am pleased that it will be a mandatory requirement for train operators in future DfT contracts.

This scheme is based on the principle that the effectiveness of an organisation’s safeguarding relies on partnership working and a strategy which encompasses leadership, clear policies, practices and communications. There also needs to be a firm emphasis on the importance of well informed and trained frontline staff. Plans are in progress to involve several charities including Railway Children, Rail Chaplains (Railway Mission), Samaritans, Shelter and Crisis to discuss how we can make further improvements to ensure we maximise resources and build positive working practices.

It is also of such importance to acknowledge the profound impact that this work has on our people. They deal with a significant amount of trauma - from the initial call handler and the police responder who attends, to the staff who make the onward referral and those who carry out a post incident visit. Each interaction leaves a trace on responders, never more so than when someone has taken their own life. As loved ones bereaved by suicide deserve to know that everything possible is being done to prevent further deaths, so do first responders who are often affected in the course of doing their job.

So, to decision makers across the UK, we must work together across boundaries, both geographical and organisational, to prioritise mental health, something which has never been more urgent or relevant than in society today.

To my dedicated workforce, keep doing what you do to look after the public and keep people safe. Please look after your own mental health and that of your colleagues, you are making an immeasurable difference and one which you should be proud of, as I am proud of you.

To the public please to talk to someone who needs help by adopting the Small Talk Saves Lives approach and by contacting us on text 61016. We will be here for you.