Mental health detentions 190/2025

FOI Reference: 190/2025

Request

1. The overall number of arrests which led to a mental health act assessment and a decision to admit the patient under the Mental Health Act under S2/3 in custody between 2014-2024 (broken down by year), and, of those overall cases, by year:
2. How many cases each year involved a detention in Police custody which exceeded the statutory maximum period, due to a mental health bed not being a found.
3. What was the longest someone was held in custody each year as a bed could not be located.
4. Your Policy as of 2024 regarding MHAAs in custody and escalation procedures if a mental health bed is not available.

Response Q1 – Q3:

I can confirm that Dyfed-Powys Police does not hold the information requested. This is due to the fact that this is data held by the Local Health Authority. AMHP’s (Approved Mental Health Professionals) are the lead agency who deal with Mental Health Act assessments, and these assessments are carried out and recorded by them.

Response Q4

Please see attached link:-

Custody and detention Operating Procedure - https://www.dyfed-powys.police.uk/foi-ai/dyfed-powys-police/publication-scheme/our-policies-and-procedures/Policies/operational-policing/custody-and-detention-operating-procedure/

(This is a response under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and disclosed on 06/03/2025)