CNWL began providing Court and Police adult mental health liaison and diversion services in 1993 in Brent, Harrow and Westminster and Milton Keynes.

Liaison and diversion is a process where people of all ages with mental health problems, learning disability, substance misuse problems and other vulnerabilities are identified and assessed as early as possible as they pass through the youth and criminal justice systems.

Diversion should be interpreted in its wider sense, referring to both diversion out of, and within, the youth and adult criminal justice systems. The entry point to the service is when an individual comes into contact with the police under suspicion of having committed a criminal offence.

The Court and Police Liaison and Diversion services are intended to improve the health and justice outcomes for those who come into contact with criminal justice system where a range of complex needs are identified as factors in their offending behaviour. The service is provided to all those aged 10 years old, across nine boroughs in London.

The model aims to:

  • Provide a more accessible mental health referral pathway within the CJS for all those with mental health needs including young people and people who are vulnerable for a variety of reasons including mental illness, intellectual disability, substance misuse and social issues.
  • Provide a gateway to primary and secondary mental health services.
  • Provide an early point of identification within the CJS for detainees and those on bail considered to be in need of further mental health assessment and intervention.
  • Enable detainees and those on bail who are deemed to be vulnerable, to have equitable access to care within the criminal justice system.
  • Improve service user engagement and increase utilisation of appropriate services.
  • Improve service provision for BAME service users by proactively partnering with local BAME mental health and intellectual disability community based organisations.

The current all age and all vulnerabilities model was piloted in 2014, the contract was then awarded in 2015 to CNWL, West London NHS Trust and Together, working for wellbeing partnership in 2015. As part of this arrangement CNWL subcontract Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust to deliver services in Hendon Magistrates and Colindale Police custody.

Court services operate Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.

Police services core-operating hours are 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Some police stations have extended hours at weekend and evenings depending on local arrangements.

CNWL Service Manager:

Roz Kerr 

Email: roz.kerr@nhs.net

Telephone: 07783657425

Consultants:

Dr Girija Kottalgi, Dr Shirin Makail (BEH), Anupam Kishore, Janet Parrot (Oxleas)

  • West London NHS Trust Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust
  • Together