The Joint HMIC and HMI Prisons Police Custody Inspection Team undertook an unannounced inspection of the custody provision in Leicestershire Police between 8 and 17 September 2014. This resulted in a number of recommendations of areas of improvement that the force should address.
These recommendations were collated into an Action Plan for implementation. The plan is RAG assessed and dates for delivery of each item were identified. Chief Inspector Nick Purdie is responsible for the operational delivery of these areas of improvement. The plan is owned by Chief Superintendent Julia Debenham as the strategic lead for custody in the EMCJS forces, of which Leicestershire is one. This plan is managed through the EMCJS Strategic Custody Group, chaired by DCC Roger Bannister, which is responsible for the final sign off on the delivery of these areas of improvement.
Many of these improvements have already been delivered but the target date for the final sign off of the Action Plan and the delivery of all the areas of improvement is December 2015. HMIC identified two areas of significant good practice:
· the joint assessments of detainees by mental health and physical health care professionals
· the embedding of Liaison and Diversion staff in custody, enabling prompt support to detainees and shorter pathways to NHS beds
The force intends to build on these areas in the on-going developments that seek to improve the local approach to detainees with mental health illness.
Chief Superintendent Julia Debenham
September 2015
Posted on Monday 9th May 2016