Maintain pressure on reforms to protect NHSNurse pilot scheme provides care to people in custody
Nurses in Scotland have just completed a pilot scheme to provide care to those in custody.
The three-year project saw nurses provide 24-hour services including alcohol and drug referrals to people held in police cells in Dundee, Perth and Arbroath.
The pilot was the first of its kind of the UK and a partnership between NHS Tayside, Tayside Police and the University of Dundee.
Tayside Police Chief Constable Kevin Mathieson said: ‘People who come in to our custody are often from high risk populations and can be the least likely to access health or medical services. The fact they are in custody is a clear indication they have reached a crisis point and this service provides an excellent opportunity for health services to intervene.
‘The NHS Tayside team can refer them on to other services that can assist them in areas such as alcohol, drugs and mental health that assistance can prevent them from coming in to our custody in the future.’
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Readers' comments (1)
Anonymous | 19-Jun-2010 5:21 am
The opening lines of this article are not factual - the service started in 2009 as a three year pilot and is due to complete around 2012 - I am employed as part of this team
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