COMMUNITY leaders have spoken out about the 'distressing' lack of mental healthcare in west Dorset.

Many have shared their concerns that those living with mental health conditions are left to cope without adequate support or treatment, leaving emergency services to provide crisis intervention.

Their comments come after Dorset Police revealed they were called to assist a Bridport woman in her 40s on Burton Cliff for at least the seventh time this month on Wednesday, following incidents last Friday and this Monday.

Despite grave concerns for her welfare she has repeatedly gone back to the cliff top and has had to be rescued by emergency services.

In an update issued on Thursday, Insp. Mike Darby from Bridport Police said the woman has now been detained at St. Ann's Hospital in Poole.

Dorset's Police and Crime Commissioner Martyn Underhill, who is also the chair of the national PCC mental health working group, said: “I am concerned about the provision of mental health crisis support in Dorset.

"Accepting that the scale of intervention required differs enormously with each case, it cannot be acceptable for police to spend anything between 20 and 40 percent of their time as the "service of last resort" dealing with mental health issues and crisis interventions.

Mr Underhill said that although police now have access to the new street triage system, they 'still have a long way to go.'

"People in crisis deserve the right care in the right place in the right time, and that means a health-based setting.

"As the national lead for PCC's in this area, I will continue to fight for the parity between physical and mental health, and for that funding," he said.

Tony Tester, chairman of the Dorset Police Federation, said that a lack of resources is 'stretching [the police] thinner and thinner.'

He said: "We can't criticise the people on the ground because they are having their resources cut like we are.

"Whether it's mental health or ambulances [the police] are having to step in and bridge the gap - we are the emergency service that gets called for everything.

"Crime is a small part of our everyday work and a larger part is mental health, that's an area of growth for us, whether we are having to step in for people who have gone missing or those on a cliff or in the high street.

"It's how much longer we can continue to do that that's the harder question."

West Dorset's MP Oliver Letwin said: "This is a very distressing case.

"It shows all too clearly the challenges we face in dealing with mental health, the need for the additional investment in mental health which was announced in the Budget, and the need for further work to improve mental healthcare in Dorset.

"This is a major priority for the coming years."

Roz Copson, who has worked with mental health organisations for over 30 years and lives with a mental health condition herself, said: "When mental health services were being reduced and beds were being taken away people were literally left walking the streets at night-time.

"If the facilities are not going to be replaced then drop-in centres will be vitally needed and the rise in the number of members of Harmony in Bridport shows how important the service is.

"We are supposed to have the funding but the money isn't being spent in the right areas.

"Because we are a small community in Bridport it gets more talk, but still the situation is not being dealt with.

"It needs to be addressed because otherwise we are talking about loss of life, self harm or total isolation because people will be afraid to go out into the big wide world."

A spokesperson from Dorset HealthCare said: “Local mental health services and teams work hard to support people in Dorset and work very closely with our partners in a range of agencies, including the emergency services, to keep them safe.
 
“It is inappropriate to comment on individual cases but it is important to understand that an inpatient stay is not always the solution and we will work with people to agree the most appropriate support for them. 

"If any person is assessed as in need of a hospital bed, that bed will be found.
 
“We do work in an environment of increasing demand in some areas and there is national recognition of a need for increased investment in mental health. 

"Locally, we are committed to continuing to improve our services, which includes investment in improving the inpatient environment and introducing new services, such as our nationally-recognised custody liaison and diversion service. 

"Through this service, mental health nurses work alongside the police to ensure people get the appropriate support for their mental wellbeing, when it’s needed, when they first come in to contact with the criminal justice system.”