Ministers tell police to respond to fewer mental health-related 999 calls

Plan aims to free up estimated million hours a year of police time but experts have raised concerns

Ministers have told police forces to rapidly cut the number of mental health-related 999 calls they respond to in order to free up an estimated million hours a year of police time, in a move that mental health experts fear could be dangerous.

Announcing a new national strategy for the police's role in mental health emergencies, Chris Philp, the policing minister, said forces should still attend calls involving mental health issues whenever there is a risk to public safety and if there is a crime.