— The police refused three times to carry out a welfare check, under "Right Care Right Person" (and another time refusing a 999 call because there had been no suicide threat that day). The family then forced their own way into the home and found the deceased hanging by a ligature. The matters of concern (paraphrased) were that: the police refused to attend even when a family member was expressing the view that there was a real and immediate risk to life; the family were advised to contact mental health services who lacked power to enter locked premises; the refusal continued despite four calls and three callers (including two professional callers); the procedure for supervisor review of negative RCRP decisions causes additional delay.
Full details available at: https://www.mentalhealthlaw.co.uk/Sophie_Cotton_(Durham_Constabulary)_(2025)_MHLO_14_(PFD)?id=300625-1405