EMERGENCY services have been praised for introducing a new integrated mental health service.

Staff from Lancashire & South Cumbria Foundation Trust (LSCft) and Cumbria Police have joined forces to launch the Street Triage Team.

It will see mental health clinicians and police officers join forces and work together to respond appropriately to people who have contacted the police and are in mental health crisis.

Launching this month, they will be based at Barrow Police Station and Dane Garth, Furness General Hospital.

Steve Christian, Chief Integration Officer at Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust said: “This Street Triage team pilot is an exciting part of wider developments to our services across South Cumbria. We are working closely with our partners to make sure there are easy, clear pathways in place for people in need of ongoing mental health support and assessment.”

Gill Park said: "About time - some people really need their help."

Ben Lambert said: "Fantastic…great to see, police are often blamed when in fact they have non or very little mental health training. It’s about time all services pull together to support one another."

Carly High said: "Good to see but it's a bit too late for a lot of people and families."

Christina Annette Blythe: "Good, it's about time. So many aren't lucky enough to receive this much needed help. All lives matter."

Some commented that although it was a good move, it could've come earlier.

nosensenononsense said: "So anyone in mental health crisis be sure it's between 3pm and 1am, between Tues until Fri or you're a bit out of luck."

The Street Triage team will work in pairs – with one clinician and one officer on duty – between Tuesday until Friday, 3pm until 1am.

The team will travel in a specially adapted, unmarked car and will attend and perform a face-to-face assessment to determine what support is needed.