Regional Healthcare and Forensic Services in Custody

Please note the Contract highest value is an indicative value only.

The requirement for the provision of a Regional Healthcare and Forensic Service in Custody.

Police custody healthcare (governed by PACE) operates within all custody suites within Humberside Police, North Yorkshire Police, South Yorkshire Police and West Yorkshire Police, to provide a clinical assessment of a Service User's fitness for detention, interview, charge or release as required /requested by the police, as well as forensic healthcare such as taking samples for evidence purposes. This is largely driven by the custody risk assessment and safeguarding processes.

It should be noted that that this healthcare is within the secure estate of a police custody suite/unit. As such the medical healthcare is ancillary to the role the police have of investigating crime. In this respect the Police are strictly governed by legislation in particular the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and it Code of Practise. This places a significant responsibility on the Custody officer (usually a Police Sergeant) who is responsible for ensuring the legal process is discharged and has a strict duty of care to all detainees. This will mean their close involvement in decisions to refer for medical assessment and a duty to liaise and confer with Healthcare professionals in order to carry out that duty.