A police cell is not the right place for a person suffering a mental health crisis so it is good news to learn an innovative scheme to tackle the issue is now being extended further across Sussex.

The street triage scheme involves mental health nurses joining police on the beat to offer immediate help and support to those in need.

Sussex Police and the NHS services have been working closely on the project and the results have been extremely positive.

The pilot in Eastbourne has already led to a sharp drop in the number of people being detained and a significant rise in the number being referred to the right mental health service for them.

This is obviously the best thing for everybody involved, particularly the patient, and it is hoped the project will continue to develop until it is run as a matter of course in all parts of the county.