Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the NHS is taking to help ensure that Dorset Police are able to refer convicted stalkers for mental health interventions.

NHS Liaison and Diversion services in Dorset work closely with the police and other parts of the criminal justice system to identify people who have mental health, learning disability, substance misuse, or other issues when they first come into contact with the criminal justice system as suspects, defendants, or convicted offenders.

The aim is to improve overall health outcomes and to reduce re-offending through early identification of possible need, putting in place the right support from the start, including mental health support, and reducing the likelihood that they will reach a crisis point.

The service can then support them through the criminal system pathway, refer them for appropriate health or social care support, or enable them to be diverted away from the criminal justice system, where appropriate.