Mental health-related police incidents: Results of a national census exercise in England and Wales.

Background: The level of mental state incidents dealt with by police and the police resource involved is under-researched, often giving rise to un-evidenced claims around demand, response and resources. The 2019 National Police Chiefs' Council and College of Policing definition of such incidents provides a useful basis for more accurate calculation: 'Any police incident thought to relate to someone's mental health where their vulnerability is at the centre of the incident or where the police have had to do something additionally or differently because of it'.

Aims: To establish the nature and frequency of incidents involving the police when mental state is a primary reason for the involvement.

Police interactions and interventions with suspects flagged as experiencing mental health problems.

Background: Interactions between individuals experiencing mental health (MH) problems and the police are complex, and effectiveness of innovative support and diversion models in England and Wales not yet fully evaluated.

Aims/hypotheses: Our aims were to examine police interactions with suspects and to measure the immediate effectiveness of police/NHS MH interventions, including liaison and diversion and embedded staff in police contact and control rooms. We hypothesised that those with an MH flag would have significantly greater benefit from such interventions than those without in terms of how far they are taken down the criminal justice pathway and how long they spend in police custody.

Factors associated with progression in the London pathway project.

Background: The London Pathways Partnership (LPP) Community Service is an approach to mainstreaming the identification of offenders with severe personality disorder to address their needs and reduce their risk.

Aims: To evaluate the result of the full-scale implementation of the LPP and evaluate factors associated with an offender's progression on the pathway.

Method: The data collected as part of the LPP project and Offender Assessment System data were used to evaluate who was screened into the pathway and their progression on the pathway.

Evaluating the impact of the London Pathway Project.

Background: The London Pathway Project (LPP) is an innovative whole-systems approach to addressing the needs of offenders who have severe personality disorder, with the goal of reducing their risk of harm. Previous research has evaluated the initial implementation of the LPP.

Aims: This paper focused on evaluating the impact of the LPP on a number of criminogenic needs over time and its impact on the risk of reoffending and harm compared with a similar group who did not experience the pathway.

Real-time PCR assay for detection of blaZ genes in Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates.

The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute recommends consideration of blaZ gene testing for cases of serious Staphylococcus aureus infection. Conventional PCR methods have demonstrated superior sensitivity and specificity to phenotypic tests. To our knowledge, this is the first description of real-time PCR detection of the blaZ gene.

A survey of caesarean operations on cattle in general veterinary practice.

The animal most frequently requiring operation for dystocia in this survey of 133 cases was the Friesian/Holstein heifer. In 38 per cent of cases the reason for surgery was an oversized calf and in 84 per cent the operation was performed on the farm of origin. The majority of the dams were operated on while standing, using a left flank incision, and under paravertebral or field infiltration with local anaesthetic solution.

New dip-and-read test for determining leukocytes in urine.

A new reagent strip for the determination of leukocytes in urine (LEUKOSTIX; Ames) is described. The test is based on the esterase activity in leukocytes as a marker. Upon contact between the reagent matrix and a urine containing leukocytes, an amino acid ester is hydrolyzed by the esterase to its corresponding alcohol.

A control system for monitoring the performance of leukocyte strip tests.

The control system described here is used to monitor the performance of urinary reagent-strip tests for leukocytes. The presence of leukocyte esterase in the urine is used as a marker for leukocytes in urine. The control system is based on sonicated leukocytes, isolated from whole blood.