National Preventive Mechanism Eleventh Annual Report 2019–20 an on-call basis to attend where a doctor is required.102 Although it was hoped that the programme would be extended to all custody suites in Northern Ireland by September 2020, due to COVID-19 the programme will now be implemented in two additional suites outside Belfast by early 2021. Deaths in police custody In November 2019, the Cabinet Secretary for Justice in Scotland announced a public inquiry into the death of Sheku Bayoh.103 This announcement followed a decision by the Lord Advocate not to charge Police Scotland or the officers involved in the death with criminal, corporate or health and safety offences. Sheku Bayoh, a black man born in Sierra Leone, was 31 years old when he died after being restrained by up to five police officers on 3 May 2015.104 The Justice Secretary has asked that the inquiry address the question of whether Sheku Bayoh’s race played a part in how the incident was approached and dealt with by the police, and look at the circumstances leading up to and following his death.105 Policy changes concerning police custody in England and Wales In March 2020 the National Police Chief’s Council published its National Strategy on Policing and Mental Health. This sets out the strategic principles underpinning the police response to those who experience mental ill health. In relation to custody, the strategy sets a strategic objective that ‘the police service should work to completely eliminate reliance upon the use of police custody as a ‘Place of Safety’ under the Mental Health Act 1983’. The strategy points out that this has already been achieved in some police force areas.106 Revisions made to Codes C and H in the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984 came into force in England and Wales in August 2019. ICVA, HMICFRS and HMI Prisons fed into the consultation regarding these changes. The revisions were made to ensure access to necessary menstrual care products, and ensure the broader health, hygiene and welfare needs of those in police custody are met. Detainees must now be given the opportunity to speak to someone of the same gender about their personal hygiene needs. Female and transgender detainees must be proactively offered menstrual care products, and detainees must be told toilets are private. The changes also strengthened dignity in strip searches.107 102 Police Service of Northern Ireland, June 2019, News: New nurse-led custody service on justice system’s frontline, https://www.psni.police.uk/news/Latest-News/040619-new-nurse-led-custody-service-on-justice-systems-frontline/ [accessed 31/08/2020] 103 Scottish Government, November 2019, Ministerial statement on Sheku Bayoh, https://www.gov.scot/publications/ ministerial-statement-humza-yousaf-statement-sheku-bayoh-next-steps/ [accessed 31/08/2020] 104 INQUEST, November 2019, Media release: Scottish Government announce public inquiry into the death of Sheku Bayoh, https://www.inquest.org.uk/sheku-bayoh-inquiry [accessed 31/08/2020] 105 Scottish Government, November 2019, Ministerial statement on Sheku Bayoh, https://www.gov.scot/publications/ ministerial-statement-humza-yousaf-statement-sheku-bayoh-next-steps/ [accessed 31/08/2020] 106 National Police Chiefs’ Council, February 2020, National Strategy on Policing and Mental Health, https://www.npcc.police. uk/Mental%20Health/Nat%20Strat%20Final%20v2%2026%20Feb%202020.pdf#:~:text=National%20Strategy%20on%20 Policing%20and%20Mental%20Health%20Foreword,the%20police%20service%20as%20a%20whole.%20The%20 challenge [accessed 10/11/2020] 107 ICVA, July 2020, Blog: Reflecting back on a year, https://icva.org.uk/reflecting-back-on-a-year/ [accessed 31/08/2020] 36