An estimated third of Kent Police's time is spent on dealing with cases involving mental health issues.

This is according to Kent's Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott and he has called the issue "not sustainable".

He said: "It is sadly the case that there has been an increasing reliance on Kent Police to assist those in mental health crisis.

It is estimated that a third of Kent Police’s time is now spent dealing with individuals and cases involving mental health illness. This is not sustainable."

£250,000 has been ringfenced by the Police and Crime Commissioner in an attempt to cut the amount of time police spend dealing with mental health issues.

People and organisations will be able to bid for a share of the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner’s new mental health and policing fund.

This includes representatives of charities, local authorities, and even staff and officers within Kent Police.

Mr Scott said: "Importantly, the funding will not be used to support mental health services which are the responsibility of the NHS, or to support those services where statutory funding has been withdrawn or reduced.

"I want to see locally-led, community-based initiatives that help reduce demand on officers and staff."

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner will begin accepting bids into the Mental Health and Policing Fund from 1 March 2017, with the first wave of successful bidders to be announced by Mr Scott in June.

Some of the fund will be used to support and develop existing projects like Crisis Cafes and the scheme whereby mind counsellors work alongside Kent Police Force Control Room call-handlers.

Mr Scott said: "Throughout last year, even before I was elected Kent’s PCC, I championed the need for a revolution in the way police forces deal with people in a mental health crisis.

"Mental health will remain one of the guiding principles of my new safer in Kent plan, and in the next financial year I’m making specific funding available to support community schemes reflecting my commitment to this issue."