Experts are calling for more help for people in mental distress after a nine-fold increase in the number detained by police for their own safety.

The Mental Welfare Commission (MWC) reviewed use of the power after police applied for place of safety orders 1,133 times in 2016-7, a rise from just 130 in a decade.

The watchdog said greater use of the orders – which allow police to detain a mentally distressed person for up to 24 hours so they can be assessed by a doctor – was a sign of better awareness, and praised the compassion shown by police.

But the MWC's report, based on and interviews with patients and police, warns delays in assessments are causing lengthy waits in some areas, wasting the time of officers and members of the public. Over 95 per cent of people detained were taken to a hospital, but the report warns large amounts of police time were often involved and calls for better coordination with NHS services.

The study showed 92 per cent of those held on place of safety orders do not have to be detained in hospital once they have been seen by a doctor. It also found huge variations in the use of the orders across police divisions with Highland, Orkney and Grampian reporting the highest numbers, while urban areas such as Lanarkshire and Greater Glasgow use them far less frequently, per head of population.

Colin McKay, Chief Executive, Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland, said: “Our interviews revealed a high level of care and compassion from the officers involved. We welcome the priority given in the Government’s Mental Health Strategy to people experiencing acute distress. We hope that this will lead to better options being developed by the NHS and local authorities.”

The report, based on and interviews with patients and police, also found that some people were being detained in police stations because officers believed mental health services would not assess someone who had been drinking. Twelve of 14 such cases examined were in the NHS Tayside area.

The report says NHS services and staff should never refuse to assess people in crisis simply on the basis of intoxication. A spokeswoman said: "It is not acceptable for any NHS service to refuse to assess people

A spokesperson for Perth and Kinross Health and Social Care Partnership said, “Initial review of our own records suggests that where people went back to the care of the police because of intoxication and/or aggression, this is typically after a face-to-face assessment by Mental Health Services.

“In the 12 specific situations identified by the Mental Welfare Commission, we have not identified any recorded contact with mental health services in 11 of those cases. In the other, an assessment was being requested for the following day.

“We will continue to work with Police Scotland’s Tayside Division to ensure that individuals who require psychiatric assessment can be seen in the most appropriate place."