Police officers should be given better training in handling people with mental health problems, says a charity.

The National Schizophrenia Fellowship (NSF) says a number of tragedies involving people who have been sectioned under the Mental Health Act could have been avoided if police officers had greater expertise.

NSF claims the death of schizophrenia sufferer John Tyrell, who hanged himself at Chaddeston police station near Manchester last year after being detained, is an example of a case which could have been avoided.

The charity calls for a series of changes to the treatment of people with mental health problems and says police are often left to pick up the pieces when no-one else is available to give assistance, though they may not be the most appropriate organisation to deal with a problem.

Alongside better training for officers, the charity is calling for local agreements to be made between police forces, health bodies and social services. Police stations should not routinely be used as places to hold people, unless a serious offence has taken place, it says, and there is a demand for a review process to allow all organisations involved to learn from mistakes.

NSF chief executive Cliff Prior said: "Two in three people who have been involved in a compulsory section under the Mental Health Act have experienced police involvement in what should be a health issue. Most police do get it right most of the time, but when something goes wrong, the consequences can be tragic for all concerned.

"The police must be properly trained if they are to be involved with people who have a severe mental illness who may be suffering a crisis. Too often they are left to pick up the pieces when mental health services fail to respond to people's need to access care and treatment around the clock, seven days a week."

NSF has published a booklet - Mental Health Illness and the Criminal Justice System - for all professionals involved in dealing with people with mental health going through the courts and prisons.