Staffordshire Police Federation is here to help and support members with their mental health.
That’s the message from branch chair Phil Jones as he welcomed a new consensus statement setting out the police service’s future commitment to suicide prevention.
The consensus, agreed by the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW), National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), College of Policing (CoP), Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC), Home Office, UNISON and Police Superintendents’ Association, acknowledges progress has been made to reduce mental health stigma but recognises organisations must work better together on the issue.
Phil explained: “It’s really encouraging to see the national consensus statement in terms of helping to tackle the issue of suicide and I hope it continues to break down the barriers to seeking help.
“Policing is a physically and mentally demanding job and mental ill-health and suicide are major issues in the service.
“It’s more important than ever that we look after our mental health and seek support when we need it with the challenges presented by the pandemic taking their toll on people.
“As a Federation, we’re here to officers and can point them in the direction of help if they need it. No one should ever feel they are alone or there is nowhere to turn because there is a wide range of support, tailored to officers’ needs, that we can help them access.”
PFEW national vice-chair Ché Donald also welcomed the consensus statement.
He said: “While the national consensus statement represents a welcome first step in helping to tackle this issue, it’s only the beginning of a more collective approach which we hope will pay dividends in the longer run. Our combined aim is to break down the many existing barriers to help-seeking.
“As a staff association, PFEW has always taken a pro-active approach to the issues around mental health support for colleagues. However, we fully recognise there is a lot more we can all do, both as organisations and as individuals involved in policing.
“Only by working together within the service can we help to transform attitudes, and increase the confidence of those who might otherwise shun the existing support services available for depression and mental illness.
“This means confining some attitudes and language to the past, ensuring colleagues are protected from burn-out because of work demands, and providing effective health screening and better support for those in high stress roles.
“It’s crucial the service offers the very best care to colleagues and their family members, and that lessons are learnt from every single tragedy, so others don’t similarly suffer in the future.”
The consensus statement was developed by Oscar Kilo, the National Police Wellbeing Service (NPWS), which worked with the UK Health Security Agency (formerly Public Health England) to learn from the ambulance service’s approach to suicide prevention and provide guidance for policing.
What will happen now the consensus has been agreed and published?
The Officer & Staff Safety Review (OSSR) proposal to improve the way data is recorded on police officer and staff death, serious injury and suicide has been agreed and will be progressed.
The NPWS has funded and commissioned a toolkit working closely with the Samaritans, given their expertise in this area. The toolkit will be made available in spring 2022 to all forces and will also be accessible via the Oscar Kilo website.
Reference to this toolkit will be included in the NPWS Blue Light Wellbeing Framework, which is completed annually by every force and is requested by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services.
More information on the consensus statement.
