Police officers who put themselves in harm's way to protect their
communities will get access to expanded crucial services to help
them deal with the demands of working in dangerous and traumatic
environments.
Officers fighting crime in their communities put their lives at
risk every day and are repeatedly exposed to traumatic incidents
in high-pressure environments. The consequences can be extremely
damaging for their physical and mental health. Post-traumatic
stress disorder and other mental health conditions are highly
prevalent amongst frontline officers.
Around 150,000 clinical psychological risk assessments and
lighter touch' mental health checks will be available each year
for officers and staff in operational roles, signposting them
quickly to the best support when they need it most.
New guidance will help forces to roll out trauma tracking systems
to record officer and staff exposure to traumatic incidents. This
will help senior leaders to identify and support those at the
highest risk at an early stage, so they are not left to manage
the effects of repeated trauma alone.
Crime and Policing Minister, , said:
Our police officers and staff put their lives at risk and operate
under immense pressure each and every day. They demonstrate
exceptional courage and resilience to keep us safe, and it is
crucial we protect them in return.
As we deliver our reforms to policing, we will ensure that their
wellbeing is prioritised, protected and never treated as an
afterthought.
These support services will be expanded as a result of a £2.4
million government investment. This will support delivery of the
wellbeing measures in the government's Police Reform White Paper,
ensuring that officers and staff have the support they need to
keep the public safe.
Frontline officers will be able to better manage the demands of
high-pressure incidents and shift work through a new sleep,
fatigue and recovery app, ResetU, which will be made available to
all forces.
In addition, the funding will support the continuation of the
Mental Health Crisis Line for officers and staff, giving them
access to confidential and urgent support when they are
struggling.
These support services will be expanded as a result of a £2.4
million government investment. This will support delivery of the
wellbeing measures in the government's Police Reform White Paper,
ensuring that officers and staff have the support they need to
keep the public safe.
The funding will be given to the National Police Wellbeing
Service (NPWS), which will lead the delivery of these measures,
ensuring that officers and staff receive the same standard of
support whichever force they serve in.
Andy Rhodes, Service Director for the National Police Wellbeing
Service, said:
Policing asks a huge amount of the people who serve the public.
Officers and staff work in high-pressure environments, are
repeatedly exposed to trauma, risk and fatigue, and often carry
the impact long after an incident has ended. They deserve support
that is practical, confidential and available before problems
reach crisis point.
This police reform funding is a significant step in strengthening
that support across England and Wales. Through the National
Police Wellbeing Service, it will help expand access to
psychological health checks, trauma tracking, ResetU and the
Mental Health Crisis Line, giving officers and staff more ways to
understand their wellbeing, manage the demands of the job and get
the right help earlier.
Our focus is prevention and early intervention. By identifying
need sooner and helping people access the right support at the
right time, we can reduce the risk of issues escalating into
crisis, while also easing pressure on forces, occupational health
teams and other support services.
The implementation of these measures will be phased and developed
with policing. This will ensure that they are practical for
forces to roll out and deliver the best possible support to the
officers and staff who will use them.
Dal Babu, former Chief Superintendent at the Metropolitan Police,
said:
Police keep our communities safe, running towards danger without
a second thought for their safety, as we members of the public
move towards safety. The new funding by the Home Office to
support front line police officers with their wellbeing is to be
welcomed.
As a former Chief Superintendent, I personally witnessed officers
and staff deal with death, violence and distressing incidents and
often being unable to access support. This government is helping
our officers to receive the support they rightly deserve.
