MENTAL HEALTH
GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT
For Mental Health Awareness Week, National Board member and PFEW Wellbeing Lead Sue Honeywill
talks about preventative support for police officers and improved working conditions
Anxiety in the police service is high, but we can intervene before our officers reach breaking point. This year, Mental Health Awareness Week has a theme we can all relate to: anxiety. Much has been written about the pressures police officers face daily. In our latest Pay and Morale Survey almost half (42%) said they viewed their job as very or extremely stressful. Of those who had experienced stress, low mood, and anxiety, the vast majority stated this was made worse by work. Every time I speak
without having time to de-brief and recharge. Meal breaks are considered a luxury, instead of the norm. Since the closure of many canteens, there are limited opportunities for officers to decompress, rest and recuperate. Working excessive hours, our officers are left exhausted on rest days, when
“The stigma surrounding mental health is crumbling away, so now opening up about our struggles is starting to be viewed as a strength, not a weakness”
to my colleagues, they tell me they feel stressed, overworked, and often undervalued. Morale remains an issue. I know the horrendous high-profile cases that bring British policing into disrepute have exacerbated that. But despite the struggles, officers remain focused on doing the best job they can. There is a real drive to deliver the highest standards of services to the public from dedicated officers. There is no question policing is a difficult job. Officers deal with traumatic incidents on a regular basis, demand is increasing and assaults on officers remain high. Although we have seen an uplift in officer numbers, staffing levels remain a challenge. Absence rates are high for many reasons, including poor mental health, and officers exiting the force.
The situation leaves our officers going from one incident to another, often
16 | POLICE | JUNE 2023
they are not cancelled, and anxious about their ever-increasing workload. We are still receiving information that officers are struggling to get their annual leave. Fatigue and anxiety could easily slip over
into depression and PTSD. Although there has been a fantastic investment in wellbeing by forces and the College of Policing, it is unlikely we’ll see a tangible difference in officer wellbeing until fundamental working conditions are improved. Preventative measures to support officers proactively are equally as important, instead of waiting around for them to seek out help. For example, trauma checklists should be introduced to monitor how many traumatic incidents an officer attends and whether they have received the right level of support and de-briefing.
On a more positive note, the care
and support I see colleagues give one another on the frontline is exceptional. The stigma surrounding mental health is crumbling away, so now opening up about our struggles is starting to be viewed as a strength, not a weakness. Don’t be afraid to ask your colleagues twice if they are ok. A second “How are you?” can make all the difference if they say they are fine the first time. No officer should suffer in silence, and there are services available to offer help such as Oscar Kilo and our Welfare Support Programme.
It remains a priority for PFEW to work with forces to take a preventative approach to wellbeing, to protect the wellbeing of our police officers, and promote good mental health. This is so we can address stress, anxiety, and low mood within the service. Often, it is hard to keep pace with the changes in policing and this in itself can cause anxiety. We must ensure we get the basics rights.
For more information about Oscar Kilo
www.oscarkilo.org.uk
For more information about our Welfare Support Programme www.polfed. org/support/ welfare-support- programme-wsp
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