HEALTH & SAFETY SAFE SPACES
For National Men’s Health Week, we are focusing on the National Men’s Health Forum, an initiative led by National Board Operational Policing and Welsh Lead, Zac Mader
The National Men’s Health Forum (NMHF) has been set up to address men’s health and associated issues that are often swept under the carpet as too awkward to discuss publicly, or overlooked in a macho culture often experienced in police work. We know, especially in policing, how damaging a macho culture can be. The aim of the NMHF is to dedicate time and effort into challenging stereotypes and lead Forces to create healthy safe spaces for men to express themselves and look after one another.
It is important for the NMHF:
• To be an open forum where anyone can discuss all issues that affect men in
• To provide a supportive peer network for all police officers of federated rank.
a supportive, non-judgemental, confidential space.
• To develop awareness of common concerns and issues affecting men.
• To share good practice that will develop and improve men’s holistic wellbeing.
• To ensure that men’s Health is represented at all Diversity, Equality and
mutual attendance at each other’s meetings and events.
• To promote collaboration with other emergency
Inclusion Boards within all business areas.
services and identify common areas that affect men’s wellbeing.
• To collaborate with all other support networks and associations, encouraging
The desire is to identify where local provision already exists, define best practice when it is visible, and identify where lack of provision occurs and how it can be addressed.
this is a misrepresentation of the PFEW’s responsibilities. This misconception does not acknowledge the responsibilities of individual forces as employers and their duty of care to all staff.
The NMHF will include input by National Board members Leigh Godfrey, Matt Slade, Mark Jones and Belinda Goodwin, as well as Zac. This group will steer the direction of the network, organise events, communicate across the membership and help to identify what, if any, provisions there are across police forces to address issues of men’s physical health and mental wellbeing.
18 | POLICE | JUNE 2023
“Male officers are less likely to talk about trauma with colleagues and this allows negative emotions, such as humiliation or shame, to manifest”
The emphasis must be on ensuring all forces provide adequate focus on men’s health, if they are not doing so already. It is often assumed that, as the staff representative body, the Federation will focus on wellbeing issues. However, this is a red herring. Although PFEW focuses heavily on members’ wellbeing,
Mark Andrews, National Board Member and Health and Safety Lead, notes The Health and Safety Act states that “every employer should, so far as reasonably practical, look after the health, safety and welfare of their
staff in the workplace”. This includes health screening where there is a risk assessment that says it’s a requirement. Health screening is a particular focus for the NMHF. A letter has been sent to all Chief Constables by PFEW to remind them of their obligation to look after the health of their employees as an initial first step.
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