EMERGENCY SERVICES SHOW PREVENTATIVE WELFARE
SUPPORT IS VITAL Policing must take a closer look at preventative support for ofcers rather than waiting until they reach breaking point to step into help .
A
t the Emergency Services Show held at the NEC in Birmingham, Police Federation of England and
Wales (PFEW) Wellbeing Chair Hayley Aley explained to attendees more must be done pre-emptively to support officer wellbeing. She also explained how the
Federation is setting the stage for change. Currently, forces do not hold any
records on the number of traumatic incidents an officer has attended while on duty, Hayley told those at the show which was held on 8 September. She suggested forces should start to collect this data and use it to check up on the wellbeing of officers. “Wouldn’t it be great if we knew
that an officer had attended a series of traumatic incidents and how many they had been subjected to recently, because they implode on an officer’s mental health?” she asked. “If the organisation could work with
that information, take the time to speak to the officer, check in and give them that support we would be pre-emptively tackling the problem. At the moment, no forces hold that data, and unless the individual asks for help, nobody knows they are struggling.”
Hayley Aley addresses the audience
The Federation has recently been piloting a scheme whereby check-ups are arranged with officers who balance their full-time policing job with acting as a Federation representative to support their colleagues. The check-ups aim to help identify potential stressors and offer helpful, practical advice to ensure they are coping with the demands of the Fed rep role. So far, it has been a successful pilot and the positive outcome demonstrates how this could also work effectively within forces for the benefit of officers’ wellbeing. Hayley added: “The support is
growing for when things are broken and that is great, but now we have got to start putting out those messages around prevention. “What we want to do is start this
Hayley and Wellbeing Secretary Belinda Goodwin
conversation more broadly throughout our membership about preventative measures and what they look like on a practical level.
“Our Welfare Support Programme is an amazing offering, and I would recommend you check it out whether you feel you are struggling and need help, or if you don’t, you may find it something helpful or useful to you in the future.”
The following support is provided by the Welfare Support Programme (WSP):
• Practical and mental support • Clinical assessment and dedicated counselling
• Person-centred support - via telephone or face-to-face
• Access to fully trained and accredited professionals
• Independent and confidential support • Referrals to appropriate follow-on specialist support.
If you are a subscribing Federation member and would like more information, please contact your local Federation branch.
11 I POLICE I OCTOBER 2021
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