Rise in officers off with mental health problems
National picture of extent of stress, depression and similar conditions revealedOne in 20 police officers took time off sick last year due to stress, depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder, PoliceOracle.com can reveal.
In the financial year ending March 2015, 6,278 police officers were signed off due to mental health issues - of these, 3,381 officers were taken off duty because of stress.
Resourcing is to blame, says the Police Federation of England and Wales.
John Murphy, of the association's health and safety sub-committee, paints a picture of a role where officers spend hours alone, with little support, little back up and little job satisfaction.
Mr Murphy, a Met officer, said the job has changed: "There are fewer officers doing all the same work. We have the Home Secretary saying yes there are fewer officers but crime is down. But crime figures are not an accurate report of what is going on out there and what officers are doing. It is not all about crime. It is dealing with sudden deaths, negotiating with people in crisis, welfare checks and so on.
"A lot of stress comes from the constant workload. People are going from call to call-to-call. There is a lack of service that officers feel they are giving because they don’t have time. Reducing the number of officers means there are fewer people to do that work."
The 6,278 police officers who took time off for stress, depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder in 2014/15 represents an increase from the previous year - when 5,460 officers took time off sick in the same forces.
However, no data is available from 2013/14 for five forces: Gloucestershire, Humberside, South Wales, Suffolk and West Yorkshire.
Twenty three forces reported an increase in the number of officers signed off in 2014/15 - including the PSNI, BTP, Essex, Merseyside and West Midlands.
City of London, Dorset, Greater Manchester Police and Police Scotland have not responded to the request. Derbyshire Police would not release the information and Devon and Cornwall were not able to return the information in a comparable format.
Emergency workers are far more likely to suffer from mental illness than those in other professions, according to the mental health charity Mind, and they are even less likely to get support.
Deputy Chief Constable Andy Rhodes, the National Police Chiefs' Council’s lead on wellbeing and engagement, said: "Undoubtedly all the issues of reducing numbers and occupational health department cuts are relevant to those suffering.
"Stress is a health epidemic of the 21st century and we must react quickly to help our officers and staff through tough times. We know from a range of surveys and research that, on top of what can be by its very nature a stressful job, the levels of uncertainty and change within the service are increasing stress levels.
"The national wellbeing and engagement working group is looking to develop a national approach, beginning with a public health responsibility deal that the service is signing up to in partnership with the Department of Health.
"This will commit forces to address workplace psychological health issues. In support we are running 'getting started' events to promote this approach, as well as creating an evidence base of what works in tackling this issue - such as resilience training programmes."
Mr Murphy explained how he received a call last month from an officer to let him know he was leaving the job. "He said he couldn’t face doing another 20 years with the way things are. He said he was going to get a different career. He was disillusioned - that it wasn’t the career he had thought it would be. He said he didn’t get any job satisfaction. That is really sad."
Mind’s Blue Light Infoline offers confidential, independent and practical support and advice on mental health and wellbeing for police officers and staff - as well as their families.
It provides advice and advocacy about specific issues, as well as ideas for staying mentally healthy for work and medication and alternative treatments.
Another support line has just been set up for officers who may find themselves in crisis due to death or serious injury incidents, suspension from duty or as a result of medical or personal reasons.
The Welfare Support Programme is being led by the Police Firearms Association and the national federation’s Richie Jones.
It is available to subscribing members of the federation who have been involved in a death or serious injury incident at work that results in post-incident investigation and to officers who are suspended from duty.
In a statement Mike Penning, Police Minister, said: “Policing, by its very nature, is a stressful and demanding job and it is the responsibility of chief officers — with help from the College of Policing – to ensure that police officers and staff are supported in their work.
“This government is doing all it can to make it easier for the police to do their job. We have cut red tape and unnecessary targets to free up police time, given officers discretion to use their professional judgement and are working across government to stop the police having to pick up the pieces when other public services are not available.
“The proportion of police officers and staff on short, medium and long-term sickness fell between 2010 and 2014, according to Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary. But we should never be complacent. That is why, last October, we allocated £10 million to help support emergency services personnel and volunteers, focused on mental health, physical recuperation and bereavement support.”
Mind Blue Light Infoline: 0300 303 5999.
To access the Welfare Support Programme first contact a local Fed branch board or email: stuart@pfoa.co.uk.
News Archive
- December 2023 (3)
- November 2023 (5)
- October 2023 (4)
- September 2023 (5)
- August 2023 (4)
- July 2023 (3)
- June 2023 (5)
- May 2023 (2)
- April 2023 (5)
- March 2023 (3)
- February 2023 (7)
- January 2023 (11)
- December 2022 (6)
- November 2022 (5)
- October 2022 (5)
- September 2022 (6)
- August 2022 (2)
- July 2022 (11)
- June 2022 (8)
- May 2022 (11)
- April 2022 (8)
- March 2022 (3)
- February 2022 (5)
- January 2022 (12)
- December 2021 (1)
- November 2021 (9)
- October 2021 (4)
- September 2021 (10)
- August 2021 (9)
- July 2021 (12)
- June 2021 (4)
- May 2021 (11)
- April 2021 (14)
- March 2021 (14)
- February 2021 (19)
- January 2021 (18)
- December 2020 (6)
- November 2020 (12)
- October 2020 (14)
- September 2020 (15)
- August 2020 (16)
- July 2020 (16)
- June 2020 (18)
- May 2020 (22)
- April 2020 (18)
- March 2020 (23)
- February 2020 (20)
- January 2020 (4)
- December 2019 (5)
- November 2019 (6)
- October 2019 (5)
- September 2019 (6)
- August 2019 (8)
- July 2019 (6)
- June 2019 (8)
- May 2019 (8)
- April 2019 (8)
- March 2019 (10)
- February 2019 (9)
- January 2019 (9)
- December 2018 (9)
- November 2018 (12)
- October 2018 (8)
- September 2018 (7)
- August 2018 (11)
- July 2018 (7)
- June 2018 (9)
- May 2018 (9)
- April 2018 (12)
- March 2018 (10)
- February 2018 (8)
- January 2018 (5)
- December 2017 (6)
- November 2017 (4)
- October 2017 (3)
- September 2017 (10)
- August 2017 (5)
- July 2017 (5)
- June 2017 (6)
- May 2017 (6)
- April 2017 (2)
- March 2017 (3)
- February 2017 (4)
- January 2017 (1)
- December 2016 (3)
- November 2016 (4)
- October 2016 (1)
- September 2016 (4)
- August 2016 (4)
- July 2016 (1)
- June 2016 (5)
- May 2016 (3)
- April 2016 (1)
- March 2016 (3)
- February 2016 (3)
- January 2016 (3)
- December 2015 (3)
- November 2015 (3)
- October 2015 (3)
- September 2015 (2)
- August 2015 (1)
- July 2015 (11)
- June 2015 (1)