NPCC responds to staff long term sickness and stress

National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Organisational Development & Wellbeing, Deputy Chief Constable Andy Rhodes, said:

“Over 80 per cent of money spent on policing is on its people. Police officers and some police staff are regularly exposed to trauma and highly stressful events which is why I work with chief constables and the College of Policing to build wellbeing and resilience.

“Unfortunately, cultural stigmas still exist and this can prevent our staff from talking about how these experiences affect them. It is the job of all police leaders to create a culture where people feel confident in talking about their experiences so that we can work on prevention rather than cure. We want our people to thrive in this incredibly rewarding  job, not just survive.

“All of the 43 police forces in England & Wales have formally signed up to their respective Public Health Charters to prioritise workplace wellbeing. This is the biggest workforce commitment in the country and rightly so.

“In addition, our research shows us that emotionally intelligent line managers, peer support groups and supportive occupational health services hold the key to supporting the exceptional people who are prepared to work in policing and other high risk occupations.”