The government has announced expanded services for police officers who work in dangerous and traumatic environments thanks to a £2.4 million investment.
Post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health conditions are highly prevalent amongst frontline officers.
Around 150,000 clinical psychological risk assessments and ‘lighter touch’ mental health checks will be available each year for officers and staff in operational roles.
Newly published guidance will help forces to roll out trauma tracking systems to record officer and staff exposure to traumatic incidents. This should help senior leaders to identify and support those at the highest risk at an early stage.
A new sleep, fatigue and recovery app, ResetU will be made available to all forces.
The funding will also support the continuation of the Mental Health Crisis Line for officers and staff, giving them access to confidential and urgent support when they are struggling.
The National Police Wellbeing Service (NPWS) will receive the funding and lead delivery of the new measures.
Crime and Policing Minister, Sarah Jones, said: "Our police officers and staff put their lives at risk and operate under immense pressure each and every day. They demonstrate exceptional courage and resilience to keep us safe, and it is crucial we protect them in return.
"As we deliver our reforms to policing, we will ensure that their wellbeing is prioritised, protected and never treated as an afterthought."
Andy Rhodes, Service Director for the National Police Wellbeing Service, said: "Policing asks a huge amount of the people who serve the public. Officers and staff work in high-pressure environments, are repeatedly exposed to trauma, risk and fatigue, and often carry the impact long after an incident has ended. They deserve support that is practical, confidential and available before problems reach crisis point.
"This police reform funding is a significant step in strengthening that support across England and Wales. Through the National Police Wellbeing Service, it will help expand access to psychological health checks, trauma tracking, ResetU and the Mental Health Crisis Line, giving officers and staff more ways to understand their wellbeing, manage the demands of the job and get the right help earlier.
"Our focus is prevention and early intervention. By identifying need sooner and helping people access the right support at the right time, we can reduce the risk of issues escalating into crisis, while also easing pressure on forces, occupational health teams and other support services.
"The implementation of these measures will be phased and developed with policing. This will ensure that they are practical for forces to roll out and deliver the best possible support to the officers and staff who will use them."
