Police service comes together on suicide prevention
25 February 2022
West Midlands Police Federation chair Rich Cooke today welcomed a new joint strategy to reduce the number of deaths by suicide in policing.
A consensus statement, agreed by the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW), the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), College of Policing (CoP), Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC), Home Office, UNISON and Police Superintendents’ Association, sets out the police service’s commitment to suicide prevention.
Rich said progress has been made to reduce mental health stigma but said organisations across policing need to work together on this issue.
“The suicide prevention consensus statement is an important and welcome commitment by the police service,” said Rich.
“We’ve come a long way in terms of reducing the stigma and improving awareness of mental health – but we know there’s still a long way to go.
“Working together we can continue to break down those barriers that have prevented our colleagues from seeking support.
“There’s still work to do but the stigma around mental health is reducing, attitudes are changing and more officers are saying that it’s okay to not be okay.
“And if you are struggling in any way, then the Federation is here for you, to support you, and to guide you to help if you need it.”
The consensus statement was developed by Oscar Kilo, the National Police Wellbeing Service (NPWS), which worked with the UK Health Security Agency (formerly Public Health England) to learn from the ambulance service’s approach to suicide prevention and provide guidance for policing.
It’s been welcomed by national Federation vice-chair Ché Donald.
He said: “While the national consensus statement represents a welcome first step in helping to tackle this issue, it’s only the beginning of a more collective approach which we hope will pay dividends in the longer run. Our combined aim is to break down the many existing barriers to help-seeking.
“As a staff association, PFEW has always taken a pro-active approach to the issues around mental health support for colleagues. However, we fully recognise there is a lot more we can all do, both as organisations and as individuals involved in policing.
“Only by working together within the service can we help to transform attitudes, and increase the confidence of those who might otherwise shun the existing support services available for depression and mental illness.
“This means confining some attitudes and language to the past, ensuring colleagues are protected from burnout because of work demands, and providing effective health screening and better support for those in high stress roles.
“It’s crucial the service offers the very best care to colleagues and their family members, and that lessons are learnt from every single tragedy, so others don’t similarly suffer in the future.”
What will happen now the consensus has been agreed and published?
The Officer & Staff Safety Review (OSSR) proposal to improve the way data is recorded on police officer and staff death, serious injury and suicide has been agreed and will be progressed.
The NPWS has funded and commissioned a toolkit working closely with the Samaritans, given their expertise in this area. The toolkit will be made available in spring 2022 to all forces and will also be accessible via the Oscar Kilo website.
Reference to this toolkit will be included in the NPWS Blue Light Wellbeing Framework, which is completed annually by every force and is requested by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services.
More information on the consensus statement.
