Welfare fund gesture will not solve stress-related absences

THE only way the Government can properly address stress in the police service is to properly fund it, South Yorkshire Police Federation has warned.

Chair Zulieka Payne was talking after Home Secretary Amber Rudd announced a £7.5 million welfare fund to support officers who are experiencing poor psychological health.

Zuleika said: “The welfare fund is a very kind gesture but ultimately we need to explore why we are in the situation that we are in – figures and statistics in relation to stress related sickness absence are higher than ever.

“It is because officers are so overworked, burned out and stressed. It is imperative that we give them support because ultimately what happens in the event of officers being placed on protracted periods of sickness absence is that the colleagues that remain in the workplace have to absorb their work. This is why officers are reluctant to take sick leave in the first instance.

“And while the welfare fund may be a small step in the right direction, ultimately what’s going to make the biggest difference would be if the Government were to actually make an investment in the police organisation. Get more boots on the ground to alleviate that stress.”

In South Yorkshire Police, 219 police officers were signed off with stress, depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder in the year ending in March.

Zuleika added: “It is not until we see an increase in officer numbers that we will experience improvements in relation to safety, health and wellbeing. We need the officer numbers so that they have the support among their colleagues and so that we can double-crew officers as and when it’s appropriate and necessary – which is the majority of the time.

“We need strength in numbers. But also it’s for their wellbeing. I’m aware that there is a school of thought out there that if officers are single crewed then we can raise the profile and have that seemingly extra visibility. But what we don’t have is safety.”

The National Police Welfare Service will initially be tested as a pilot and, subject to its success, be rolled out to all 43 forces between 2018 and 2020. Home Secretary Amber Rudd said the money – rolled out over three years – would fund a dedicated national service to help provide enhanced welfare support “which if you need it, you can rely on”.