OFFICERS need to feel comfortable asking for help and support if they are struggling with mental health issues at work.<\/p>\n
Zuleika Payne, Chair of South Yorkshire Police Federation, said the service must \u201cremove the stigma\u201d of mental health issues and support officers.<\/p>\n
She was responding to a Freedom of Information request which showed that 219 federated officers in South Yorkshire have taken time off for illnesses such as stress, anxiety, depression and PTSD in the past year.<\/p>\n
That figure has increased from 165 two years ago and 201 last year.<\/p>\n
Zuleika said: \u201cThose figures don\u2019t come as any surprise. Certainly we are doing a lot to promote mental health and wellbeing, and trying to remove the stigma that sadly has been clearly present historically, and that has been for too long.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s always saddening to learn that officers are obviously enduring periods of protracted sickness due to stress and related conditions.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut also it\u2019s important that we get the message out there that people should be proactive in addressing these matters, and feel comfortable in seeking help and support.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you take a snapshot of sickness levels and then look further into how much of that sickness is attributed to stress, anxiety and related disorders, then it doesn\u2019t come as any big surprise, sadly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Zuleika said that falling officer numbers was undoubtedly a contributory factor.<\/p>\n
She added: \u201cFewer officers are absorbing more work, because the work has never gone away.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn fact it\u2019s increased because we are so risk averse we\u2019re having to crime and deal with matters that perhaps went under the radar many years ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut because of legacy issues and because of the learning we\u2019ve taken from them, we crime absolutely everything, which means more pressure and increased caseload for officers.<\/p>\n
\u201cHence there is more stress when officers go off sick and fewer officers are then left to absorb that work. The work has never gone away.\u201d<\/p>\n