\u201cAN absence of illness does not mean that people are well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Those were the words of Lancashire Police\u2019s Chief Constable, Andy Rhodes, as he addressed The Police Dependants Trusts UpBeat! Conference this month.<\/p>\n
UpBeat! – the PDT\u2019s annual conference – took place recently and saw influential members of the police family come together to discuss one of modern day policing\u2019s biggest issues \u2013 the wellbeing of those on the frontline.<\/p>\n
CC Rhodes, closed the conference with an update on the National Wellbeing Strategy, and the Blue Light Framework.<\/p>\n
Mr Rhodes, who is also the National NPCC Lead for Wellbeing, said that the progress being made so far regarding wellbeing is \u2018exciting\u2019 and hopes it will fulfil the potential of providing a first class wellbeing support system for policing.<\/p>\n
In his closing words, he said, \u201cpeople are overworked, and they are stressed because of it.<\/p>\n
\u201cForces need to stop having a standardised approach to wellbeing.<\/p>\n
“We need to be putting wellbeing at the front of decision making \u2013 not at the back.\u201d<\/p>\n
Initiatives and ideas for how mental health and wellbeing in modern policing could further be improved were also discussed at the conference.<\/p>\n
Gill Scott-Moore, CEO of The Police Dependants Trust said, \u201cwith thousands of officers not getting the welfare they need and deserve, we must do more.\u201d<\/p>\n
The conference heard from representatives from forces, including Essex, Surrey, Staffordshire and Lancashire who shared how they were supporting wellbeing \u2013 from a wellbeing app, to in-station contemplation rooms, to a sleep support programme.<\/p>\n
Retired Metropolitan Police Officer, John Sutherland, took to the stage to discuss his own personal story on mental health.<\/p>\n
Reading from his ward winning memoir Blue<\/em>, John spoke about the strain that policing is currently under, and the toll this takes on officers.<\/p>\n He described it as ‘the most challenging time for policing since the Second World War.\u201d<\/p>\n Matt Jukes QPM was joined by research assistant Helen Oliver to share their research on keeping \u2018match fit\u2019 \u2013 how physical activity can have a positive impact on the wellbeing of police officers.<\/p>\n