WORRYING new figures showing a dramatic rise in officers suffering from PTSD could get worse, South Yorkshire Police Federation has warned.<\/p>\n
Statistics from a Police Oracle Freedom of Information request show more than 10,500 officers across the UK had to take time off with stress, depression, anxiety or PTSD symptoms in the past year \u2013 a 69% rise since 2012\/13.<\/p>\n
South Yorkshire Police Federation says there needs to be a nationwide change in attitude to officers\u2019 mental health provision to stop the issue escalating any further.<\/p>\n
Chairman Steve Kent said: \u201cIt\u2019s clear figures are rising and I\u2019m concerned that this is just the start with more officers off with stress, and the workloads of the officers remaining increasing.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe force is looking at ways to try and deal with that, and we\u2019re making enquiries about doing wellbeing days.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut there needs to be a complete and utter attitude change across the board, not just in our force but across the board so that mental health is treated in the same way as if you break your leg on duty.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor me, what is the difference between that and going to a horrendous incident and having PTSD? There needs to be the attitude change that they\u2019re both treated the same. There\u2019s a lot of anxiety out there that officers, who are off with stress and PTSD and such, worry that they\u2019re going to have attendance or performance issues.\u201d<\/p>\n
Steve added that the Federation was now offering counselling should officers need it to help them deal with non work-related issues.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe should be looking after officers even more [when it\u2019s] work that\u2019s caused it,\u201d Steve said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s worrying. I\u2019m very passionate about it and as a Federation we have started offering some counselling around non-work-related issues to try and ease the burden off the force to deal with the work-related stuff.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to be at the place where mental health is treated the same way as physical health, where it\u2019s nipped in the bud early and officers who do suffer from PTSD and anxiety, especially as a result of work, need to be looked after very quickly, and it needs to be intercepted.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no doubt about it from the work we do in terms of mental health awareness, if things are nipped in the bud early then it can stop it spiralling out of control.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to get ahead of the game.\u201d<\/p>\n