NEW data has revealed that the PFEW\u2019s Welfare Support Programme has helped more 20,000 officers and prevented five suicides since it began in 2012.<\/p>\n
South Yorkshire Police Federation says the programme is sadly needed because of the increasing \u2018unprecedented\u2019 strain officers are put under every day.<\/p>\n
Chairman Steve Kent says colleagues\u2019 workloads are mounting up and that the drip effect of dealing with trauma can take a toll on officers\u2019 mental wellbeing.<\/p>\n
\u201cOfficers at the minute are under unbelievable and unprecedented strain\u201d, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe workloads are incredible, and obviously there\u2019s the fact that officers see horrendous things.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s massively important that the counselling service is available, and it needs to be something that grows.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a Federation in South Yorkshire, we offer, through our group insurance scheme, bespoke counselling for officers, mainly for stuff with their personal lives, for them to receive the help that they need, and obviously we also have the Red Arc telephone service which is available 24\/7 to officers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Steve wants to see whichever Government is in power post the general election properly fund officer health and welfare programmes.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere also needs to be specific Government funding so that forces can actually employ a significant uplift of counsellors who can be there to provide that service,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cUltimately, what I want to see is that officers on the frontline and dealing with sensitive matters have an annual half an hour chat just with a counsellor to see if everything\u2019s okay.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf officers feel they don\u2019t need, they can opt-out of it, but I think it should be offered to officers as a matter of course.\u201d<\/p>\n
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