Mental Health Support: Policing

Opened the debate

Policing and supporting our police officers are both enormously important. The speaker draws on his personal experience, including his father's career as a police officer, to highlight the changing nature of policing and the mental health challenges faced by today’s police officers. He raises concerns about the inadequate support for mental health within the police force, citing a survey that found 90% of police workers had been exposed to trauma and almost one in five suffers with PTSD or C-PTSD. The speaker also highlights issues such as underreporting of suicides among police officers, lack of education on personal welfare, and reliance on generic NHS services for mental health support. He proposes a comprehensive approach including prevention, resilience building, and aftercare, and calls for national standards to ensure consistency across all forces.

Government Response

Victoria Atkins thanked Greg Smith for bringing his personal experiences to the debate and highlighted the Government’s commitment to supporting police officers' mental health. She mentioned the investment of £7.5 million in a new national police wellbeing service, available across England and Wales, which provides evidence-based guidance and support focusing on prevention and early intervention. The Minister also discussed the upcoming police covenant legislation that will ensure annual reporting on progress and focus on areas such as health and wellbeing, physical protection, and family support. She emphasised the need for consistent occupational health standards within forces and the importance of embedding these standards to improve mental health support for officers. Additionally, she outlined measures to address violence against police officers, including doubling the maximum penalty for assaults from 12 months to two years. The Minister concluded by stressing the Government's commitment to supporting police officers in recognition of their selfless service.