Federation chair welcomes Mind’s Blue Light initiative

12 April 2021

Derbyshire Police Federation chair Tony Wetton has welcomed a new toolkit created to support police officers with their mental health during the ongoing pandemic. 

National charity Mind’s Blue Light Programme has put together resources tailored to provide high quality mental health support and information specifically to members of police service and other emergency service workers throughout the coronavirus crisis and beyond. 

The year-long support offered through the toolkit comes after results from a recent survey led by Mind revealed that 66 per cent of people working in the police service felt their mental health has deteriorated as a result of the pandemic. 

Besides the new demands of the job, two thirds said they were concerned about passing coronavirus on to their friends and family, and 42 per cent said their mental health was affected by news and media coverage. 

“Following such a challenging and difficult 12-month period, it comes as no surprise that officers are struggling with their mental health,” said Tony, “So it really is great to see Mind responding to this and the emergency services working together to ensure people are getting the support they need. 

“Our officers, especially those working on the frontline, have continued to put their own health at risk to protect the public during the pandemic, it is vital that they have the opportunity to look after themselves too.

“We’re currently in the middle of a nationwide recruitment drive so it is more important than ever for our members to feel supported and know that the Federation and other initiatives are here if they need help.” 

The new toolkit will help police officers manage their mental health, take care of themselves and also encourage them to reach out to family, friends and colleagues who might be struggling. 

It will run for one year up until February 2022 and will build on Mind’s existing support for emergency service workers.  The toolkit will evolve based on feedback from the police community, and Mind be adding new resources and sources of help when they become available throughout the year.

The toolkit and more information on the Blue Light Programme, along with advice and support, is now available on the Mind website.