WSP providing vital service

16 April 2020

Humberside Police Federation chair Pete Musgrave says the Welfare Support Programme (WSP) will provide a ‘vital’ service during the coronavirus pandemic.

He has also welcomed news that the 24/7 service it offers is continuing around the clock.

“The WSP provides a vital service for officers during the Government’s restrictions on travel and movement,” says Pete. “With the threat of members attending many more death-related incidents due to the spread of COVID-19, they could have a serious and detrimental effect on their mental health.

“That could be made worse if they are having to deal with domestic issues too. Anxiety, home-schooling, partners losing their jobs and self-isolation all play their part in making this a very testing time for police officers and staff.

“Those officers may also be working longer hours than usual if they have to cover shifts as colleagues self-isolate or are unwell and so it all adds up to pile on the pressure.

“I want to assure them that the WSP will continue to provide a range of services so they can access advice and support with whatever issues they may be facing. They just need to speak up.”

The Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) doubled funding for the WSP earlier this year and the line is staffed day and night by professionals trained in police discipline and with an awareness of mental health first aid and Post-Incident Procedures.

Officers or close family members can be referred to the service, which is operated in partnership with the Police Firearms Officers’ Association, by a Federation rep and, if needed, given access to counsellors and coaches too.

Steve Hartshorn, the PFEW operational policing lead, said: “Police officers are human just like everyone else and when you are going through added stress at work and you’re unable to see your nearest and dearest it can be tough. Not to mention if your household has lost income due to a partner’s work drying up.”

Steve called the WSP an ‘enormously important resource’ for members throughout the UK and added: “To have access to trained professionals who can listen and provide non-judgemental, objective advice can be a lifeline – and in fact the service has already saved several lives. That’s why the Federation has put serious financial resources behind it.”