World Suicide Prevention Day: sign up for mental health webinar

6 September 2024

A free webinar marking World Suicide Prevention Day could help officers open up conversations about mental health, according to the Federation’s Welsh affairs co-lead.

Zac Mader is urging as many members as possible to sign up for the webinar which is being hosted by the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) on Tuesday (10 September).

It will include inputs from a branch secretary who has struggled with his mental health and a workplace representative who has experienced antenatal depression.

“I would encourage colleagues to join this webinar if they can,” says Zac, “There used to be a real stigma around talking about mental health but this has started to diminish, though there is still a way to go.

“The Federation is trying to get officers to check in with each other, and not just ask once if someone is OK but ask twice.

“It is all too easy for someone to initially respond ‘yes, I am fine’, but sometimes if you ask again, you might encourage them to open up.

Good to talk

“It’s a bit of cliché but it really is good to talk, and sharing a problem can make all the difference.”

Leigh Godfrey, Welsh affairs co-lead, said the nature of policing could have a real impact on officers’ mental health but all too often they were reluctant to speak up if they were struggling.

“We are all getting better at talking about mental health, and that is a really good thing, but police officers often find it difficult to admit they need help or support,” says Leigh.

“Hopefully, this webinar will trigger conversations and help develop awareness of the need for everyone to take care of their mental wellbeing.”

The webinar, which runs from 10.30am to midday, is part of PFEW’s #AskTwice campaign and will feature a presentation from Dr Jess Miller, principal investigator at Cambridge University’s Department of Sociology.

She will explore the thinking that can lead to suicidal thoughts, and provide strategies for teams to cultivate a supportive environment that addresses and counteracts these harmful patterns.

Shocking new Government figures show there were 6,069 suicides in England and Wales in 2023, up from 5,642 in 2022; the highest rate since 1999.