9 out of 10 emergency service workers suffer mental health problems.

Surveys show huge rise in mental health problems in our emergency service workers across the capital.

In 2021 mental health charity Mind reported that there had been a 69% increase in emergency service workers suffering mental health problems. Or more shockingly, 9/10 emergency service members now suffer mental health issues compared to 1/4 members of the public.

Not only are these very concerning figures but we now add the fact that once a fortnight a police officer takes their own life -truly horrific.

The recent fires across the capital and the London Fire Brigade declaring a major incident exactly a week ago today highlighted the vital need to fund our emergency services properly so that they can actually deal with incidents such as those that we experienced last week. The LFB stated that last Tuesday 19 July was in fact their worse day since the Second World War. Let us just take a minute to understand the enormity of this statement.

We know that our firefighters across the capital went from fire to fire with no respite whatsoever in extreme temperatures. They did a truly amazing job saving endless lives and as many properties as they could. Yet believe it or not, we still hear people saying-what do they do, put out a fire once a week, whoopee!

If you are shaking your head in disbelief that actually was a comment we did receive after praising our firefighters for their incredible job.

The question we now ask is what impact will events such as last week have had on their mental health? For people stating- well it is their job. Nothing will ever prepare you for telling a community that they have lost their home. No matter how experienced you are as a firefighter, nothing will ever make it easier for you when you inform a family that they have lost everything. In the words of a firefighter who had to do this last week-‘I was really choked up, it was truly gut wrenching.’

Here comes our familiar PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). It may not impact you straight away but it sits quietly there at the back of your mind leaving this trauma unprocessed until it makes its journey to the front of your mind and ultimately plays havoc with your life.

Police officers face the most challenging conditions ever imaginable. Their work load has increased to an unbelievable level. No matter what happens in the community, some how it is always down to the police to resolve.They attend a very high level of calls, many of which are not police related but there is no one else in the community to attend.

Mental health calls have risen right across London and police are now first responders to them. As many point out, they are not mental health trained or mental health practioners yet somehow it is always them that are called to deal with this situation.

Last week we saw police officers rescue residents from a burning building in Hornchurch and administer vital first aid to a man stabbed multiple times on Saturday evening. For both incidents these officers potentially saved lives. Their calls are hugely varied and they also go from incident to incident.

However, not only do they have an increased work load they also face horrendous abuse from members of the public that I have witnessed myself, as well as those on social media who literally know nothing about the realities of their job and would not last half a day wearing their boots- and let’s get it straight are not fit to either.

So here we have officers dealing with fatal stabbings, domestic violence, rape, child abuse and many other horrendous crimes. How does this impact them mentally? The images they witness will without a doubt leave them scarred.

Sadly as there are no police canteens -these officers do not even have the opportunity to share what they have witnessed with others and cannot even begin to process their trauma which is where PTSD then begins.

If they had the ability to chat with a colleague and possibly share what they have dealt with, the problem is then being acknowledged and although this does not stop PTSD, it does however begin to ease it.

Suicide has become a huge issue amongst police officers for so many reasons-increase in work load, work pressures all round, poor work conditions, continuous pressure from so many outlets such as social media, and of course the stigma mental health carries.

There is still very much a macho culture within the police force that many men feel that it is a sign of weakness to admit that they have mental health issues. This needs to be urgently addressed.

Sadly we know that unless trauma is acknowledged and processed in some for or another, it will not go.

Dr Candan Ertubey is Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of East London, she is also a Cognitive Behaviour Practioner for the Early Intervention Programme. She is a very experienced and knowledgeable individual in this field. She told the Havering Daily:

“Suicide amongst police officers needs to be seriously looked at. There needs to be better education for frontline officers and their bosses on how to spot signs of this.

“Immediate interventions need to be put into place. A de-briefing is vital alongside sign positing. Things need to be tackled at grass roots level before they escalate.

“Sadly we know that between 35-38% of officers think that they can deal with it themselves and don’t seek further help which is where these problems then arise. We know that they have had a 62% work increase and that their work conditions are poor, it is vital that early intervention programmes are put into place.”

We know that today, somewhere across London one of our emergency service workers will experience a possibly life changing situation that will impact them vastly. Yet sadly there will still be some moron on social media criticising their work despite never having done their job, never being able to do their job and knowing nothing about it. Sadly it is these indeed individuals who make the most amount of noise and have the less amount of respect.

To finish, after years and years of cuts to our police force and fire service across the capital, our emergency service workers are now struggling, let’s remember that before we point that accusing finger next time.

If you are struggling and need support:

Samaritans 116 123

PTSD 999 (please email us newsdesk@thehaveringdaily.co.uk) and we will share their details.

Bluelight Mind 0300 303 4434.