Following the Freedom of Information (FOI) figures released on 17 January 2006, Police Chiefs are calling for a meeting with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), in a bid to cut the large number of stress-related sick days taken by UK police officers.
The figures released show the following:
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250,000 days were lost in 2004/05 from stress-related illness.
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The cost is put at between £20 million and £60 million a year.
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Out of a total of 160,000 police officers, and average day stress-related illness was estimated at 1,086 officers. This would account for the size of police forces in Wiltshire or Warwickshire.
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An average of two days off a year were due to stress. However, a psychologist said that this was likely to be higher, as illness could be linked to stress.
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Worst affected police forces were Leicestershire, Northern Ireland, Dorset, North Yorkshire and Greater Manchester.
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The cost was around £40 million a year.
Allyn Thomas, Assistant Chief Constable (personnel and training) of Kent Police and Health and Safety Co-ordinator at the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), said:
"Stress is a much misunderstood issue. While people may report that they are ill with stress, stress is not in itself an illness, but rather something that can make other illnesses worse.
He also said the meeting with ACPO and the HSE would be to discuss how to:
"promote a better understanding of stress, better collection of data about it and to improve the way that the service deals with it".
According to Andrew Marston, Force Personnel Director at the Greater Manchester Police Service, the rise in stress within the force could be attributed to changing attitudes and said:
"There used to be a stigma attached to stress, but now it's almost a badge of honour."
"Doctors are more willing to diagnose people with stress and people are also self-diagnosing."
Stress-related illness in any workplace is a major cause of concern to peoples health and lost working days. Some figures from an HSE commissioned research show the following:
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About half a million people in the UK experience work-related stress at a level they believe is making them ill.
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Up to 5 million people in the UK feel "very" or "extremely" stressed by their work.
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A total of 12.8 million working days were lost to stress, depression and anxiety in 2004/5.
Further information can be accessed from ACPO's Website by clicking the following:
Association of Chief Police Officers of England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Pure Adventure is a website set up by police officers for police officers and contains ideas to conquer stress in the police force. It can be accessed by clicking the following:
Pure Adventure: Ideas to conquer stress in the police force
The HSE Webpage on stress in the workplace can be accessed by clicking the following:
Further information for police staff can be accessed from the UNISON Website by clicking the following:
UNISON the public service union - At work: Police staff
Article by Alexandra Johnston
