Page 24 - WMPF Federation Aug-Sept 2017

Mental health

Sarah’s leading the operational training with regards to dealing

with people suffering from mental health
issues, training and support resources for
way with the Force’s officers and staff was limited and needed
addressing.
I feel it was absolutely the right thing to

do in creating the post, not only to
mental health demonstrate the organisation’s commitment
to the mental health and wellbeing of its
employees, but to provide some expertise to
guide the development of services, strategy
and direction.

could be used to their potential. And were you surprised by what you found in
Having had a family member work in the terms of the general mental health of
police, I was aware of many of the challenges officers and staff?
faced by today’s police officers and staff and I was not surprised at what I observed coming
as a result the significant impact seen on in to the organisation, rather my concerns
health and wellbeing. and suspicions were confirmed; that there
I believed I had a lot to offer WMP and its was a high rate of sickness absence relating
workforce to address the mental health and to mental health issues, the experience of
wellbeing agenda in a positive and proactive trauma and its impact on health and
manner, with long lasting benefits. wellbeing is an ‘occupational hazard’ and one
I particularly liked the variety of the work which is under reported or recognised by
which the role offered, from line managing employees and that employees don’t always
the Employee Support team to writing feel supported by the organisation when
organisational strategy, and that no two days suffering with mental health and wellbeing
are the same.
issues.
Sarah Cavendish is the Force’s mental As a society we have become more aware
What was your first impression of the Force?
health lead and took up the post in My first impressions of the Force were that it of mental health issues within the workplace,
November 2016. She is based at Tally was a proactive organisation regarding although there are still many who believe
that voicing their issues will be interpreted as
Ho and works full-time across the Force workplace wellbeing evidenced through the ‘weakness’, inability to do their job and
area. Chief Constable’s vision, The People Deal and ‘problematic’, in addition to which avenues of
commitment to providing support resources
She agreed to take part in a Q and A support can be hard to identify.
for staff, whether through occupational
feature to give Federation members an As life has become more complex, so too
health or an Employee Assistance
insight into her work. Programme. has work-life; the challenges of modern day
However, due to austerity, I also observed policing, austerity and terrorist threats.
Can you give us a brief career history? that the organisation was facing a However, the commitment from officers and
I qualified as an occupational therapist in challenging period in relation to staff morale, staff to serve and protect the public is
1999 and commenced my first post in a sickness absence and, in particular, the stronger than ever and provides an intrinsic
medium secure hospital. I remained working mental health and wellbeing of its workforce. stressor regardless of rank, role or level of
in secure care, both in the NHS and for a Having said that, there was a tangible ‘thirst’ experience.
charitable organisation, until spring 2007 to address these challenges from all areas of
during which time I worked with people the organisation and across all ranks/roles, And what about the support they were
suffering with a range of mental disorders, in which was demonstrated by enthusiastic offered?
addition to their offending behaviour. In employees presenting themselves to me as Support for individuals varied, but started
summer 2007, I joined Coventry University as soon as I took up post to offer their support with the line manager, who was able to
a senior lecturer and have been educating and skills to assist my in whatever way they advise and offer practical support to help
future health and social care professionals for could. An amazing offering which highlighted people deal with their mental health and
the last nine years. to me the ‘community’ and ‘family’ spirit of wellbeing in the workplace. If the line
During my career I have been interested in the organisation which I was now part of and manager felt they needed support to support
organisational health and completed my MSc excited to work with to achieve a member of staff, they could make contact
research on the work-life balance of British organisational wellbeing. with the line manager advisor or occupational
police officers, which then led to a wider health department, depending on what the
interest in the wellbeing of police officers and Why do you feel it was necessary for this issue was.
staff and a desire to work with them in some new role to be created? If a referral was made into occupational
capacity. I am the first dedicated mental health lead for health, the individual could be seen by a team
internal mental health and wellbeing (the of qualified clinical professionals to help
What attracted you to your current role? workforce). On taking up post, I understood determine the most appropriate ways to
I was keen to explore a new area of practice that mental health and wellbeing issues had support them in and keep them in work. The
and seeing this post advertised piqued my been on the increase within WMP, particularly team comprises; nurses, physiotherapists,
interest! I liked the idea of returning to public in relation to sickness absence. It was felt that counsellors and a doctor.
sector working and to a role in which my skills while officers and staff may have some In addition to these more formal support

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