Staff at Greater Manchester Police are to benefit from pioneering mental health support that has been hailed one of the ‘first of its kind’ in police forces in the UK.
Staff across GMP’s Digital Forensic Investigations Unit (DFIU), the Sex Offender Management Unit (SOMU) and the Online Child Abuse Investigation Team (OCAIT) will benefit from the clinically-led mental health support, to help them deal with what can often be extremely challenging scenarios.
The move forms part of GMP’s ongoing commitment to staff wellbeing and supporting frontline staff who perform crucial work to protect the local community.
Eleos Group will work directly with over 80 staff across three teams, including the Digital Forensic Investigations Unit (DFIU), the Sex Offender Management Unit (SOMU) and the Online Child Abuse Investigation Team (OCAIT). Eleos Group’s programme will provide essential support for staff working in high-pressure, emotionally demanding environments, helping them maintain resilience while performing their vital role in keeping Greater Manchester safe.
Working closely with GMP’s wellbeing and leadership teams, Eleos Group is applying its clinical expertise to help shape sustainable, evidence-based frameworks that encourage early intervention, resilience and promote a culture of open dialogue around mental health.
Eleos Group is a leading expert in psychological wellbeing and partners with a number of organisations across the UK to implement mental wellbeing strategies that support workforces through clinically-led care. The firm has extensive expertise in high pressure industries such as the police, legal and education sectors.
The consultancy’s work with GMP forms part of a wider drive across policing to create mentally healthy workplaces that not only support individuals, but also strengthen the effectiveness and long-term resilience of the service as a whole.
Through tailored guidance, training and strategy development, Eleos Group is helping to ensure officers and staff feel equipped and confident to recognise and support both their own mental health needs, and those of their colleagues. Eleos Group will work collaboratively with GMP’s leadership team to ensure the process is not only inclusive but also sustainable, working with stakeholders across the force to ensure principles are designed and embraced by those they support.
This makes Greater Manchester Police one of the first police forces in the UK to implement such a proactive, hands-on approach to building mental health provision for police officers and police staff.
Speaking about how the partnership supports Greater Manchester Police’s goals, Superintendent Jen Tattersall, said:
“We recognise that many of our roles can expose our officers and staff to distressing and challenging material, which can then have a long-term, cumulative impact on mental wellbeing.
“Our partnership with Eleos plays a key role in ensuring our teams are supported, resilient and able to continue performing their duties safely and effectively.
“The services provided give officers confidential access to professional support, early intervention and practical coping strategies which are tailored to tackling the realities of policing.
“Having support services available encourages officers to seek support at their own pace and ensures they are still prioritising their personal health and wellbeing.”
Dr Claire Bullen-Foster, Chief Executive Officer of Eleos Group, added:
“Our ongoing work with Greater Manchester Police demonstrates a shared commitment to protect the wellbeing of those who protect others. Police staff often face unique psychological pressures, and supporting their mental health is essential to maintaining a resilient and effective police service.
“This collaboration is about building lasting frameworks that encourage people to ask for help, to support one another, and to sustain their wellbeing over the long term.
“We’re incredibly proud of our partnership with Greater Manchester Police, which reflects a shared commitment to embedding meaningful mental health strategies in police forces, so that they can keep delivering such an important service to the public.”
