Figures released by the Metropolitan Police have highlighted that stress levels in the emergency services is still unacceptably high, and the number of officers taking time off for stress related illnesses has risen by 43% over the last five years.
However, the year 2013/14 saw a slightly lower number of sick days than 2012/13, breaking the trend which has been rising since 2010.
Furthermore, the force has seen a much higher rate of officers resigning since 2009, rising from 289 in 2009/10, to 506 resignations in 2013/14. This being total number of resignations, however, means it is unknown if this is related to stress as no reasons for the resignations were included in the figures.
“There are instances of some detectives carrying over 20 live crime investigations; on top of those pending a court hearing, as well as the continuing pressure of new prisoners in detention waiting to be dealt with every new shift,” explained John Tully, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Service commented, “We continually strive to improve through preventative training and support. Getting our officers back out on the front line as soon as they are ready is a priority.”
Stress is not just limited to the emergency services that aid the country. Many people have taken on bigger and bigger workloads in the last few years, and it can wear them down. If you are feeling overly stressed, anxious or even depressed, don’t be afraid to seek help, either from a doctor or through other avenues, such as a mindfulness course, and try to target the factors in your life that are stressing you out.