Every day police officers put themselves at risk to ensure our communities are protected so we feel safe and secure in the places we live. Police Officers need a place where they can come to receive treatment when they have been injured or fallen ill. The Police Treatment Centres provides that facility.
The Police Treatment Centres is a registered charity supporting Police Officers following illness or injury in their return to full duties. The centres offer appropriate, job specific, comprehensive physiotherapy, treatment, and support, to Police Officers under one roof with the aim of returning them to active duty as soon as possible; vital for community safety.
Although many patients visiting the Treatment Centre come for physiotherapy, there are an increasing number of patients who need support with stress, anxiety and other such conditions.
The Police Treatment Centres introduced a structured two week Psychological Wellbeing Programme in April 2016, designed specifically for Serving Officers in response to the increased demand in the Police Force nationally. The Psychological Wellbeing Programme consists of group sessions in stress management, workshops focusing on relaxation, sleep, mindfulness, group exercise sessions and also individual counselling and complementary therapy sessions.
The PTC felt strongly that it had a responsibility to respond to this growing demand for psychological treatment, and the only way it would be able to do this, would be to increase its real estate and facilities. An application was submitted for a grant through the LIBOR bank fine process.
The PTC are delighted that on 22 November 2017 it was informed by the Treasury Department that it had been successful with its bid and would be awarded £1.5million to fund its Psychological wellbeing work for Police patients.
Patrick Cairns, CEO of the PTC said: This really is tremendous news and I am absolutely delighted with this grant from HM Treasury. The PTC is the only Police charity to be awarded a grant under this scheme, and we have received the second highest amount of money awarded to any charity in this final tranche of funding.
We believe this is not only an endorsement of the PTC and who we are and what we do; but it is also wider recognition that the PTC PWP makes a real difference to the work and lives of our police patients.
We also hope that it is an acknowledgment by the Government of the very real impact that psychological injuries and illnesses have on the Police Family.
Over the next few months the PTC will refine its plans, and ensure this grant money is used in the most effective manner possible to expand the PWP, and the treatment it provides within this programme.
