Cops 500k mental health sick days
‘CUTS PUT TOO MUCH PRESSURE ON POLICE’ Deal anger at Cobham
THE bushfires ravaging Australia have hit Christmas travel plans as firefighters battle more than 100 blazes.
Residents across New South Wales have been urged to delay festive journeys as rising temperatures and strong winds fuel the flames.
Three blazes around Sydney were burning at emergency level and state premier Gladys Berejiklian said: “We are asking everybody not to travel on roads anywhere near the vicinity of an active fire unless you absolutely have to.”
Almost 10,000 emergency personnel have been mobilised to deal with the bushfires.
Ben Shepherd of NSW Rural Fire Services said: “These fires are likely to continue to spread well past Christmas.”
Meanwhile,
Australians accused
PM Scott Morrison of inaction on climate change and blasted him for going on holiday to
Hawaii amid the crisis.
THE police notched up nearly half a million sick days because of poor mental health last year.
Shock new figures reveal a total of 489,484 work days were lost among 31 forces across Britain.
The UK’S “worst police force”, topped the league for losing the most work days through mental health.
Cleveland Police, described as “failing” in all areas in September, saw mental health cited as the reason for 9,711 sick days – 48.5 per cent of all the force’s sick days. Cambridgeshire Police notched up the second highest rate, with 45.5 per cent of its sick leave used for mental health reasons.
Essex Police’s rate of 39.7 per cent was third.
South Yorkshire Police had the lowest rate, at 9.7 per cent.
Police have warned cops’ mental health is suffering after years of cuts.
The Police Federation’s Ché Donald said: “Our officers are under an immense amount of pressure due to rocketing demand... Our colleagues have been left feeling mentally battered and bruised.”
Derrick Farrell, CEO at Vita Health Group, is calling for mandatory improvements to mental health care, including training so managers can spot the signs of cops under pressure.
He said: “It’s absolutely essential that every single member of the force is given complete support.”
Voice of the People: P14
BORIS Johnson has been accused of dodging scrutiny by backing the US takeover of defence firm Cobham days before Christmas.
Advent International made a bid to buy Cobham in July. But it was delayed when the Government stepped in due to national security concerns.
Lady Nadine Cobham, whose family founded the air-to-air refuelling firm, said: “This is cynically timed to avoid scrutiny.
“The Government is not taking back control so much as handing it away.”
Acting Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said he had not seen evidence that concerns had been mitigated.
But Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom said she was satisfied security risks had been reduced “to an acceptable level”.