Here’s how it works
- If you’re a staff member, officer or used to work in policing and are experiencing suicidal thoughts, the Mental Health Crisis Line is here for you.
- If you’re in crisis, the line provides in-the-moment support to help keep you safe and stable.
- If you call the number, you’ll speak to a qualified counsellor trained in suicide prevention and experienced in helping those who work or used to work in the emergency services. The call handlers understand the lived experience of police staff and officers – but it’s an independent line and completely separate from policing.
- Call handlers will be able to signpost you to more support if needed. But no information will leave the call or will be shared with your force line manager – it is 100% confidential.
- This is not a referral service for members of the public.
About the Mental Health Crisis Line
Daily life is tough. And on top of that, policing can expose you to stress, trauma, and high-pressure situations – it's common for this to have an impact on your mental health, sometimes even years after you left.
You don’t have to face difficult times alone. This 24/7/365 line is specifically for police officers, staff, and those who have left policing, who are in crisis, providing a safe space to talk and receive support from qualified, independent counsellors.
It's totally confidential and we know the crisis line has already saved lives.
Crisis Line partners
The Crisis Line is being delivered in partnership with TASC, The Ambulance Staff Charity, who have delivered a similar service for ambulance staff and fire and rescue staff. The Crisis Line is staffed with independent, expert counsellors trained in suicide prevention who understand policing.
It's been tried and tested
We've worked with police forces across the North East region to pilot the Mental Health Crisis Line for us. The pilot ran for 12-months. This allowed us to test it, and refine it and demonstrate the clear demand for the service. Now, we're making it available to ALL police forces in England and Wales.
Why the Crisis Line is so important
Service Director for the National Police Wellbeing Service, Andy Rhodes:
Policing is a unique and rewarding career, but sometimes very challenging. It’s a profession associated with high levels of stress, fatigue and trauma exposure. This can take its toll on your mental health - sometimes even years after you left policing.
“That’s why extending our Mental Health Crisis Line to people who no longer work in policing is so important. No matter the reason someone has left, if they’re experiencing a mental health crisis, they have confidential, independent, 24/7 support to turn to.
“The Crisis Line has helped so many officers and staff over the last year – and it will no doubt continue to do so. We know it’s saved lives.
“We’re proud to be able to extend the service. It’s a vital next step in the suicide prevention work that the National Police Wellbeing Service has been delivering as part of the National Suicide Action Plan for policing. It’s playing a key role in the work we’re delivering nationally, and with forces, to ensure wellbeing in policing is recognised not as a nice-to-have, but a legal obligation.”
Our suicide prevention work
Suicide prevention matters, which is why we launched our National Suicide Action Plan for policing.
It aims to educate and support the workforce, reduce stress and improve data recording. The action plan intends to help create a culture that supports mental health, tackles stigma and ensures everyone affected by suicide or suicidal thoughts is able to access appropriate and timely support. It can be accessed here.
In addition to the Mental Health Crisis Line, there’s specialist bereavement counselling already on offer, designed to help those affected by the suicide of a colleague.