On 23rd May the Canterbury Centre for Policing Research (CCPR) in partnership with the England Centre for Practice Development (ECPD) hosted a round table event focusing on Mental Health. On the panel were Michael Brown, Mental Health Coordinator (College of Policing), Matthew Scott, Police and Crime Commissioner for Kent and Madeleine McGivern, Head of Workplace Wellbeing Programmes (Mind).  48 people attended including CCCU staff and students, members of the police and NHS staff.

Each speaker gave a 15 minute presentation and then questions were taken from the audience chaired by Carolyn Jackson, Director of the England Centre for Practice Development. 

The mental health round table debate at CCPR in May was excellent. All the speakers spoke eloquently and passionately about their subject areas and the event struck a good balance between the impact on the police of dealing with individuals who suffer from mental ill health, the rise of stress and mental health issues amongst officers, the growing responsibility being placed on the police to deal with these issues and the Kent PCC’s response outlining how these factors are being addressed locally. The audience was engaged and asked some great questions. We would have liked to have had more time for discussion. A very successful first round table debate for the centre.”Emma Williams, Deputy Director of the CCPR