Chamber and committees

That is interesting.

I have a final question. David Threadgold, you spoke about the TRiM programme. Some people did not feel that they wanted to take that up, or thought that it would not benefit them. Should that be mandatory, or should it always be a choice?

Chief constable, you spoke about the trauma that is due to the nature of the job, and there is evidence of a rise in psychological disorders. I am not sure whether you heard David Threadgold’s evidence. He spoke about a lack of training and about training difficulties. The SPF’s submission to the committee suggests that

“a significant number of officers, including supervisors, do not feel like they have the appropriate skills, training or strategies to identify challenges in their or their colleagues mental health and wellbeing”.

What are your views on the research that has been done on that, given your comments about wanting to boost front-line wellbeing? What are your plans to address that?

Good afternoon.

I will go back to mental wellbeing among officers. I will not repeat my questions to the other two panels of witnesses, which related to training—or lack of training, according to the SPF. Are you satisfied that there is enough training? Supervisors and officers say that they do not have the appropriate skills to detect when there is a problem with a colleague.

Will that continue to be monitored?

That is interesting. Thanks for that.

I will move on to Stuart Stevens. You spoke about your review programme. The nature of the fire service is changing, as are the demands that are being placed on it. You mentioned that you have been called out to fewer fires, but you provide other services, too. Do you have a timescale for the review programme? It all sounds very forward thinking and ambitious.

How long would training take for an 18-year-old coming from school?

Yes.

Presumably, they would be out with more senior staff initially, because 14 weeks does not sound like a long time.

Okay. Thank you.