Fire service recognised for partner-based approach to promoting good mental health

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS), with the support of the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), has become the first fire and rescue service in the UK to become a signatory of the refreshed Prevention Concordat for Better Mental Health – a public pledge that they have both a commitment and an action plan to tackle preventable poor mental health in their community.

Organisations signed up to the national agreement, overseen by the Office for Health and Improvement Disparities (OHID), recognise factors such as unemployment, debt and drug misuse increase a person’s chances of having poor mental health.  The NFCC who achieved Concordat status in 2019, via their Mental Health Board, has worked with OHID to develop a framework to support other fire and rescue services to help achieve Prevention Concordat status. 

 “I am delighted to see NFCC and Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service confirm their ongoing commitment to collaborating with partners to promote good mental health through a prevention-focused approach.

“Members of our communities suffering from poor mental health are often at greater risk of coming to harm and therefore require prevention related assistance. Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service, and future Services signing up to principles of the Concordat, are sending a clear message that effective prevention can only be secured through a collaborative approach ensuring wherever possible, ‘every contact counts.”

Mark Thomas, Mental Health Lead for NFCC.

One in six adults experiences at least one diagnosable mental health problem in their lifetime. This is influenced by the environment in which people are born, grow, live, and work. This means many of these problems can be prevented. Signatories to the Prevention Concordat for Mental Health aim to address these wider determinants of mental wellbeing and work towards achieving a fairer and more equal society.