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Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has launched a new partnership to strengthen mental wellbeing support for officers and staff working in some of the force’s most demanding roles.
The force has appointed Cheshire-based mental health consultancy Eleos Group to work alongside its internal wellbeing and leadership teams, as part of its wider commitment to supporting frontline staff exposed to high-pressure and emotionally challenging environments.
More than 80 staff across three specialist teams – the Digital Forensic Investigations Unit (DFIU), the Sex Offender Management Unit (SOMU) and the Online Child Abuse Investigation Team (OCAIT) – will receive support through the programme. The initiative is designed to promote early intervention, build long-term resilience and encourage open conversations around mental health, helping staff maintain wellbeing while continuing to protect local communities.
Specialist investigation teams are frequently exposed to distressing material, which can have a cumulative impact on mental health over time. GMP says proactive support is essential to safeguarding staff welfare while maintaining operational effectiveness.
Superintendent Jen Tattersall said the partnership supports the force’s duty of care to its people. “We recognise that many of our roles can expose our officers and staff to distressing and challenging material, which can then have a long-term, cumulative impact on mental wellbeing,” she said. “Our partnership with Eleos plays a key role in ensuring our teams are supported, resilient and able to continue performing their duties safely and effectively.”
According to GMP, the programme provides confidential access to professional support, early intervention and practical coping strategies tailored specifically to the realities of policing. Tattersall added that having support services available encourages officers to seek help at their own pace while prioritising their personal health and wellbeing.
Eleos Group will work collaboratively with GMP to help shape sustainable, evidence-based frameworks that embed wellbeing into everyday working practices. The consultancy specialises in clinically led mental health strategies and has experience supporting organisations in high-pressure sectors including policing, legal services and education.
Dr Claire Bullen-Foster, chief executive of Eleos Group, said the collaboration reflects a shared commitment to protecting the mental health of police staff. “Police staff often face unique psychological pressures, and supporting their mental health is essential to maintaining a resilient and effective police service,” she said. “This collaboration is about building lasting frameworks that encourage people to ask for help, to support one another, and to sustain their wellbeing over the long term.”
GMP said the programme positions the force among the first in the UK to adopt a proactive, hands-on approach to building mental health provision for officers and police staff, aligning with a broader shift across policing towards creating mentally healthy workplaces that strengthen long-term resilience and effectiveness.
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