The Chief Constable has met with Prince William as a support package for the mental health of emergency service workers has been announced.

As part of the Blue Light Together package announced by HRH The Duke of Cambridge, Chief Const. Chris Rowley, who is also the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for wellbeing, met the royal during the Royal Foundation’s Emergency Services Mental Health Symposium on Thursday (November 25).

In a UK first, the chief officers of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, National Fire Chiefs Council and Association of Ambulance chief executives have made a public pledge on behalf of their organisations.

In addition, HM Coastguard (as Chair of UK Search and Rescue, UKSAR) has also signed the commitment and will be working with UKSAR members to embed its standards to support the wellbeing of their staff and volunteers.

It forms part of the Blue Light Together package of mental health support, which has seen The Royal Foundation working together with emergency service leaders and partner charities to change the workplace culture on mental health and provide specialist support to emergency responders and their families.

In his announcement, the Duke of Cambridge said: “This is an unprecedented agreement, and it sends a powerful message to all emergency responders that mental health is, and will remain, a firm priority for the UK’s emergency services.

“It means that, for the first time, a uniform set of standards for supporting the mental health of emergency responders will be adopted and integrated into their workplaces.

“This is a crucial step in ensuring that the staff and volunteers who work so tirelessly for our nation can be properly protected.”

Former chief constable Andy Rhodes also attended the event which brought together 200 leaders from emergency services across the country as well as the Health Secretary Sajid Javid, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick and Mind CEO Paul Farmer and of course the Duke of Cambridge.

The commitment means that every emergency service organisation will prioritise mental health in the workplace by developing and delivering a systematic programme of activity; proactively ensure work design and organisational culture drive positive mental health outcomes; promote an open culture around mental health; increase organisational confidence and capability; provide mental health tools and support; and increase transparency and accountability through internal and external reporting.