Working in emergency services has always been challenging. But the coronavirus pandemic has made it even harder. Our 2021 research shows that 69% of emergency responders feel their mental health has deteriorated due to the pandemic.
Our Blue Light Programme is here for everyone in the emergency services: Staff, volunteers, and employers, as well as friends and family. Below, you can learn about the information, support and resources available and find out more about the programme.
Blue Light Together is a website designed for people working and volunteering in the ambulance, police, fire and search and rescue services. We’ve designed it to help you, your friends and your family find the right mental health support. On the website, you’ll find:
We developed Blue Light Together in partnership with:
Blue Light Together is here for you, whether you’re currently serving, retired, frontline or back-office staff.
Image credit: Metropolitan Police
In our monthly newsletter, we’ll send you:
We've got lots of information to help you manage your mental health. This includes information on coping with your experiences as an emergency responder and places you can go for support.
Whether you're in a behind-the-scenes or frontline role, we've got information for anyone working in the ambulance, police, fire and search and rescue services.
Image credit: West Midlands Police
For the first time ever, emergency service senior leaders have declared that mental health is a priority.
They’ve signed the Mental Health at Work Commitment – a promise to bring mental health support to emergency responder staff and volunteers.
And now, you can support your teams by getting involved too.
Image credit: London Ambulance Service
You can play your role in challenging stigma and getting mental health and wellbeing support for your colleagues.
We used to recruit Blue Light Champions to help us do this. We don't run this formally anymore. But there are still lots of ways to help improve mental health support for you and your colleagues.
Staff, volunteers and employers from emergency services have shared their experiences, tips and advice about looking after your mental health at work.
We’re continuing to publish new stories regularly on Blue Light Together. And we’ve got older stories from 2015 – 2019 too.
Image credit: London Fire Brigade
We've listened to the experiences of emergency responders. Most recently, our 2021 research explores how the pandemic affected their mental health. We also carried out extensive research between 2015 and 2019 on mental health in the emergency services.
Our Blue Light Programme is here to support the mental health of emergency responders.
From 2015 to 2019, thousands of responders received information, resources, training and support through the Blue Light Programme and our network of local Minds.
Then, in recognition of the impact of the pandemic on emergency responders, we brought the programme back in 2020.
Image credit: London Ambulance Service