A NURSE who helps struggling police officers has urged people to talk more openly about mental health.

Chris Deaville joined Wiltshire Police eight months ago after working in the NHS on the street triage team for many years.

Wiltshire Police is one of the few forces in the country to have its own dedicated mental health nurse in place to support its staff and officers.

Chris said: “Officers go to things that most members of the public would never have to go near, like car crashes and stabbings.

"At the end of the day, they're people too, so if they’ve seen something traumatic or need a bit of support, I work with them.

“My diary is usually full, I see on average four or five people per day.

"The details are confidential, but people come in with all sorts of issues, then we do our best to give them the best possible care.

"A lot of the time it’s just routine reviews and checks we have to make sure there’s no change in their physical or psychological health.

“Sometimes, people just get on with their job and don’t notice these little changes which we can pick up on, like loss of appetite, weight gain or loss, sleep deprivation or mood deterioration.

“They’re struggling to cope without even realising it.

"People need to feel like they can talk openly about what's bothering them.

"It’s important to identify any changes early so we can give people the support they need."

Throughout Mental Health Awareness Week, Wiltshire Police have shone a spotlight on the support networks they have in place, including TRIM (Trauma Risk Incident Management), an external counselling service Health Support, and staff who are Blue Light Champions that colleagues can contact for peer support.

Wiltshire Police was graded as outstanding n a HMICFRS effectiveness report for identifying and supporting people experiencing mental health problems

The force's Occupational Health Unit team get referrals from staff and officers, then the patients book appointments with Chris.

He added: "It’s a good job, it’s nice to look after people, but you have to be the right sort of person for it.

"People say they couldn’t do what I do, but I couldn’t be a police officer, it’s all relative.”