New CEO appointed as charity pilots PTSD recovery schemes for officers
Police Care UK, the charity that supports officers harmed during their service, has announced the appointment of Renata Gomes as its new chief executive officer.
She joins from the Blind Veterans UK Group where she was the chief scientific officer.
In her early career, Ms Gomes was a volunteer Metropolitan Police Service cadet and subsequently trained as a forensic and medical specialist.
She brings nearly a decade of experience in military and veterans’ health and wellbeing, as well as expertise in scientific research, health economics and business management.
Police Care UK said her appointment, effective from March 11, signals a new chapter for the charity as complex mental health needs related to police trauma are now the biggest area of the its support, with one in five of the police workforce suffering a form of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Police Care UK chair Derek Ray-Hill said: “We are delighted Renata is joining us as our new CEO. As an independent charity, Police Care UK’s long-term future is in augmenting and innovating solutions to police trauma in a way that government and public services cannot.
“Renata’s experience in clinical matters, science, entrepreneurship, advocacy, and business management is the ideal combination to deliver this. She will take Police Care UK forward to expand our capabilities and ensure we are at the forefront of combating stress and trauma in policing.”
Ms Gomes commented: “I feel privileged and honoured to become CEO of Police Care UK. The role comes with great responsibility – police often have lifelong careers and live where they work, so ensuring they have a strong state of health and wellbeing is vital.
“Over the years my family and I have received fantastic support from the police for which I’m grateful and thankful. Whatever happens in life we know we can turn to the police for help.
“I want Police Care UK to become the powerhouse for understanding police trauma and restoring lives through evidence-based research and innovation. By doing so, I know we can make fundamental change to the debilitating impact of trauma in policing.”
Police Care UK has been trialling two ground-breaking pilot schemes for PTSD recovery with promising results:
- Intensive Trauma Service – the UK’s first and only method of treating Complex PTSD for serving personnel in a residential environment. The pilot has a six-month recovery time and most participants seem able to return to work with zero symptoms; and
- Trauma Impact Prevention Techniques – training for those in service on how to recognise trauma exposure post-incident and when to seek additional support.