More than 700 CNC officers and 22 staff make a monthly donation to the Police Treatment Centres (PTC), which enables them to access its wide range of health and wellbeing services. If you’re one of those donors, are you aware of the full extent of the – in some cases, life-changing - support on offer?
And if you’re not a PTC supporter, do you know what you’re missing out on?
We certainly had our eyes opened when we attended the charity’s recent annual general meeting in Harrogate and were given a tour of the centre. In recent years, there has been impressive investment in both the facilities and the programmes on offer. Everything is geared toward the unique needs of police officers and staff.
Let’s start with the basics
The Police Treatment Centres is a registered charity that has two facilities offering treatment and care, including intensive, police-specific physiotherapy and rehabilitation as well as psychological support. Officers and staff can attend Castlebrae, located in Auchterarder, Perthshire, or St Andrews in Harrogate, North Yorkshire.
Over the last 100+ years, thousands of officers (and more recently, staff) have received treatment that has helped them bounce back after injury, return to work, and get back to doing the things they enjoy.
To apply to access the charity’s treatment programmes, you must either be a serving police officer or police staff, or a retired officer, and you must be donating to the charity. The charity relies almost entirely on these donations and money from fundraising events and activities; neither centre receives government funding.
The facilities
Both St Andrews and Castlebrae have state-of-the-art facilities, which have been expanded even further in the last couple of years:
Rehab gym: with the latest strength, fitness and flexibility equipment, including anti-gravity treadmills
Physio suite: where experienced therapists provide personalised treatment support
Sports hall and rehab studios: perfect for one-to-one support or trying expert-led classes such as Pilates, mobility or circuit classes
Leisure and hydrotherapy pools: ideal for low-impact rehabilitation exercises and classes
Workshop rooms: where patients can learn about ways to support their health and wellbeing
Counselling and complementary therapy treatment rooms: private, safe spaces for confidential support and relaxation sessions
Outdoor space: peaceful gardens for quiet moments and outdoor fitness and leisure activities
The range of services
The facilities offer an idea of the types of treatment and support available ‘in-house’, but you might be less familiar with some of the charity’s outpatient offerings. These include an online physiotherapy service, a support programme for officers who have failed the job-related fitness test, and a women’s health programme.
The women’s health programme was something we were very interested to learn more about when we visited St Andrews. The team providing it comprises rehabilitation specialists with a wealth of knowledge and understanding of the demands of policing.
They can support female colleagues in remaining in their roles or facilitate a confident return to work, as well as help officers enjoy their personal lives and hobbies. The programme includes support with antenatal and postnatal fitness, menopause, pelvic floor, nutrition, weight management and fitness training.
Find out more
Whether you’re already supporting the PTC or not, take a look at the charity’s recently refreshed website where you will find video tours, stories from officers and staff who have received treatment, and lots more information on how the charity could help you.
If you are keen to sign up, please contact Ian Muir at the Federation, who can assist you in setting up a donation via payroll giving.