Mental health/occupational stress policies

Freedom of information request reference no: 1446/24

REQUEST

Copies of the health and welfare policies in effect from 2007 – 2015 and any other documents which would shed light on the support offered to police officers in this period.

CLARIFICATION

SWP: We have been liaising with your policy unit and when searching, there are over 40 policies available in that time frame. They have asked are you able to be more specific on what type of health and safety policies you are seeking?

Applicant: We are primarily interested in policies relating to mental health and/or occupational stress, and any safeguards in place.

RESPONSE

We have consulted with our Occupational Health Safety and Wellbeing Team and Human Resources Department who have provided the following information in relation to your request.

Please see attached document ‘stress-management-in-the-workplace-procedure-v73_Redacted’ and ‘What support is provided to police officers and staff updated 31 01 25’.

In relation to the redacted information, the following exemption applies:

Section 40(2) - Personal Information

Section 40(2) is an absolute class based exemption and therefore the authority is not required to consider the public interest in disclosure.

The Data Protection Act covers processing of personal data about a living individual.  Personal data means data which relate to a living individual who can be identified-

1. from those data, or
2. from those data and other information which is in the possession of, or is likely to come into the possession of, the data controller or any other person in respect of the individual.

Information will “relate to” a person if it is about them, linked to them, has some biographical significance for them, is used to inform decisions affecting them, has them as its main focus or impacts on them in any way.

If we disclosed these details, this would provide significant detail which could identify an individual and would breach the first principle of the Data Protection Act 2018.

In accordance with the Act, this letter represents a refusal notice for this part of your request.

Some of the support available to Police Officers:

South Wales Police have an in-house Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing (OHS&W) Service and have increased the clinical service with the appointment of a Principal Occupational Health Advisor and an additional counsellor.  The team have experienced Mental Health and Occupational Health nurse practitioners. The Force funds external support, for general and specialist intervention, where appropriate. Police Officers are also able to attend rehabilitation and support centres in the UK, operated by police charities and the police federation.

The in-house OHS&W Service includes Health and Safety, Occupational Health, Wellbeing, Trauma and Counselling who work as an integrated team to provide relevant support. The OHS&W Service has four full time counsellors employed by the force, plus a full time Mental Health and Wellbeing Support Officer. Confidential counselling is available internally to all employees and consultative input given to managers when requested. New recruits are provided with wellbeing input and information on the support offered by South Wales Police and other agencies.

Where a member of staff reports sick with stress, anxiety or depression, line managers are given guidance that referral to Occupational Health should be considered as soon as possible and before the absence becomes protracted (over 28 days). Managers are advised to encourage their staff to contact the Counselling and Trauma Service who will triage the referral and direct to the most appropriate intervention.

Specialist police officer roles such as Family Liaison Officers and personnel in the Digital Forensic Unit receive mandatory psychological debriefing. The therapies recommended by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as appropriate for sufferers of PTSD are available from the Counselling Team who also have contacts with specialist services outside of SWP. When staff are assigned to high-risk roles they are provided with a wellbeing input.

South Wales Police have a 24 hour/365 day telephone helpline for first line support/coaching and emergency support, this service provided by VIVUP also provides 6 sessions of counselling. South Wales Police have access to the following available facilities:

• South Wales Police policy, Health and Safety Stress Management in the Workplace and other supportive policies including, flexible working and special leave and the Fairness at Work Policy: Bullying and Harassment Procedure, domestic abuse in the workplace policy.
• Trauma Risk Management (TRiM) is an initiative that recognises early intervention as a positive step to reducing trauma related conditions. A TRiM assessment is pro-actively offered to all officers and staff who it is recognised may have been involved in a traumatic event.
• Information sources – dedicated Wellbeing webportal, Human Resources Helpdesk, Guidance, Staff booklets, toolkits and leaflets containing advice, Wellbeing Strategy, Articles on intranet and in “Billboard” in house magazine. Presentations to senior management, Strategic Health & Safety Board and Wellbeing Board.
• 27 April 2017 saw South Wales Police, alongside other Emergency Blue Light Services, launch the Mind Cymru “Blue Light” Programme with over 100 trained Bluelight Champions. The Pledge Action plan has been implemented within South Wales Police.  South Wales Police has signed up to the Bluelight Together programme.
• Training and Coaching Programme including line manager training on Mental Health.
• Health and Wellbeing programme of Action, Wellbeing initiatives, Wellbeing surveys, Police Sports South Wales and Police Mutual initiatives.
• Ask R U OK? Campaign. The National Advisory and Liaison Service (NALS) offers a free and confidential support service to individuals in Wales.
• Suicide Prevention and Mental Health campaigns.