Item 3.1

YEAR-END HEALTH AND WELLBEING REPORT – Presented by Katy Miller/ Damien Shannon

Members considered the paper which had been submitted to provide oversight of Police Scotland and SPA Health and Wellbeing activity throughout FY 2022/23. In addition to the submitted report the following was discussed.

• The Director of People & Development introduced this item by reflecting on the report and stating the ambition of the team to take an approach to health and wellbeing that is proactive, preventative and person centred to take account of an employee physical, psychological, social and financial wellbeing. Members were invited to note that while all elements of this approach will require planned and sustained effort so that it was successfully embedded throughout the organisation, it was understood that effort must be made to ensure Police Scotland and this committee are able to consider evidence that will assure them whether the actions being taken are the right thing to be doing for colleagues across the organisation. The Director recognised this as a significant challenge for the teams but stated her commitment to the immediate and longer term work.
• The Director of P&D also explained to Members the intention to focus on insights and analysis to ensure that themes and trends are considered as new preventative measures are shaped and developed.
• The Committee heard that work to improve the overall approach will be driven nationally while being informed locally to ensure good outcomes, for example through work to address the stigma attached to mental health challenges for the workforce.
• Members were taken through an overview of the report highlights by the Health and Wellbeing Manager.
• The Committee discussed at length the report with areas of focus including: what will be done to reduce stigma of seeking help for mental health conditions and how these barriers can be broken down in the organisation, how lived experience should be used to effectively shape help for officers and staff, the shift to a preventative focus with Health and Wellbeing being part of regular conversations, proactive engagement with colleagues and a recognition that work and home cannot always be separate considerations.
• The Committee Chair commented on valuable learning and insights from the recent joint PS/SPA Trauma and Mental Health event at which powerful lived experiences were shared and shared her view that while an internal focus was important, the organisation should seek to ensure a dual internal/external focus is in place to scan for all possible help that is available to officers and staff. The Director of People & Development agreed that this holistic approach would be part of the planning and a report to outline how this would be achieved would be made available to the committee.
• Recognising there is a significant amount of activity underway and in the planning stage as part of the Health and Wellbeing Programme of work, Members repeated the committee’s ambition to understand the impact of this activity.
• Members agreed that the work would benefit from early engagement with Staff Association and Trade Union colleagues and it was noted this was indeed the planned approach.

Members noted the information contained within the report and agreed the following action,

PEOPLE-20230531-001: Report to be brought to August Committee meeting which,
- Provides an overview of the joined-up approach being taken by the organisation to ensure those who require support may access the appropriate/best help both internally and externally.
- Provides details of the steps that will be taken to track progress and measure impact and how this activity will be reported to the Committee going forward.

PEOPLE-20230531-002 Trauma and Mental Health: Committee to consider an update report that provides details of the outcomes from the SPA/PS psychological trauma roundtable event.