Workforce Wellbeing

The policing workforce is our greatest asset and I have had the benefit of seeing first-hand how officers and staff deliver an outstanding service in challenging circumstances day in and day out.

Supporting our people and maintaining the wellbeing of our workforce is a commitment set out in the Strategic Police Plan. We want our entire workforce to feel supported and empowered to seek help from colleagues and support services no matter the situation. We are also aware of the need to address wider organisational factors where demands are impacting on the ability of our people to take daily or weekly rest days. Providing effective and accessible wellbeing support and advice is not a luxury, it is a necessity. Policing is a unique environment; our people are more likely than most other professions to be repeatedly exposed to challenging circumstances and trauma. We can’t eliminate that exposure, but we can and should mitigate it.

In 2023, the Authority hosted a conference and brought together a range of insights and perspectives to explore the impact of repeated exposure to trauma on individuals. The conference was an opportunity to hear and learn from those who have experienced this and from other services and jurisdictions about the measures that can help mitigate this impact. This was a positive event with the insights influencing Police Scotland’s wellbeing action plan due to be considered by the Authority’s People Committee on 29 August 2024.

In addition to the Authority’s oversight, the Scottish Parliament’s Criminal Justice Committee has been considering the effectiveness of the advice and support available to police officers and staff who request assistance with their mental health and wellbeing. The committee has also heard that there may be a correlation between officer and staff wellbeing and suicides. The Authority, Police Scotland and stakeholders including the staff associations and trade unions have all contributed to the Committees’ considerations so far. The next session will take place on 11 September to provide an update on the work to strengthen the advice and support available to police officers and staff who request assistance with their mental health and wellbeing. I will attend to represent the Authority alongside the Vice Chair Fiona McQueen and the Authority’s Chief Executive Lynn Brown.