Further Detail

Health and Wellbeing Priority Areas

• Bring the health and wellbeing of our people to the top of the organisation’s agenda.
• Develop a coordinated national approach to health and wellbeing, which is robust and driven by investment.
• Proactive engagement of our people in an ongoing health and wellbeing conversation through listening and understanding the need.
• Recognising the significant pressures on our people and develop the support of our people enabling them to achieve a better work/life balance.
• Adopt a person-centred approach to all support pathways and programmes, i.e. EAP, OH, TRiM, Wellbeing Champions.
• Prevention to become a primary focus.
• Reduce the stigma which still exists around health and wellbeing, particularly mental health and the seeking of support.
• Development and training of all officers and staff, with a specific focus on those in line management, senior ranks and probationers.
• Recognise the importance and role of peer support amongst our people.

Health and Wellbeing Framework Model

The Health and Wellbeing Framework has been developed to encapsulate the emerging priority areas and the shift in focus and approach to health and wellbeing. The framework is driven by our core aim which is to support our people through a positive working environment, enabling them to serve the public. The proactive, preventative and person-centred approach intends to understand and consider what our people are experiencing both inside and outside of work. Recognising the impact of significant moments, both work and personal, on people’s lives and providing ‘fit for purpose’ tools and support which empower and enable our people to take positive action in relation to their health and wellbeing.

Health and Wellbeing Action Plan Updates

The Health and Wellbeing team (HWB) have identified a number of action plan areas linked to our priorities for which we have an overview of highlight activity within some of the action plan areas during Q2 2023/24 is provided below.

Monitoring and Evaluation - Lifelines Scotland Impact Evaluation

A key focus during this Quarter has been a Lifelines Scotland Project Impact Evaluation. The purpose of the piece of work is to evaluate the effectiveness of the Lifelines Scotland Wellbeing sessions in creating a workforce that is mental health informed. Police Scotland (PS) and Scottish Police Authority (SPA) people who are mental health informed will be able to:

• Assess and understand their own mental health and wellbeing.
• Take responsibility for developing and nurturing their own wellbeing and seeking help as appropriate.
• Contribute to enabling a mentally healthy working environment.
• Reflect on issues relating to mental health, self-harm, and suicide in terms of self, and the people they live with, work with and support, including family and friends.
• Act as a positive role model in challenging and reducing stigma and inequalities.
• Respond to people experiencing mental or emotional distress by being non-judgmental, respectful and compassionate.
• Start sensitive conversations, but be direct, talking openly about self-harm and suicide by asking people if they are thinking about self-harm or suicide.
Methodology

An evaluation survey was conducted and sent to those within PS/SPA who had undertaken at least one Lifelines Session, a minimum of three months prior (total sample size of 750 people). An excellent return rate of 19.6% was achieved. Questions were designed to assist PS in gauging whether learning from the sessions had been applied and any resulting changes in behaviour. This is based on the Kirkpatrick model of evaluation level 3 (Yale Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning, 2023).

Key Findings

• 91.83% of respondents recalled the training either well or very well.

• Over 70% of respondents think about the messages from the session(s) on a daily or weekly basis. This suggests that the learning messages are being retained and considered regularly by those undertaking Lifelines sessions.

• Over 89% of respondents have spoken to at least one person to ask if they are ok or to offer support since the Lifelines session(s). This demonstrates that attendees are putting into practice the learning from these Lifelines sessions.

• 88.4% of respondents feel confident asking for help in relation to their own mental health or suicidal thoughts and over 21% have actually asked for help when needed. This demonstrates that learning from sessions about seeking support is being put into practice on a long-term basis.
• Over 86% of respondents rated at least 8 or above (out of 10) for recommending the session/s to others. This demonstrates that the Lifelines learning sessions have a strong net promoter score (NPS) (Qualtrics, 2023) of 59.86% which indicates that our people believe these sessions are worthwhile for their colleagues and peers to attend.

Other themes to arise:

• Respondents felt they were looking out more for others/keeping an eye out for signs/concerns in colleagues. This theme was evident in over 40% of responses.

• Respondents felt more confident in assisting others- asking ‘are you okay?’ This theme was evident in around 25% of responses.

• Respondents felt that they were showing increased levels of self-care/looking after themselves more fully. This theme also appeared in around 25% of responses.

• Workload/commitments remain high, meaning less time available to spend on encouraging positive wellbeing/looking out for others. This theme was demonstrated in around 20% of responses.

• Stigma/old fashioned attitudes towards mental health still exist which are an ongoing barrier. This theme was brought up in around 18% of responses.

• Geographical challenges/working from home can mean colleagues are not always easy to approach/see regularly. This theme arose in around 11% of responses.

• Many believe that all officers/staff should have the chance to undergo this kind of course/s. This theme was raised by over 35% of respondents.

• Topics covered are very important and are valuable in helping people look after themselves/others. This theme appeared from around 39% or respondents.

• There is recognition that topics can be sensitive or triggering for some, so should be approached tactfully and with full support provided. This theme was apparent in around 12% of responses.

Conclusion

2.4.5 Feedback received from this survey suggests that the majority of respondents found the messaging provided in the Lifelines session(s) to be beneficial and that the learning is being utilised long term, on a regular basis within their roles. This suggests that the Lifelines Scotland programme is effective in creating a mental health informed workforce who are looking after their own mental wellbeing, looking out for others and can support colleagues who have experienced trauma.

Recommendations

2.4.6 With this feedback in mind, HWB have developed a number of recommendations that will very much inform the way ahead for HWB, particularly in the space of mental health. PS/SPA need to fully consider the role out of Lifelines Scotland learning and need to encourage and role model a culture where people are willing and feel able to answer authentically the question, “Are you OK?” HWB are currently developing a mental health action plan which we are committed to presenting to the Wellbeing Governance Board in Q4 2023/4 with our Lifelines Scotland Facilitator Programme and delivery very much at the core. We feel this will be a critical part of developing this culture.

Monitoring and Evaluation - Independent Health and Wellbeing Evaluation and Review

The process to procure an ‘Independent Health and Wellbeing Evaluation and Review’ began in October with the agreed route to market being by Quick Quote. Quick Quote, via Public Contracts Scotland, is a compliant route to market, ensuring we are obtaining quotes that drive best value via competition, and include suppliers identified who meet the requirements. Three companies that can provide this service were invited to quote. The timelines are very much dependent on procurement process and factors such as vetting but we are aiming to have this project completed during Q4 2023/24. The key objectives of the evaluation and review include but are not limited to:

• Undergo a full review of the current health and wellbeing approaches within PS/SPA.
• Report on the current health and wellbeing approaches and whether they are deemed to be appropriate and effective.
• Provide recommendations for any adaptations to current health and wellbeing approaches.
• Provide expert insight and guidance on a proposed future structure for ongoing measurement of the impact that the wellbeing service is having on our people/service delivery.

HWB Learning, Training & Development - Lifelines Facilitator Programme

To ensure a legacy from the existing Lifelines Scotland project was achieved we have been working with Lifelines to develop our ‘facilitator’ programme. This will enable officers and staff to facilitate crucial Lifelines resilience, self-care and post trauma support training through a Police Scotland and peer support lens.

The programme will result in 79 officers and staff within the organisation who can facilitate Lifelines Scotland sessions within their own areas. 57 have completed the Lifelines facilitator training, with another 22 booked onto courses running over October and November. The facilitators are now at the quality assurance approval stage which will enable the further roll over of the sessions; to date, 10 have been observed and are signed off. We have been trying to ensure an organisational spread within the facilitator cohort with a particular focus on probationer training. The probationer training instructors are all due to undergo Lifelines Scotland facilitator training during November which will allow the instructors to provide elements of the training as part of the probationer training programme at SPC.

Communications & Engagement - Wellbeing Champions Network

The refresh of the Wellbeing Champions Network remains a priority focus at present. The Wellbeing Champions will have a key role in the peer support of colleagues, providing health and wellbeing education/signposting in a clear and sensitive manner, carrying out 1:1 or group health and wellbeing discussions and assisting with support and confirming health and wellbeing referral processes for individuals. We are currently engaging with the existing cohort of Champions, with many opting to remain as part of the network. We are running a series of network development workshops during October and November with a targeted recruitment drive to attract new members to the Network to be launched in mid-November. The intention is to have an organisational spread of 230 Champions in the new network which is roughly a ratio of 1:100 officers and staff.

Professional Health and Wellbeing Support - Occupational Health

The delivery of a new occupational health contract, to commence from the 1st of April 2024, has been a key focus during Q2. The procurement process has now advanced to such a point that a preferred supplier has been identified and a ‘Contract Award Recommendation’ paper was approved on 5th October at CFPB. At the time of writing, this is due to be presented at the SPA Resources Committee on 15th November for further approval and progression.

Once the contract has been awarded, we will be in a position to share further detail of the contract but by way of introduction, the points below detail some of the non-financial benefits associated with the award of contract:

• Long-term contract to allow for innovations and continuous improvement to be implemented throughout the term of the contract.
• Robust specification with fully detailed scope of requirements, minimum standards and monitoring information - use of framework specification to build the scope of requirements means a much greater emphasis on continuous improvement and ensure the service delivered is current, and in keeping with market standards.
• Robust contractual clauses in relation to annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) uplifts, which provides the Authority with more control over the uplifts and places a higher burden of proof on the supplier.
• Escalation and complaints process providing greater clarity and accountability within the contract.
• Robust KPIs and SLAs which are proportionate and appropriate to the nature of the service to ensure the appointed supplier delivers an effective and efficient service.
• Delivery of community benefits as standard via the Framework through the creation of employment, skills and training opportunities and funding and sponsorship in connection with the contract.
• Improved services compared with the current provision which are improvements on like-for-like services, for instance:
o In-house online Occupational Health IT system that provides an interactive solution to record, allocate and track all occupational health activity in real-time.
o Workplace Needs Assessment
o Complex case reviews
o There are a range of optional additional services available through the contract which can be taken up at the sole discretion of the Authority and are subject to budget availability. These are in areas such as physiotherapy triage, neurodiversity, wellbeing checks and HWB support.

Professional Health & Wellbeing Support - Employee Assistance Programme

The delivery of the new Employee Assistance Programme contract, to commence from the 1st of April 2024, has been another key focus over the last Quarter. The procurement process is at the bid evaluation stage - the tender closed on the 10th of October and seven bids were received. Individual evaluations took place until the 23rd of October with potential supplier presentations with key stakeholders from across Police Scotland, SPA and officer and staff associations following on 24th and 25th October. The evaluators are now being lead through a consensus process to identify a preferred supplier and following this, a Contract Award Recommendation paper will be presented at Corporate Finance and People Board for internal approval.

Key features of the new service we are seeking to procure include:

• Telephone and face-to-face complex trauma, including PTSD and critical incident support services.
• Therapeutic interventions will be embedded within the service due to the high risk and traumatic nature of some job roles.
• Access to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT); Trauma Focussed CBT; Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR); and other approved and appropriate specialist interventions.
• Users who are identified as being at risk (‘red flag’) will be routed to a counsellor for immediate support.
• Freephone telephone advice line(s) 24/7, 365 days a year.
• Secure Online Portal available 24/7, 365 days a year.
• Mobile IOS and Android application access to the online portal services.
• Live chat function on their online portal.
• Triage services will include, but not be limited to: clinical assessment process; facilitated referral into the NHS; and structured ‘bridging wellbeing support’ to those who are not clinically suitable for short-term focused counselling whilst they await treatment through the NHS/ Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT)

Preventative Measures - Mental Health Support Service Pilot Programme

The August Wellbeing Governance Board approved the delivery of a nine-month Mental Health Support Service (MHSS) pilot. The Mental Health Support Service is delivered by Maximus UK and is funded by the Department of Works and Pensions.

The service is remote based and aims to support people to become better equipped at managing their mental wellbeing through proactive strategies (non-clinical/non-counselling support). The service offers confidential and vocational support for employees with mental illness, or signs and symptoms of, to retain/regain their ability to participate at work. The support is delivered by Vocational Rehabilitation Consultants (VRCs) – experts in supporting people with mental health conditions. The service can provide individuals with up to nine months’ support, consisting of fortnightly review calls. This dedicated support can cover all the key areas such as coping strategies, workplace adjustments, practical advice and guidance, as well as setting out a plan to return to work if you are currently absent. The service is very much focused on complimenting the work of Occupational Health and EAP.

The pilot will have a primary target audience of officers and staff who are currently absent (short, medium and long term) due to psychological matters. This is with a view to supporting people to return to work within shorter timescales, whilst supporting their specific needs within a working environment. We are also looking at our people data at present to assist us in identifying a group currently in work who may be deemed to be vulnerable to absence in the future, as we feel the service can also play a role in supporting people to remain in work.

The pilot will aim to prove the impact and effectiveness of the service, as well as the shift in the mental health and wellbeing of the individuals, to enable us to further roll out the service to the wider organisation considering other areas of absence and processes such as ill health retiral and injury on duty, grievance etc.

Governance and Strategy - HMICS Review

Health and Wellbeing continue to assist HMICS in the review of frontline health and wellbeing. The overall aim of this review is to engage directly with frontline officers and staff in order to identify the issues they consider support or impact on their wellbeing and to assess the work undertaken by Police Scotland to improve wellbeing. Some objectives have also been identified; they are as follows:
• To engage with frontline officers and staff to assess their awareness of Police Scotland’s approach to wellbeing associated activities and the effectiveness of this approach.
• To identify the factors which officers and staff consider support or impact their wellbeing.
• Highlight any identified good practice and initiatives.
• Assess the approach taken by Police Scotland comparable to recognised professional guidance and approaches elsewhere.

To date, HMICS have been conducting field within C3, Custody and North East Divisions and have one-to-one interviews lined up with key stakeholders across both the SPA and Police Scotland in the coming weeks. The timeline of the final report is provisionally set as December 2023, but this is very much subject to review, as HMICS are attempting to align the delivery with the outcomes of all other internal audits.