Force’s commitment to staff wellbeing recognised with national award

Derbyshire Constabulary’s Human Resources department has today been announced the winner of Oscar Kilo’s absence management category in their 2019 awards.

Oscar Kilo is the home of the National Police Wellbeing Service. They provide access to evidence-based research and resources which can be used to help shape wellbeing provision and encourage collaboration and innovation across policing and other emergency services.

The award has been given in recognition of the innovative wellbeing project our Human Resources team developed in partnership with colleagues in the Contact Management and Resolution Centre (CMaRC) and with Derbyshire County Council’s Healthy Workplaces Team.

The need for this project had been highlighted as unions and colleague supporters had raised concerns over the mental health issues within the Force Control Room and the absence rate.

Our Human Resources team met with the Healthy Workplace staff from Derbyshire County Council to discuss the objectives behind the partnership. Together, they devised a bespoke survey to identify the following areas, physical activity, general health promotion, weight loss, mental health, and healthy eating.

From these survey results, a bespoke plan was to be delivered over a 12-month period, within the Force Control Room. This included the following; 

• Procuring a specialist training organisation for mental health to devise and deliver resilience training to staff and team leaders.
• Training volunteers to undertake the Workplace Health Champion role.
• Health checks and Body MOTS in the workplace.
• On site weight management group.
• Healthy eating support.

The project proved to be a success, with many control room staff taking advantage of the support and advice on offer to them.

Debbie Harrington, Head of HR Policy & Wellbeing said: “We’re really proud to receive this recognition from the National Police Wellbeing Service, especially in these difficult times.  We know there is still a long way to go when it comes to wellbeing, but this award shows that we moving in the right direction with the wellbeing initiatives we are developing. It is great to see we are making a difference, let’s hope we can continue to do that.”