Contact: Gareth Cowley, Head of Human Resources. Tel 01267 226400.

The in-house Occupational Health team provides services focussed on proactive prevention of absence.

KEY FEATURES:

• Careful assessment of staff needs is essential to provide targeted and cost effective care:
  
  A Physiotherapist is employed for a number of sessions each week and offers appointments to any officer or staff member and immediate treatment for anyone off sick with any form of musculo-skeletal problem.
  Instead of waiting to see the Medical Officer immediate appointments for professional Physio treatment provides significant cost-benefit gains. The Medical Officer (a consultant occupational health physician) is able to direct her time towards the more serious and complex cases.
  
  
• A Wellness Adviser is employed, working closely with the Physio within the Occupational Health team, to assist individuals with diet and exercise regimes and to co-ordinated a force-wide network of volunteer ‘Wellness Facilitators’ who are provided with dedicated time away from their normal duties on this role each month to promote campaigns and events and to help individuals.
  
  
• ’Health Fairs’ are scheduled annually in each location and station around the Dyfed-Powys area. This is a large event focusing on health promotion, life style and prevention of ill health. All staff are encouraged to attend for a blood pressure, cholesterol, fitness test, body mass index, lung function and to find out about a wide variety of health conditions that promote well-being. These visits also provide an opportunity for staff to attend for vaccinations that are necessary to prevent blood borne viruses. These visits are a perfect opportunity to provide occupational health advice to all staff.
  
  
• The Occupational Health Service invests approximately £13,000 per year on private specialist consultations each year, and £44,000 on private treatment, including operations and MRI scans. Funding decision are based on a cost benefit calculation demonstrating a cost saving. Evaluation of the cost/benefit of this spending in context of reduction in time lost, shows that the investment not only pays for itself, but generates significant Value-for-Money benefit.
  
  
• In 2005/2006 the operations budget alone demonstrated a basic cost saving of £338,340. This does not include hidden savings such as performance and recruitment costs

• The use of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy alongside a counselling service is increasingly being used to assist individuals with sickness absence due to complex psychological issues. A Psychologist with specialist Cognitive Behavioural Therapy skills has recently been appointed to provide immediate assistance to staff.
  
  
• Conduct of an internal Stress Audit using a leading national specialist, and engagement of ‘Healthy Minds at Work’ leads to solutions-focussed support for staff coping with any anxiety.
  

Dyfed-Powys Police: