The Oscar Kilo Awards have been created to recognise the amazing work that has been done, and continues to be done, to provide wellbeing support across UK policing.
On this page we will be telling you about the fantastic work carried out by each of the winning projects. We will be focussing on a different category each day sharing your winning ideas, learnings and best practice.
The award categories reflect the six areas of the Blue Light Wellbeing Framework (BLWF):
- leadership
- absence management
- creating the environment
- mental health
- personal resilience
- protecting the workforce
Each winning project strongly met the criteria for the awards evidencing that the project:
- is evidence-based, both in terms of the audience to be targeted and the messages to be conveyed
- referenced the GAIN model in its planning and application
- has been evaluated and can show evidence of it having had a beneficial effect on changes in knowledge, attitudes and behaviour
- can be scaled up whilst maintaining quality and being cost effective
These award winners were to be announced and celebrated at the Oscar Kilo conference and awards evening, which was due to be held in March 2020 but cancelled due to the Coronavirus outbreak. Our judges wanted to ensure they have the chance to thank everyone who entered so they’ve put together this short video to celebrate these awards virtually.
If you, or a colleague, have completed, or are working towards the BLWF and have created a project or programme that is making a difference to your force, and is worthy of recognition, then think about entering the 2020 Awards. We will be looking for nominations in the autumn. Below are all the winners of the award categories and details of their projects:
Protecting the workforce
Winner - Lincolnshire Police
The winning team from Lincolnshire Police.
Results of an internal survey in 2015 indicated that 50% of the staff across Lincolnshire Police did not feel that their force cared about their wellbeing. This was coupled with consistent requests from officers and staff to have access to gym facilities at their main stations.
Lincolnshire Police introduced a programme to provide free personal training to staff across the organisation. Working with the School of Sport Science, University of Lincoln we developed a robust physical activity readiness questionnaire, referral and evaluation process. We provide a level of health screening to users, to ensure that we could not only provide data to our users on how the programme had improved their physical fitness, but also provide quantitative data that could assist in evaluating the programme.
It was imperative that we had the right people in place to roll out this work across the force. The Chief Constable agreed to invest in training five members of staff as Fitness Mentors and put them through their Level Three Personal Training Diplomas. The Fitness Mentors use their qualification to carry out a health screening process, a successful bid for funding from Police Care UK ensured that each mentor is equipped with a health screening kit, which enables them to capture BMI data at key points through the programme.
The project has delivered on the goal of raising the profile of responsibility we all have for keeping physically fit within our policing roles and it has also delivered on the goal of making our staff feel that the force cares about their wellbeing through this investment in their personal journey to physical fitness. It has encouraged other staff to come forward with an interest to become a Fitness Mentor and support their colleagues. Our current level of referrals has increased to 42 and 16 ten week programmes have been delivered by our Fitness Mentors. At the end of a programme each user receive a quality questionnaire to rate the service and provide feedback on their experience.
It is clear from the feedback received and the number of referrals received that the project has made a positive impact on the force and users are pleased with the level of service they receive, they are impressed with the level of knowledge of the Fitness Mentors, they feel that it has improved their wellbeing and given them the confidence to exercise on their own and the ease of the referral.
The Fitness Mentors are able to meet with users in their own environment, anywhere in the force area, and due to the level of qualification, are able to provide advice on a myriad of ways to get fit. The support is flexible in that there are exit routes during the programme should the user feel that they are ready to carry on in their own and can be moved across to support through other means. The force wellbeing programme invested in an independent evaluation to be carried out by the University of Lincoln, to ensure that the project was adding value to the force, its users and the referral processes are meeting the needs of the Fitness Mentors and the users. The scheme is now being developed nationally for the NPWS as one of the live services.
Runner-up North Wales Police
Maria Hughes, Head of Medical Services and Wellbeing being presented with her Oscar Kilo Award by Chief Constable Carl Foulkes.
In January 2019 North Wales Police invested in a Head of Medical Services and Wellbeing.
After funding was agreed the screening of venous blood sampling was made available for all male staff over the age of forty. The Graham Fulford Charitable Trust provided the consent forms, laboratory forms and blood taking kits. They were also the link with the laboratory and courier for the actual blood samples to be collected and processed.
The intended outcomes were to potentially save lives, raise awareness of prostate cancer and enable staff to feel valued in the organisation with regards to their health and wellbeing. Information about Prostate Cancer UK was given out at each of the events, but also the specialist nurse advice line was highlighted to all staff via the force intranet. Advice and support was also encouraged to be accessed if required from the head of medical services and wellbeing.
344 bloods were taken in 3 locations across the Force. These tests identified 8 confirmed red results, 4 staff members have sought advice and support and some further signposting. 4 staff have received the diagnosis of early onset prostate cancer and had no previous symptoms. 2 staff members had previously asked for the test from the GP, but this was declined. It is now imperative to sustain the project and ensure it is not a “one off” project.
Personal resilience
Winner - Lancashire Constabulary
Having a break away from the norm can have a beneficial effect on wellbeing, not only by giving time out to recover but to also help individuals to learn more about themselves and their personal triggers and stressors. We are acutely aware that we need to offer support to all our staff ranging from the universal need area of the GAIN model right through to crisis, if we are truly to embed wellbeing into our culture.
The aim of the programme is to provide Recharge Days for all our staff and officers, with particular focus on a preventative approach towards mental health and wellbeing. Supporting the health, happiness and commitment of our workforce is a huge part in making sure we are positive and productive.
The Recharge Days are conducted at the Police Treatment Centre at Harrogate, creating a safe environment in which individuals are educated in spotting signs and symptoms of stress, whilst linking them to a range of support techniques personal to them. They provide a way of bringing the mind and body together in one day demonstrating the links between good mental and physical health.
The day includes sessions around stress and coping mechanisms, sleep, nutrition and relaxation. It also allows the attendees free time to use the facilities on offer in order to recharge.
The referral process is simple and administered via the wellbeing coordinator with assistance from force resourcing unit around availability.
To date, we have delivered sessions to 410 individuals. There are always a mix of officers and staff attending from a range of departments and divisions, including officers and staff seconded to other policing departments. The outcome from attendance on the Recharge Day is that this gives individuals the tools and knowledge to better understand themselves and in some cases others around them. They have the confidence to call upon coping strategies that they have been introduced to or recognise when they may need additional support.
Runner-up - Cumbria Constabulary
The winning Team from Cumbria with their award.
The aptly named Wiser Mind Resilience Training Programme is an innovative approach developed to support police officers and staff progress through the different levels of the GAIN Pyramid. It is an evidence-based cognitive behavioural resilience training process. It comprises four initial workshops and on-going monthly skills practice groups.
Officers and staff identified by the GAIN model to be in crisis, not coping and struggling to cope are invited to attend the Wiser Mind programme.
The initial evidence base for the development of the Wiser Group Programme was derived from the success of using the Wiser Mind skill set with officers and staff having individual CBT. A clinical audit identified 90% of officers and staff were able to return to work.
The full group programme is in its first year. Wait lists times for psychological intervention in OHU have been reduced by approximately 4-6 weeks. Participant feedback indicates a very high level of satisfaction with the workshops.
Mental health
Winner - Hampshire Police
Julie Fisher, Wellbeing Co-ordinator and project lead for PPE for the Mind which won the Mental Health award and Helen Mears, HR Business Partner and Tactical Wellbeing lead for Hampshire Constabulary.
Cleverly badged as ‘PPE for the Mind,’ this project addressed psychological and behavioural skills with the aims of improving psychological flexibility and increased personal resilience. Thus enabling individuals to manage the impact of continual exposure to difficult and traumatic experiences. In addition, the programme creates greater awareness of mental health wellbeing and breaking down barriers.
Utilising a grant from the Police Care One-in-Four fund the programme was unique in that it was specifically designed to be applicable for a policing context and to be a preventative intervention for mind health. The training programme was based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Consultant Neuropsychologist Jo Johnson was appointed to deliver the programme.
The application of the Blue Light Wellbeing Framework (BLWF) showed several areas which support mental and emotional wellbeing (Mental Health, Personal Resilience and Protecting the Workforce) were under developed or in development.
Subsequent EAP data has shown a 28% reduction in calls relating to mental health between the first and second quarters of 2019. Evaluation of the course impact will continue into the future to provide longer term and more substantive conclusions. This utilises and reflects the core values of the GAIN model with a view to preventing those “reaching the top of the pyramid” and heading into crisis by providing them with the tools and knowledge to deal with policing/life and thrive in a trauma environment. Fantastic work.