What we've been up to
2025 round-up
It's been a really busy year for the National Police Wellbeing Service, here's a round up of how we have been supporting you and UK policing.
This year from January to the beginning of December we have had:
- 9973 completions of online courses through College Learn
- 1877 peer support interactions which is 1877 opportunities for officers and staff to open up and discuss the issues affecting them
- 1506 OK9 deployments, again these are opportunities for engagement and peer support where its needed.
- 95 wellbeing van bookings by 26 forces, with almost 8000 visitors to the vans.
Peer Support round-up
During 2025 we have delivered 56 online peer support courses with over 800 delegates. We have also conducted seven face to face training sessions with over 100 individuals attending. We've trained eight new Peer Support coordinators.
We introduced a new way of capturing data in 2025 and since August 2025 we have recorded over 2200 interactions where peer supporters have been supporting and signposting their colleagues.
We have dates and courses booked up to the end of March 26 and will be posting a list of dates for April 2026 onwards in January.
2025 also saw the introduction of Operation Hampshire peer supporters. We have delivered training to a number of forces who have started seeing the benefits virtually straight away. Assisting and supporting our colleagues after they have been assaulted can only be a positive move. Our aim is for every force in the country to adopt this model so every person who gets assaulted will have the opportunity to speak with a trained colleague who will be able to relate and offer that support.
Occupational health round -up
The OH practitioner network celebrated its second anniversary in October. Membership continues to grow; everyone who works in OH is welcome to join the main Network and request to join a special interest group and to access the OH practitioner specific area in the OK website. The current special interest groups are: Managers Forum, OH Technicians, CMO Medical Forum, Mental Health Nurses (MHN), and Physios.
Psychological and trauma risk management round-up
In 2025 we launched two new courses; the Peer Debriefing and Supervisor Support Models (see below) both of which have become central to many forces training. The therapist working group have developed new welfare guidance for major incidents which has been incorporated into the updated major incident guidance.
In 2026 we will be looking at creating a policy library, minimum standards guidelines for therapy services and concentrating on practitioner wellbeing. We will also be setting up a working group for those using or wanting to use a trauma tracker in their force. And look out for the new HEART guidance which will be replacing STRICT next year.
Workforce prioritisation guidance
We have now launched the Workforce Prioritisation Guidance (WPG), which replaces the Blue Light Wellbeing Framework from January 2026. The WPG marks a step-change in how forces understand and support workforce wellbeing. It streamlines the old process, reduces administrative burden and gives forces a clearer, evidence-based view of ‘what good looks like’.
Built around six priority areas – including trauma, suicide prevention, fatigue risk management and Occupational Health standards – the WPG provides a concise organisational self-assessment and supports stronger governance, prevention-focused activity and smarter use of data. It underpins the National Health & Wellbeing Strategy, supports the Police Covenant and aligns to HMICFRS expectations.
Go to workforce prioritisation guidance
If you have any questions about WPG please get in touch - email us
Op Hampshire
This year, as mentioned above, we introduced the new Op Hampshire Peer Support training which will help ensure you get the support you deserve following an assault. We will continue to offer that training throughout 2026. If your force has not yet taken us up on the offer and you are interested in how this works, please get it touch or speak to your force Op Hampshire lead.
Operation Hampshire national network meetings will continue so we can look at continuous improvements. We have been joined by some new Op Hampshire leads this year across forces who are committed to getting it right for you.
Over Christmas our officers and staff will be helping people to stay safe while they celebrate. Sometimes, particularly when alcohol is involved, those celebrations can get out of hand or turn sour and our colleagues often find themselves in the thick of it. Alcohol is often a factor in anti-social behaviour, aggression and violence and it's important to remember how we can show support to our colleagues through Operation Hampshire.
There is a wealth of advice and guidance on the Operation Hampshire web page for officers, staff and supervisors. If you get the chance during this busy period, please have a scroll through to learn more.
Oscar Kilo accounts
Over 10,200 people working in UK policing have created accounts on the Oscar Kilo website. This is fantastic news as these people now have access to all our online courses and resources which have been developed for policing, by policing tailored to the unique challenges faced by the service.
If you haven't created your account yet, what are you waiting for? If you have a .police.uk email you can create your account using the link below.
Create your Oscar Kilo account
Reminder of new courses for 2025
Supervisor support course
As a supervisor or line manager you will know that your team’s performance can be affected by stress or sickness absence, and that these can be caused by a variety of factors. This course is designed to help you spot the signs of ill health in your team and know how to make sure they get the help they need. Your own health is important too, so we will be looking at how to care for yourself when supporting someone else.
Go to supervisor support course
Peer debriefing model course
This course is designed to equip you with the tools to help yourself and others process these emotions effectively. By learning a structured, non-clinical debriefing approach, participants will gain the skills to support their teams and colleagues in managing their responses to difficult incidents and returning to the job they enjoy.
Go to peer debriefing model course
Bereavement counselling service for all forces
In 2023 we partnered with 'Just B' to provide police forces with access to free, specialist bereavement counselling services and this service is still available.
If a serving officer or member of staff should tragically die in the execution of their duties or by suicide – this counselling service is available to the officer or staff members’ family and their immediate colleagues.
While some forces already have great support in place, we have provided this as an option for those organisations who either do not yet have anything available or wish to build on what they already offer.
Find out how to access this support using the link below.
Bereavement counselling service for all forces
Mental Health Crisis Line
This is a reminder that our independent and confidential Mental Health Crisis Line has been launched to provide immediate support for anyone working in policing experiencing a mental health crisis or suicidal thoughts. Available 24/7/365, the Crisis Line can be accessed by calling 0300 131 2789.
The line is designed to support people in any role in policing and is not for members of the public. It is staffed with independent, expert counsellors trained in suicide prevention who understand policing.
If you’re in crisis, and need help now, call 0300 131 2789.
Invitation to a Christmas jazz concert
Devon and Cornwall and Dorset Police Alliance have kindly invited you to join them online for their Christmas jazz concert.
All Jazzed Up are made up of Devon and Cornwall employees fronted by L&D Admin Supervisor, James Billington who will be joined this year by two of his extremely talented colleagues, Ruth Frett (Head of L&D) and Jo Button (Quality Assurance Manager).
The band behind them will include keys, sax and clarinet, double bass and drums and they will take you through an hour of classic, jazzy, Christmas standards.
The concert takes place online on Thursday 18 December at 12.30pm - 1.30pm. If you would like to join them please use the link below to register and they will provide you with a Teams link.
Register for the Christmas Jazz Concert
OK9 Christmas colouring sheet
Did you know we have a range of OK9 activities for children including a Christmas colouring sheet, check out these downloadable colouring and activity sheets using the link below.
Download OK9 Christmas colouring sheet
What's coming soon
Bluelight alcohol experiment
For the last three years we have been proud to support the Live Alcohol experiment initiative developed by former Chief Superintendent Maria Fox and now led by Inspector Irene Laycock from GMP.
We are delighted to let you know that this will now be available as a resource on the Oscar Kilo website from January.
If you are looking to reduce your alcohol intake at any time of the year, this resource provides 30 days worth of video coaching which you can follow in your own time.
Reset U
Policing has never been more demanding. Our national police wellbeing survey shows high levels of burnout, fatigue and trauma exposure, with real impacts on readiness, safety and the intention to stay in the job. At the same time, forces face tight budgets, limited capacity and increasing expectations around duty of care.
ResetU is one of the ways Oscar Kilo, the National Police Wellbeing Service, is responding.
ResetU is a national, tactical recovery, sleep and fatigue app designed specifically for policing. It has been co-created with officers and staff and independently evaluated through the Police STAR study with Liverpool John Moores University. That research found that people who used the ResetU tools reported better sleep habits, improved ability to manage stress, stronger resilience at work and a greater desire to stay in policing.
As we move into the new year, we'll working with some early adopter forces to test and refine the app with a view to it being available in all forces in 2027. Watch this space!
National wellbeing survey solutions conference
The National Police Wellbeing Survey has generated unprecedented insight into the lived experience of policing – exposing pressure points around wellbeing, workload, leadership, climate and conduct. However, forces vary widely in their responses, and the service lacks a clear, evidence-based view of what actions actually drive improvement.
We will be hosting a conference in February, alongside Leapwise, and with support from the CIPD Policing Forum and Police Superintendents Association. This event will bring together leaders from across policing who are committed to this agenda and want to understand what’s working, why, and what’s needed to deliver sustainable change across key challenge areas. Through evidence sharing, expert input, and structured discussion, the conference will enable leaders to collectively identify the most promising solutions and develop a clear set of actions to drive sustainable change across the service.
We'll be sharing more about the event via the Oscar Kilo website in the new year.
Oscar Kilo conference and awards 2026
Thanks to all of you who attended this years conference in November and provided us with feedback. We are currently working through this and planning for year! In January, we will be announcing the date and venue for the 2026 conference, so keep your eyes peeled for that!.
The team at Oscar Kilo would like to wish you all the best for the festive season and we look forward to working with you and supporting you through 2026.
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