Our Community Risk Management Plan

The services they deliver include:

• Service fitness assessments, including wellbeing advice and fitness programmes.
• Health promotion activities and health surveillance.
• Physical and psychological support.
• Access to specialist advice including physiotherapy, counselling and optician assessments.
• Management and self-referrals supporting staff with long term absences.
• Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM).

Referrals: Staff can be referred through a clinical system, with managers able to check staff appointments and health data via a dashboard.

Welfare

As part of our Blue Light Pledge our focus on health and wellbeing, includes a wellbeing discussion and welfare check in the annual personal development review for all staff, as well as the Health and Wellbeing Steering Group, which drives cultural changes to support staff health. The group champions continuous improvement in services, aligned with the National Fire Chief’s Council health and wellbeing framework.

We offer high-quality support for staff and their families, including an externally sourced Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). Our Critical Incident Stress Management team provides support after traumatic events, and we are the first UK fire and rescue service to be Henpicked Menopause accredited, offering education and awareness sessions. We have also expanded our menopause and menstrual health policy, initially launched in 2019.

Mental health support has been strengthened with the development of wellbeing ambassadors and a workplace wellbeing manager. All staff have access to resources and guidance through the internal OH&W portal. Our OH&W team is committed to delivering health and wellbeing training, and we have achieved silver level in the Healthy Workplace Award Scheme, working towards the gold award.