Accessing trauma support Flashcards
The district wellness advisor coordinates all trauma support services.
When should you refer to the district wellness advisor?
You must refer when:
Involvement in critical incidents
Notifiable injury or illness
Threat to life while on duty
DVI incidents
Attendance at delayed recovery of body
Attendance at any unnatural death
Attendance at a large number of critical incidents over short period of time
Operational incidents involving loss of police employees life
When Police interventions fail to prevent loss of life or injury
Death or serious injury involving a baby or child
Attending incidents involving another employees family
Unpleasant or stressful duties 
Supervisors must be aware of the potential for trauma through the less obvious cumulative and less serious events. We have a duty of care to look after the health and well-being of all employees. You should…
Support and encourage your direct reports to keep the well-being of their staff front of mind. This also includes non-police personnel.
Take wellness needs and services into consideration throughout any operational planning.
Ensure supervisors who report to you are completing the mandatory referrals as per the trauma support policy.
What support is provided?
The wellness advisor conduct an initial assessment to determine need for further specialists and support services.
This could be face-to-face or email or telephone.
When there’s an incident thats particular traumatic or the employee is in need of additional support, the wellness advisor will then meet with the employee to determine the need for further specialist assessment and support
They may then make a referral to a psychologist.
In exceptional circumstances is a referral mandatory?
Yes. When individuals have had a significant exposure to trauma such as a natural disaster or mass homicide.
What about when a employee is involved in a critical incident and the actions may have contributed to the death or life-threatening injury of a person?
A referral to a psychologist must occur. The most common type of incident like this would be use of a firearm or fleeing driver has crashed result in serious injury or death.
When should the first appointment with a psychologist take place?
Will not occur earlier than 72 hours following a critical incident and ideally the second appointment should occur within 10 days post incident.
What must you do as a supervisor when an injured or ill staff member returns to work?
You must take the lead role in initiating and managing the rehabilitation of your employees following work absences due to illness or injury.
Who is entitled to have an work injury claim In the New Zealand police?
That applies to all paid employees which include permanent employees, staff on fixed term contracts and casual employees
What should you do when one of your team suffers a workplace injury or illness?
It is essential that there is regular communication and support. Regular ongoing contact and comms is the most valuable tool and can help reassure your team member that you appreciate the work that they do and that you’ll support them to have a safe and quick return to work.
What must you do in the first five days regarding an injured employee?
You must:
Advise workforce management
If it is a work injury, fill out an incident report within 48 hours
Contact the employee within two days
Receive a medical certificate
Complete the leave request and attach a medical certificate on behalf of your employee
Arrange meaningful alternative duties if cleared for light duties.
What do you do over the next 10 days when in employee is injured or I’ll?
Keep workforce management updated
Ensure weekly contact to identify any barriers and support needed
Arrange a meeting to develop a return to work plan
Send the agreed and signed plan to the health and safety adviser or return to work advisor
Ensure medical certificates are kept up-to-date
What must you do when your employees returning on light duties?
Insure that you have a medical certificate to return to light duties. The certificate must have any restrictions of hours and other safety concerns and must have a review date.
You must meet with your employee regularly and review meaningful duties
Send the agreed and signed plan to your return to work advisor
Complete the managers weekly rehab monitoring for case management injuries
What must you do when your employee is returning to full duties?
You must check the employee has a full medical clearance and provide a copy of this to the return to work advisor.
You must advise workforce management.
You must keep monitoring on return to full duties to make sure that all is going well.
Gallagher Bassett manages all work injury claims on the police’s behalf. This includes what?
Lodging your claim for a work injury
Determining cover for your work injury
Deciding on entitlements including weekly compensation for a covered work injury
Managing your treatment and rehab for a covered injury
Managing your safe return to work
