National Police Wellbeing

CONTENT WARNING: This research includes questions in relation to mental health and addictions

Title of study: An exploration of the health and wellbeing of police officers and police staff

Name of researchers: Lauren Smith & Rachael Mason

Contact details of the researchers are given at the end.

We'd like to invite you to take part in our research study. Joining the study is entirely up to you. Before you decide, we would like you to understand why the research is being done and what it would involve for you. Please feel free to talk to others about the study if you wish.

What is the purpose of the study?

Police officers and staff have multiple demands and stressors placed upon them in the delivery of their duties.  We would like to understand more about some of the influences relating to police wellbeing. 

Am I eligible to take part?

You are being invited to take part because you are a serving member of a police force, either as an officer/operational grade, or police staff.

Do I have to take part?

Participation is completely voluntary. You should only take part if you want to and choosing not to take part will not disadvantage you in anyway. Should you choose not to take part then it will not have a negative impact on your legal or employment rights.

What will I be asked to do?

You will be asked to read this information sheet and ask any questions to the research team should you need any clarification or explanation.  If you decide you would be willing to participate, you should click next at the end of this information and complete the consent form.  You will then be presented with a series of questions which include questions relating to mental health, addictions, trauma and burnout.  You will be asked how much you agree or disagree with statements about your own mental health, and how often you engage in activities such as consuming alcohol.  You do not have to answer every question if you do not wish to but we do value every response. You will be asked to provide some basic demographic data and your job role.  Demographic responses will not be reported individually but will be used to summarise the range of people who took part.  The questionnaires are standard questionnaires used in research and are not used for diagnosis in this context.  At the end of the questionnaires, you will be asked if you would like to participate in a follow up interview.  If so, you will be asked to enter your e-mail address and a member of the research team will contact you directly to provide more information and to arrange a suitable time to complete the interview, online.  Your e-mail address will be stored separately to your questionnaire responses. 

Will I be paid expenses for taking part?

You will not be paid to participate in the study.

What are the possible benefits of taking part?

There are no direct individual benefits to participating in this study however, you will be contributing to this area of research.  Your experiences will help to develop a deeper understanding of the health and wellbeing of police officers and staff to provide recommendations to police wellbeing teams.  We do not know what the outcome of this research will be, hence the need for this study.

What are the possible disadvantages and risks of taking part?

There are no perceived physical risks to taking part in the research.  However, it is acknowledged that reflecting on your own health and wellbeing may be a sensitive topic.  There are sources of support listed at the bottom of this sheet, should you wish to access these. You can end your participation at any time by closing the browser.  

Will anyone know I have taken part?

The information we collect will be handled in confidence. No one will know you have taken part. Your questionnaire responses will be anonymous.  You will not be identified in any report or publication.

Where will my data be stored?

The data obtained from the study will be stored securely on the university OneDrive in password protected files. The researchers will have access to the data. Other people at the University may request access to the data to ensure all relevant ethics and governance processes have been followed.  The data from this study may be put in an Open Access repository for other researchers to use in future research. We will not keep identifiable information (e.g., contact details) about you after the study has finished.

What will happen if I don’t want to carry on with the study?

You can end your participation at any time by closing the internet browser.  Should you withdraw then the information collected so far may not be erased and that this information may still be used in the project analysis.

What will happen to the results of the research study?

The results will be used in a publication for an academic journal, be presented at suitable police and academic conferences, and MSc psychology students will also help analyse the anonymised data as part of their thesis module.  A summary of the findings will be presented in a future issue of Police Professional.

Who is organising and funding the research?

This research is being conducted by the University of Lincoln.

Who has reviewed the study?

All research conducted by the University of Lincoln is looked at by an independent group of people, called a Research Ethics Committee, to protect your interests (Reference 2022_9435).

What if there is a problem?

If you have a concern about any aspect of this study, you should ask to speak to the researchers, who will do their best to answer your questions. The researchers’ contact details are given at the end of this information sheet. If you remain unhappy and wish to complain formally, you can do this by contacting ethics@lincoln.ac.uk.

Further information and contact details

Lauren Smith – laurensmith@lincoln.ac.uk

Rachael Mason – rmason@lincoln.ac.uk

Information compliance

The University of Lincoln is the lead organisation for this study and will be the data controller for this study. This means that we are responsible for looking after your information and using it properly.

The university’s Research Participant Privacy Notice (https://ethics.lincoln.ac.uk/research-privacy-notice/) explains how we will be using information from you in order to undertake this study.

If you feel that we have let you down in relation to your information rights then please contact the Information Compliance Team by email on compliance@lincoln.ac.uk or by post at Information Compliance, Secretariat, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln, LN6 7TS.

You can also make complaints directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). The ICO is the independent authority upholding information rights for the UK. Their website is ico.org.uk and their telephone helpline number is 0303 123 1113.

Sources of Support