Workforce prioritisation guidance: Occupational health practice and standards

What it is 

Occupational Health (OH) is the only dedicated clinical service within policing that exists to protect and support the health, safety, and wellbeing of the workforce. It plays a vital role in ensuring officers and staff are physically and mentally fit for duty - enabling them to work safely and perform at their best. 

An effective OH service is fully integrated into the policing ecosystem. It understands the pressures and culture of police work, collaborates across functions, and helps make sure the right people are in the right roles at the right time. At a local level, OH should be the central point for all clinically relevant workforce issues. 

OH isn’t just a support service - it’s a strategic asset. Investing in high-quality OH provision improves effectiveness, resilience, and public confidence. Chief Officers have legal duties placed upon them by health and safety, employment and equalities legislation, and good occupational health is essential to help them comply.

The NPWS supports forces by setting out national standards, clinical guidance, and education to ensure consistent, high-quality OH provision. Following these standards helps protect staff, reduce risk, and strengthen operational delivery. 

Why it matters 

A healthy workforce is a productive, resilient workforce. OH services help officers and staff stay well and return to work safely when they’re not - reducing absence, enabling early support, and promoting sustainable careers. 

Forces also have a clear legal, moral and financial duty to protect the health of their people. OH services play a central role in helping forces meet this duty - identifying risks, providing clinical advice, and supporting safe, lawful decision-making. Strong OH services also support legitimacy by showing that policing takes workforce wellbeing seriously. 

OH professionals work in complex environments and need the right support to do their job well. NPWS helps by providing national peer networks, clinical leadership, and access to the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for England and Wales. This helps build consistent practice and professional confidence across the country. 

Well-run OH services also make better use of resources. Reducing the impact of ill health helps improve attendance and builds operational resilience.