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King, Helena
(2024).
Abstract
It is increasingly recognised that police officers experience mental and physical health impacts related to their occupation. In the UK, policing employer-led healthcare programmes are supplemented by the third sector, with police chiefs advised by the government to signpost employees to charities as part of a package of care. However, little research has been conducted on this hybrid approach to the organisation of policing occupational healthcare.
This paper presents findings from a comprehensive mixed-methods study on charity sector healthcare provision for UK police. Through exhaustive searches of charity regulator databases, 54 charities delivering health-related services to policing employees were identified. Analysis of secondary data and focus groups with senior charity representatives revealed a complex, fragmented network of charitable organisations connected to police forces, funded predominantly by membership schemes.
Charitable activities are seen through the lens of medical pluralism, combining conventional clinical treatments with respite, complementary therapies, and services addressing social determinants of health. Distinct institutional logics create opportunities for police to disclose vulnerabilities, bridging gaps in healthcare provision caused by in-force health stigma and public stigma against police which hinder access to statutory health programs.
The study highlights resourcing challenges and uneven geographical distribution of policing occupational health charities across the UK, resulting in unequal availability of services for officers. These findings raise important questions for police leaders and health policymakers regarding the appropriateness of reliance on the charity sector for healthcare support and whether lessons can be gleaned from their operational models to improve statutory healthcare services for police.
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)
