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CIRC 033: CRITICAL INCIDENTS AND POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER

Recent statistics from the Prison Reform Trust Bromley Briefings show how prison safety has declined significantly over the last decade, with self-harm rates remaining at historically high levels and violence against both staff and prisoners continuing to rise.

New research led by Trainee Forensic Psychologist Laura Wright and supervised by Dr Michael Lewis into traumatic stress and critical incident exposure among UK Prison Officers has now been published.

Researchers were motivated to undertake their study by a lack of published research exploring the current prevalence of PTSD among UK Prison Officers.

This is a very important piece of research. It shows how urgent action is required to address the impact of traumatic incidents experienced by our members. To this end, the Executive will be pressing the employer to act on the recommendations to make a significant difference to the everyday experience of Prison Officers and related grades and significantly help their mental health and wellbeing.

I attach the research and a POA briefing for your information.

Please bring the contents of this Circular to the attention of all members. 

Thank you for your continued support.

 

Yours sincerely

 

STEVE GILLAN
General Secretary

 

ENCLOSURE

Attachments

Representing over 30,000 Prison, Correctional and Secure Psychiatric Workers, the POA is the largest UK Union in this sector, able to trace its roots back more than 100 years.

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