The public sector is one of the most violent and traumatic sectors in the UK in which to work.

As the largest employment sector in the UK, its staff are daily exposed to the following risks: 

	Physical violence and assault
	Bullying
	Verbal abuse
	Sexual abuse
	Racial and Sexual harassment
	Stress - (See the Stress/Bullying Page)

The very nature of public sector work places its employees at higher risk of encountering a potentially traumatic event. For example, an environmental health officer may find a dead body or a social worker may have to take a child from their home and into care.

According to the most recent British Crime Survey, there were 849,000 reported incidents of violence at work in England and Wales in. A large proportion of these were on public sector workers.

The symptoms associated with trauma and severe stress can manifest themselves immediately after an incident or take a long time to develop. Whatever the time scale, the fact is that, if left untreated, the effects of physical and psychological trauma can be overwhelming and have long lasting consequences, disrupting and disabling people’s lives. (see What is Trauma and The Symptoms of Trauma Pages)

But it is not just the employee who faces the effects of workplace trauma. Public sector employers are facing a sharp increase in pay-outs to staff who have experienced physical and psychological trauma as a result of their work. 

In addition to the financial burdens imposed on public sector employers from increasing litigation cases, additional costs that result directly from workplace trauma include: 

	Increased staff absenteeism levels
	Low morale levels
	Reduced productivity
	Increased costs from bringing in temporary staff

Typical examples of the costs of workplace trauma include the case of Sandra Hickinbotham who was awarded £100,000 compensation after being traumatised by watching a hostage drama training exercise.

Prison worker Mrs Hickinbotham was terrified when she witnessed three masked ‘inmates’, one armed with a knife, take a prison nurse hostage. Unbeknown to her at the time, the hostage situation had only been a training exercise, but the impact that it made left her unable to leave her home and on anti-depressants.

Unable to return to work following the traumatic incident, Mrs Hickinbotham was diagnosed as suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and was awarded £100,000 compensation.

It is good management practice to be proactive in ensuring the potential for workplace trauma is minimised and to have the infrastructure in place to properly manage trauma incidents should they arise.

The Red Poppy Company provides a range of trauma management services designed to provide the right level of support to employees who face traumatic situations and ensure employers are meeting their Duty of Care responsibilities.

From enabling people to effectively spot the symptoms of trauma to managing the effects of trauma directly, The Red Poppy Company can significantly reduce the effects that trauma has on the public sector.

For more detailed information on the services provided by the Red Poppy Company go to the Services on Offer page.