Annual report 2020-21 - Agency's performance

Other Theft (GENs)

2 187

335

-84.7%

Other Property Damage and Environmental (GENs)

5

11

120.0%

Cannabis Expiation Notices (CENs)

6 734

5 251

-22.0%

Drug Diversions

3 501

2 335

-33.3%

Other Weapons / Explosives Offences (GENs)

103

102

-1.0%

Other Public Order Offences (GENs)

4 506

3 721

-17.4%

Other Justice Procedure Offences (GENs)

91

88

-3.3%

Other Miscellaneous Offences (GENs)

734

664

-9.5%

Aboriginal Employment Register (AER)

SAPOL is committed to assist in increasing the employment of Aboriginal people in the South Australian public sector. This includes connecting Aboriginal job seekers to employment opportunities in SAPOL and providing mentoring support and leadership development opportunities for young Aboriginal people.

In the last financial year, SAPOL continues to mentor and support its Aboriginal trainees. As part of their traineeship, trainees are undertaking their studies in Certificate III in Community Services whilst they are being mentored in SAPOL to provide them guidance and support. SAPOL mentors and staff assists to develop trainees’ skills in the workplace, develop their understanding of government, as well as set and achieve professional/career goals.

SAPOL values the contribution and cultural diversity that Aboriginal people bring to the public sector workforce. Accordingly, SAPOL continues to consider Aboriginal people in the AER when filling vacancies in order to help them with their career and offer professional and development opportunities.

Individual Performance Management

SAPOL’s online Individual Performance Management and Development system (iEngage performance and development) runs over a 12 monthly cycle with a mid-term review 6 monthly before completing and recommencing.

iEngage is focused on promoting a meaningful and purposeful feedback framework between employees and supervisors that will ensure ongoing development of the individual whilst incorporating wellbeing, performance improvement and workplace behaviour expectations. Underpinning this approach is the expectation of regular performance and development discussions between supervisors and employees.

The system has two primary elements:

1. Performance Standards - an employee’s performance is appraised against corporate and local accountabilities conjoined with individual performance goals.
2. Learning and Development:
   1. Ensuring completion of compulsory training for the employee’s job role.
   2. Identifying development strategies to support the employee’s career development goals.

SAPOL experienced a reduction in completion of iEngage in the reporting period of 2020-21 as a result of significant redirection of personnel to alternate COVID-19 duties, impacting on the normal administrative arrangements for supervisors and managers.

Work health, safety and rehabilitation programs

SAPOL’s Preventions Section works closely with Employee Assistance and Injury Management sections with a shared goal of providing a safe and supportive workplace.

The Commissioner’s Occupational Health Safety and Welfare Advisory Committee, SAPOL’s principal consultative committee involving both management and industrial association officials, continues to monitor, review and provide guidance on safety performance and issues which impact on the health, safety and welfare of employees.

The Hazard and Incident reporting System recorded 359 hazards, 1121 incidents (with injury) and 1286 incidents (no injury).

COVID-19 impacted all aspects of the agency with a continued focus on safe work practices and wellbeing assistance.  Continuation of the COVID-19 employee hotline provided assistance and timely advice to staff.

Early Intervention

The Early Intervention Program (EIP) aims to assist employees who believe they have suffered a work related injury or illness and who require some treatment, but have not lost any time from work. Injured employees are referred for suitable medical assessment, evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation services to enable the best practicable levels of physical and/or mental recovery. Injured employees are advised on the options available to them in respect to the early intervention program or lodging a workers compensation claim.

During 2020-21:

• 1259 assessments were undertaken.
• 35% resulted in Early Intervention Program uptake whilst 23% resulted in a Return to Work Claim.
• 438 Early Intervention Program users resulted in 998 medical consultations accessed. Physiotherapy services accounted for 35% of consultations.
• Other services include additional allied health such as Exercise Physiology, Podiatry, therapeutic aids (e.g. crutches) and negotiation of additional entitlement to initial services approved.

Employee Assistance

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is an external professional counselling service delivered by mental health professionals, offering support for work-related and personal problems provided by Corporate Health Group.

The EAP is a confidential service available to all employees and immediate family members who can access up to six sessions every two years.

During 2020-21, the EAP resulted in 299 initial consultations and a total of 740 consultations.

Reconditioning Program and Preferred Health Service Providers List

SAPOL implemented a range of health and wellbeing initiatives designed to promote healthy living and improve the overall health of the workforce by delivering evidenced based education/advice, providing health and fitness equipment and offering support to those in need.

The Reconditioning Program links staff with appropriate allied health service providers and helps by covering any out of pocket expenses. The program is open to all employees wishing to improve their physical health and excludes work related injuries.

Between 1 October 2020 to 30 June 2021, 177 employees registered and 902 consultations occurred.

This program was trialled in the previous financial year and provided significant improvements in participants’ health.

Supporting the Reconditioning Program is SAPOL’s ‘Preferred Health Service Providers List’ which currently has 241 allied health practitioners participating in the program. A total of 53 new applications were received during 2020-21. This list allows SAPOL to communicate with treating allied health professionals regarding the unique nature of policing and better inform our workforce of service providers that best suit their needs. Services are provided by dieticians, physiotherapists, exercise physiologists, podiatrists and sleep clinicians.

Operation Nutrition Support

Operational Nutrition Support is an online nutrition program designed for SAPOL by accredited dietitians from Sprout Nutrition. The program aims to teach nutrition basics such as reading food labels, portion control, healthy eating as well as addressing how food influences sleep, energy levels and mood. The topics are specifically designed for shift workers but are broad enough to benefit the broader workforce. SAPOL has had over 400 employees register and continue to use this online learning program.

SAPOL has purchased an InBody 570 unit which measures and analyses an individual’s body composition in terms of water, fat, protein, muscle and bone mineral. The device can determine the weight and percentage of lean muscle mass and body fat in segmented body parts. Results are used to springboard participants into physical health improvement programs such as the Reconditioning Program mentioned above. Purchased in May 2021 and as at 30 June 2021, SAPOL conducted 52 body scans.

Significant injuries (where lost time exceeds a working week, expressed as frequency rate per 1000 FTE)

17.07

24.29

-29.7%

Number of provisional improvement, improvement and prohibition notices (Work Health and Safety Act 2012 Sections 90, 191 and 195)

1

1

0%