ABSTRACT

In the early 1990s, one of the UK's largest employers, the Post Office, identified the need to introduce an appropriate organisational response designed to reduce the incidence of psychological trauma caused to employees when traumatic incidents occurred at work. The strategy that evolved was to develop a trauma care programme that could be adapted to meet the specific needs of each of four Post Office businesses. When introducing the programme the businesses were prepared to accommodate its needs. This accommodation included the modification of existing policies relating to: a) the selection and training of employees; b) operational security; c) risk assessment; and d) police liaison, and a commitment to introduce methods for monitoring and evaluating post-trauma care.