Patrick’s story
I was ill health retired a few years ago, near the end of my full Police career but refused an Injury on duty award by my force. All of my adult life has been spent serving the public in Police service.
I had no hope of being able to fight the organisation that had washed their hands of me, they didn’t want to know about me as I had PTSD from my Police service. My career and future had been taken away from me. Trying to cope with complex PTSD, was having a terrible impact on my daily life and that of my family.
Sometime later, a friend told me about the IODPA. I was in a terrible place with my mental illness but I did eventually contact them. Since then I have had the most wonderful advice, personal support, understanding and health treatment from the charity staff.
I know now that I am not alone, fighting for my entitlements and rights. I have had the charity supporting me throughout all my challenges, signposting legal support.
I have hope now for the future, as the charity understands that so many officers has been treated this way by the Police forces, they served.
I would urge all officers who are going through ill health retirement to contact the charity. The charity staff are truly dedicated to fighting for your rights every day, to stop those who are taking unlawful and immoral actions against injured officers.
The charity staff recognised the extent of my PTSD injury and offered me treatment. I took up their kind offer up and went on an intensive course of Craniosacral therapy, which was provided for by the charity. This Therapy was exceptional, as it has helped me understand and cope with my complex PTSD injury.
I wish that I had known about the IODPA, when I was going through my ill health retirement. I would have not have been alone, trying to fight back, to secure my rights to an injury pension.
Don’t lose hope, the charity is here to support you and your family.
Thank you IODPA, for all your wonderful dedication and support you have given me over the years.
Please join the IODPA, you will be helping them to keep on supporting those of us that have been injured on duty.
Well done IODPA. About time someone took a stand against such willful abuse of regulations.
The IODPA have only just started to deal with the tip of a very large iceberg. It is becoming obvious that forces all over this country have been ‘working a flanker’ when it comes to dealing properly with Injury pensions. They have been caught out numerous times making up the rules as they go along, and in some case downright lies and falsification of documents. Thankfully our legal team have uncovered so much that for some forces ‘the game is up’. Yes, we know this is public money, but if we are entitled to it under the relevant regulations then why are people being denied it. Sadly forces are prepared to sacrifice decency and honesty upon the altar of money. Any form of care for staff has long gone, the so called ‘Police Family’ ceased to exist when budget managers were drafted in to cook the books whichever way they could, and penny pinching on injured officers is the meanest, low down way to do it.
Halleluiah for IODPA, bending over backwards to actually help injured Police officers for only £36 a year as opposed to £360 a year for those who SHOULD help you when injured but instead let you down. A lot of money for a diary…..;-)
So glad to hear another retired officer is being helped in their battle to get what is rightly theirs. I wish IODPA had been in existence when I retired and maybe I wouldn’t have been shafted the way I was. Good luck to “Patrick”.
Another positive story, from interventions of IODPA. The sad thing is it should be our own forces helping us with all this stuff, instead we are cast out and abandoned, insufficient information or signposting for support. Yes we are broken people, in body mind or both, and this can happen to anyone at any time no matter how strong, tuff or stable, so the care should come from within the organisation, yet time and time again stories of feeling abandoned, no information, no support. Set up the networks and IOD officers will support each other so it need not cost a fortune and Police Federation could do more to help as well. I like many others are, so very grateful for those officers whom have given so much, whilst suffering themselves to help others in the form of charities like IODPA 🙏
You are not alone with IODPA. Sadly, so many police forces treat us both poorly and illegally, when we are at our most vulnerable and try to deny us what is rightfully ours.
I too have been on that course and cannot recommend it highly enough.
Please send details of how to join
Mark,
Please email us at admin@iodpa.org or use our contact form here – https://iodpa.org/contact/
Why is this story so repetitive? It mirrors my story almost word for word.
Thank you IOPD…for all your support.
It’s a marathon not a sprint!