Testimonial

Sue’s story

“I devotedly served in  my chosen vocation for twenty years.  Entering it as a strong and enthusiastic young woman, but leaving it as a broken and lost soul. I was so ill, I couldn’t even resolve my retirement effectively –  as is often the case with mental health affected retirees.  After years of trying to help myself,  I was encouraged by another grateful user to trust and contact IODPA.

Suffering with PTSD means having real difficulties with trust and dealing with matters to do with previous illness related issues that have to be resurrected.  Letting go of control and handing it to someone you may have never met – and have to share the most personal situations with.  It’s painful.

I was taken in hand by one of the wonderful members of the charity.  Their method of communication, dedication to the task, courage and persistence in the face of challenging times for police pensioners, is admirable, inspiring and most of all, a breath of fresh air.  Anyone who can handle a panic attack via email, deserves a gold medal!

After years of not being able to move anywhere in my thoughts and needs to receive help, in a few months, they convinced me to keep moving forwards, that I was safe and anything I was sharing was in confidence. These are big things for police officers, especially when those things have been disregarded previously and in my case, brazenly so.

If you are feeling, like I was, desperate, flailing and very, very sad and alone in your circumstances, please give IODPA a shout – it might just save your life.  Minimally, you could find peace in your thoughts and move forwards.  I don’t have a result yet, but I am hopeful and feel safe in the hands of IODPA.”

Thank you IODPA.

Rosie Mac’s Testimonial to IODPA

I found a group of people, now named ‘IODPA’

I listened very carefully to what they had to say

This group is full of members sharing research and advice

I’ve found that every single member is very, very nice.

They spoke of many cases of the IOD retired

And how a few Police Forces have seemingly conspired

To reduce as many as they could of IOD paid pensions

Their ‘goings on’ so blatant they’ve attracted much attention

Some Forces methods of ‘reviews’ unlawful, even tricky

Their intended ‘victims lists’ well show that they’ve been very picky.

High bandings are the ones that they will always, always choose

That’s because they are the ones that have the most to lose

Terrific legal help we have with IODPA

And many ‘ripped off’ Pensioners got chance to have their say

Appeals, JR’s and other legal work has now been done

And in almost all of those the IOD pensioner won

It seems a little knowledge now can go a long, long way

And those offending Forces are going to have to pay

ALL the DUE IOD pensions, with backdating adding interest

The Forces will soon learn that doing ‘reviews’ is not best

As we all know the membership of IODPA is growing

The difference they are making now so large that it is showing

As word gets round about the group and everything they’ve done

All bullying and harassment by the Forces will be gone.

It is my fondest hope that one day soon ALL officers will know

That an Injury On Duty has a legal way to go

There are written Regulations about pensions for that cause

And how membership in IODPA will prevent a Forces ‘claws’.

Karen’s story

On 23rd January 2004, at about 8.00 pm, Karen’s life changed forever.

Karen, a police constable, aged just thirty eight, was attacked whilst attempting to arrest a male for robbery. The suspect resisted arrest; he fought with Karen, reigning several blows down on her head.

The struggle continued for some time. Karen made attempts to call for assistance via her personal radio but was unable to make the transmission due to the punches being thrown at her.

Eventually, there was a lull in the fighting where Karen was able to make the urgent call to her colleagues.

The male suspect, knowing that help was on its way, then made his final bid for freedom by catching hold of Karen’s hair and slammed her head against the wall. He was able to make off, leaving Karen crumpled in a heap on the ground.

Within a couple of minutes, Karen’s work colleagues arrived at the scene and immediately administered first aid to Karen. She was conveyed to hospital by ambulance, where she was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit, where she remained for three days.

Karen never went back to work following this incident.

Retirement

Karen’s injuries led to her early retirement from the police service on medical grounds. She had just eleven years service.

Karen was awarded an ill health retirement as well as an injury award and she attempted to move on with her life.

Life was never the same again for Karen or her family. Karen had changed beyond all recognition. As well as her physical head injuries, she was also diagnosed with PTSD.

Sadly, her former force has been a constant presence and Karen has undergone a number of (Regulation 37(1)) reviews since she was first awarded an injury pension in 2004, namely in 2006, 2009, 2011 and 2016.

In 2016, Karen’s former police force again reviewed her injury award and reduced her to a zero percent (which is still a band one).

The reason why she was reduced?  The Selected Medical Practitioner (SMP) stated that her head injuries were due to a childhood injury.

Contacting IODPA

Karen contacted IODPA via email and asked for help. She was unaware that SMPs are not permitted to go beyond previous reviews nor are they permitted to go back and look at her original ill health retirement decision. A review is a comparative exercise (as per the Belinda Laws v Metropolitan Police & PMAB). Karen was last reviewed in 2011, so the SMP should have been looking at evidence between 2011 and the review date in 2016.

The only question that the SMP should have answered was “Has there been substantial alteration in her degree of disablement?”

IODPA knew that Karen was out of time to formerly appeal the decision and that there was another route to right this potential wrong, which is by using the mechanism of a Regulation 32(2).

The team at IODPA first of all, reassured Karen that there was hope for her and we immediately signposted her to one of our trusted, expert solicitors. We helped her with her funding application, which enabled her to engage the solicitor.

Karen then joined the IODPA support network, where she was able to chat with others who had been through the same process. She was warmly welcomed and received good advice from her peers. Knowing that others had been through the traumatic process and had come out the other side, was comforting.

Karen found the strength to appeal her case, and we are pleased to report that she did indeed win. Her original banding was restored and all monies back paid.

Karen has told us “If it wasn’t for the support of IODPA, I would never have had the courage to take it all the way. I thought I had gone past my twenty eight days to appeal the decision, not knowing that this Regulation called a 32(2) existed. It was the best email I have written in years. Thank you.”