Report Summary
This correspondence provides an update to the Scottish Parliament's Criminal Justice Committee on efforts to strengthen the wellbeing and support available to officers and staff working within policing.
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Ill Health Retiral (IHR) and Injury on Duty (IOD) process review
In January 2024, the Authority’s update to the Criminal Justice Committee reported improvements made during 2023 to strengthen and improve the IHR and IOD processes so that applications are dealt with as swiftly as practicable.
2023 saw a reduction in the average wait times for an appointment with a Selected Medical Practitioner (SMP); from 13 months in Financial Year (FY) 2021-22 to 5 months in FY 2022-23. The number of live IHRs reduced during 2023 from 101 to 57. Similarly, the number of IoD cases reduced during 2023 from 48 to 39.
At the end of FY 2023-24, the average wait time for a SMP appointment increased slightly to 6 months. However, the average time for officers going through the IHR and IOD processes from application to decision was 8 months compared to 15 months for IHR in December 2022.
In May 2023, a trial commenced to test the effectiveness of ‘fast tracking’ IHR cases to Police Scotland’s Director of People and Development for approval. The trial aimed to speed up the process where the SMP had determined that an officer was permanently unfit for duty or regular employment. Previously, these cases were considered by a panel for redeployment opportunities.
During the trial (May to November 2023) 7 officers were fast tracked. Approval by the Director of People and Development took on average 27 days compared to an average of 61 days. While the number of eligible officers was small, no issues were reported during the trial and all stakeholders supported continuation of the approach which has now become standard practice.
The number of live IHR and IOD cases on 31 March 2024 was 57 and 39 respectively. On average the numbers that join each process are in line with the number approved by the Authority.
The Authority has assessed that the previous backlogs have reduced, and any current delays are a result of external factors that impact on the process e.g. waiting for specialist reports from medical professionals or the officers’ own choice to progress an appeal.
