The High Court has ruled that police officers retired due to disability should not have to be reassessed by a doctor in order to qualify for an injury pension. This follows a challenge by former Cheshire Constabulary officer Mark Evans, who retired in receipt of a disability pension but was later refused an additional injury pension, following a medical assessment arranged by his ex-employer.

The ruling established the principle that officers retired through permanent disablement should not be subject to later medical challenges in respect of their entitlement to a pension.

Futher reading:

Police Oracle article (registration required)
Injury On Duty Pensioners Association article
Analysis by David Lock QC (LinkedIn)
High Court decision (British & Irish Legal Information Institute)

The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has ruled that ‘cancer’ for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010 includes pre-cancerous lesions, as it upheld the unfair dismissal appeal of a woman who suffered from a lesion that could have become malignant.

In the case of Lofty v Hamis, the EAT considered the definition of a disability under the Equality Act.

Read the full report published by People Management (16/03/2018)

Thursday 1st February 2018 is ‘Time To Talk’ Day, an initiative led by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness to encourage people to talk about their mental health.

With around 1 in 4 people experiencing a mental health problem this year, the stigma around mental illness can be as bad as the mental health problem itself. Emergency services staff are particularly vulnerable to stress, and it is vital that we all feel able to talk to a family member or work colleague if things start to get on top of us.

For more information on how to get involved, follow Time To Change on Twitter. The Disabled Police Association is committed to supporting wellbeing and mental health in the extended police family – visit our resource pages for links and articles.