IOD Information.
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Help and Legal Assistance. What Can You Do? Being called for review always leads to a level of anxiety, this has always been so. This has been made much worse since the advent of reviews being conducted under unlawful Home Office guidance and although that guidance has been withdrawn some police forces are still trying to manipulate the review process as a method to save costs. Serving officers who have suffered injury on duty should speak to their Police Federation Representative in the first instance and retired ex officers may wish to approach NARPO. Unfortunately these official representatives have not always provided a satisfactory response. It was the failure of Narpo that lead to retired pensioners organising themselves into effective opposition of HOC46/2004. Please click here to access our ‘Reviews, Questionnaires and Medical Records Page’. As the situation has developed, opposition has strengthened and evolved and has resulted in the formation of IODPA which is a charity encompassing not only the older retired officers but younger IOD’s who weren’t affected by HOC46 and now the association is receiving many approaches from serving officers. IODPA can help with advice and information. It can introduce you to people who can help in a number of ways including the services of a very experienced and successful legal team. If you are reviewed, advice is available on your rights and responsibilities in relation to the review along with such issues as responding to questionnaires, allowing access to medical records and other personal data, who can accompany you and making an audio recording of the review. you have the right of appeal to the Police Medical Appeals Board (PMAB). Some authorities try to discourage these appeals, sometimes attempting to intimidate the pensioner by suggesting that the appeal would be ‘frivolous or vexatious’, in which case you are advised to contact our legal team without delay. You can then confidently decide on your approach to the appeal having the benefit of sound legal opinion. Having received good advice, our solicitors will handle the appeal should you wish to proceed you can do so with confidence and support. Should you choose to supply, or consent to the release of records, personal information or data, please ensure that such data is as accurate and complete as possible, it is not unknown for medical records to be inaccurate, incomplete or even relate to another person. Poor record keeping is also not unknown and you are advised to ensure that material held by your force is accurate, relevant and in accordance with Data protection Legislation. When attending reviews it is advisable to be accompanied and to make an audio recording. This should be done openly and a copy of the original file can be provided to the SMP if so desired. The original audio file should be securely saved without any editing . Any answers or comments required during the review should reflect accuracy and the simple unvarnished truth. If you need help or require further information please use the link below to visit the IODPA web site: IODPA - Injury on Duty Pensioners Association. IODPA is funded by membership subscription. Like Pipin, the association is provided by IOD’s for IOD’s. Legal Assistance and Representation. Through IODPA, injured on duty officers and pensioners are able to call on the services of an experienced legal team who can advise and represent IOD’s with appeals and Judicial Reviews etc. Our legal team have handled prominent cases which have resulted in the provisions of Home Office guidance relating to ex officers aged 65 and over being declared unlawful and withdrawn. Our solicitors are willing to assist and advise on the whole spectrum of IOD matters including reinstatement and repayment of lost IOD pensions. The team are also assessing other aspects of the IOD pension issue in addition to the high profile cases that have been so important. |