Dear Northern Ireland Policing Board,

When it is necessary to determine the above could you please explain in detail how the NIPB calculate the following:-

(a) The uninjured earnings capacity of the applicant.

(b) The injured earnings capacity of the applicant.

(c) All other relevant information relating to the above subject.

Yours faithfully,

Allison Liddle

Dear NIPB FOI,

I refer to NIPB "Timeliness in dealing with requests for information." As per section 10.1 "The Board will comply with all requests for information promptly and not delay responding until the end of the 20 working day period if the information could reasonably have been provided earlier."

This request now falls outside the 20 day compliance period for requests, without explanation. Please provide an estimated date of when this request will be answered.

Many Thanks

Yours sincerely,

Allison Liddle

Dear NIPB FOI,

Thank you for your response.

I have read the Joint Guidance Document kindly attached but I seek further transparency and clarification regarding how exactly the SMP determines an individual’s banding.

Could the SMP please provide clear and specific clarification on how they comply with the following direction at Section 4 of the Joint Guidance Document supplied?

“In order to do so, you should compare the situation with the injury present to a notional situation where it has not occurred. The loss of earning capacity will then be the difference between these two situations.”

I specifically request:

1. Full and detailed explanation regarding how the above direction is to be interpreted by the SMP ie. how is the effect the applicant’s disability has on their earnings capacity specifically determined?

Also, what information, further guidance, or criteria SMP use make this determination? Or, is this an interpretation of the individual medical practitioner?

2. Why does the NIPB instruct the SMP not to use any salary information when making their determination?

Many Thanks

Yours sincerely,

Allison Liddle

Dear NIPB FOI,

I refer to the previous question and your response from Question 2 as detailed above:

2. Why does the NIPB instruct the SMP not to use any salary information when making their determination?

I specifically seek clarification and information regarding the following section of your response:

"The Northern Ireland Policing Board draft a new policy on the assessment of degree of disablement in order to make the process simpler for medical practitioners. The new policy was introduced for all assessments conducted with effect from 12 August 2015."

I have reviewed the Joint Guidance Document previously attached. However, I refer now to Northern Ireland Policing Board Freedom of Information Request Reference number: 03/2017 and specifically point 2 of the request and subsequent response:

NIPB FOI Request 03/2017:

2. Is the NIPB aware that it has no authority to instruct or ask the SMP to alter
process or procedure and can you confirm this is your understanding also?

FOI Request 03/2017 Response:

2. The Policing Board's Selected Medical Practitioner (SMP) must determine an
individuals entitlement to an award in response to the questions referred to
them, in line with the P S and PSNI Reserve (Injury Benefit) Regulations
2006 the 2006 Regulations). The 2006 Regulations are silent on the method
of determining degree of disablement and therefore as the administrator of the
scheme the Policing Board has consulted on and produced an assessment
method policy and guidance for medical practitioners acting on its behalf to
use. Both documents are based on case law and Pensions Ombudsman
rulings.

The Joint Guidance Document, September 2016, previously attached and referred to by the NIPB, only accounts for one of the documents clearly highlighted in FOI response (Ref: 03/2017). I now seek clarification on the status and/or removal of the ‘assessment method policy’ as stated in the response.

Request:

1. Please provide a copy of the ‘assessment method policy’ as stated above, regardless of its current application to the process
2. Please clarify the ‘assessment method policy’s’ status in relation to current assessments and determination
3. If this policy document is no longer extant, please indicate which ‘assessment method policy’ replaced the original policy and provide a copy of any new policy
4. Should the ‘assessment document policy’ have been removed or replaced, provide details of communication, direction and/or guidance provided to SMP regarding its removal, subsequent absence of policy and/or replacement policy

Yours sincerely,

Allison Liddle