Classification: NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED

Thank you for your enquiry which has been logged under the above reference.

Under the Freedom of Information Act we are required to reply within 20 working days but given the current high level of requests being received that may not be possible. We will reply as soon as possible and please accept our apologies for any inconvenience any delay may cause.

Steve Grayton
Assistant Freedom of Information Officer, Essex Police
Information Compliance Team
Corporate Development Department
Essex Police Headquarters
PO Box 2, Springfield, Chelmsford, CM2 6DA
Tel: 0300 333 4444 Ext 54551
Fax: 01245 452256
Email : [email address]
For FOI requests : [Essex Police request email]
For Data Protection: [email address]
Website: www.essex.police.uk
Hours of work : Mon - Thurs 7:30 to 15:30
Fri 7:30 to 15:00

-----Original Message-----
From: John Jarman [mailto:[FOI #6748 email]]
Sent: 27 January 2009 15:13
To: FOI
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Police Injury Award Pensions Policy

Dear Essex Police,

I am writing to make an open government request for all the
information to which I am entitled under the Freedom Of Information
Act. In order to assist you with this request, I am outlining my
query as specifically as possible. If however this request is too
wide or too unclear, I would be grateful if you could contact me,
as I understand that under the Act, you are required to advise and
assist requesters.

I would like a copy of any and all documents that state and/or
illustrate/set out the policy and procedures of Essex Police
concerning the management and review of police injury award
pensions.

I understand that under the Act, I should be entitled to a response
within 20 working days. I would be grateful if you could confirm in
writing that you have received this request. I look forward to
hearing from you in the near future.

Your response should be in the form of a reply by email, with the
copy document(s) attached in any standard digital format.

Yours faithfully,

John Jarman

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Classification: NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED

Thank you for your enquiry which has been logged under the above reference. Having completed my enquiries I am able to respond as follows:

I would like a copy of any and all documents that state and/or illustrate/set out the policy and procedures of Essex Police concerning the management and review of police injury award pensions.

Essex Polices does not have a separate policy on injury awards because the Police Pension Regulations and accompanying Home Office Guidance provide the legal framework which we follow.

We have recently had two FOI requests on this subject and I have included below copies of the replies as these may be of interest:

Our ref. 1795 issued 9/1/09
Please supply the following information re your pensioners that receive an injury on duty award.
1, How many ex police officers currently fall into the above catchment?
253 pensioners are currently in receipt of injury awards.
2, What is the current cost per year, and how is this split between Essex police and the Home Office?
To retrieve the information requested would require a manual review of individual pension records and in terms of Freedom of Information, I am afraid that the specific information you were seeking access to is not held by Essex Police in what is referred to as a readily accessible format.

For the purposes of section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) this response serves as a formal notification of refusal of your request on the basis that Essex Police does not hold, for the purposes of FOIA, the specific data in a readily accessible format. That is to say, this data is not extractable from a central database or held in a spreadsheet. To ascertain whether this information is held would entail a manual search of Essex Police records; a process which would be likely to exceed the appropriate limit (as mentioned at section 12 of the FOIA) in terms of cost/time (£450 or the equivalent in time of 18 hours).

3, How often are these pensions reviewed?
Essex Police adopt a formal system of injury award review. Every case is dealt with on its individual merits and the Senior Medical Practitioner (SMP) will advise the authority as to an appropriate period of review i.e.. this could range form 1 year to 10.

4, Is there an age for the pensioner that reviews will end, i.e. 55 yrs or now 60 yrs?
For ill health awards the period is set by the 1987 Police Pensions Regulations. For injury awards review is determined by period set by the SMP.

5. Is the retirement age subject to review?
I'm not sure what you mean by this question but retirement age is set by Police Regulations.
6. With regards to those ex officers who receive an injury on duty award, have there been any instances where the award has increased, or reduced , if so please supply details.. If so was this the result of a medical opinion supplied by the Force Medical Officer (FMO) ?

7, On how many occasions in the last 5 years has the FMO suggested that an injury on duty award be reduced or increased, details please..

In respect of Q's 6 & 7, in terms of Freedom of Information, I am afraid that the specific information you were seeking access to is not held by Essex Police in what is referred to as a readily accessible format.

For the purposes of section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) this response serves as a formal notification of refusal of your request on the basis that Essex Police does not hold, for the purposes of FOIA, the specific data in a readily accessible format. That is to say, this data is not extractable from a central database or held in a spreadsheet. To ascertain whether this information is held would entail a manual search of Essex Police records; a process which would be likely to exceed the appropriate limit (as mentioned at section 12 of the FOIA) in terms of cost/time (£450 or the equivalent in time of 18 hours).

I would mention that if the information was available it is likely that the exemption given at section 40 (2) (Third Party Personal Data) would apply.

To clarify, to provide information which constitutes an individual's personal data (information that identified them as a living individual) would be in contravention of that individual's rights under the data Protection Act 1998.

8. How many of the current injury awards are currently under review, and how many are currently being paid without further review and why?

Please see Q3 above
9. What is the total cost per annum to finance the police pension for Essex police authority, and how much of this total does the injury on duty element absorb?

The pension schemes for Essex Police are operated by Essex County Council Pensions Department who can be contacted at
Essex County Council, Pensions Services, PO Box11, County Hall, Chelmsford, CM1 1LX, email to
[email address]
or via the attached link:
<http://www.essex.gov.uk/> http://www.essex.gov.uk/
and they may be able to help with this part of your enquiry.
Our ref. 1811 issued 9/1/09

1) How many former officers of the Essex Police force are currently in receipt of an injury award pension, as provided for in the Police Pensions Regulations 1987 and the Police (Injury Benefit) Regulations 2006?

253 pensioners are currently in receipt of injury awards.
2) Do you operate a policy of reducing an injury award pension to the lowest permissible band when the former officer reaches the age of 65?

No
3) In the years 2004 to 2008 inclusive, how many former officers injury award pensions were reduced to the lowest banding upon the former officer reaching the age of 65? (A total figure only is requested, but I have no objection if you break the figures down by year)

N/A
4) In the years 1987 to 2003 inclusive, how many former officers injury award pensions were reduced to the lowest banding upon the former officer reaching the age of 65? (A total figure only is requested, but I have no objection if you break the figures down by year)

N/A
5) In the years 2004 to 2008 inclusive, how many formal complaints have been made against officers of ACPO rank in the Essex Police force regarding matters in any way connected with the administration of reviews of police injury awards? (A total figure only is requested, but I have no objection if you break the figures down by year)

The Police Pensions & Injury Regulations provide for an informal appeal and formal appeal on any questions in relation to injury award. As these are questions related to decisions made by the independent senior medical practitioner (SMP) on behalf of the Authority there are no formal complaints against ACPO as the Regulations provide for complaints/appeals against Authority decisions.

Most issues are resolved by informal appeal and they are not a formal appeal as within the meaning of the Regulations. The Home office arrange for Police Appeals and more information may be available from the Home office.

Steve Grayton
Assistant Freedom of Information Officer, Essex Police
Information Compliance Team
Corporate Development Department
Essex Police Headquarters
PO Box 2, Springfield, Chelmsford, CM2 6DA
Tel: 0300 333 4444 Ext 54551
Fax: 01245 452256
Email : <mailto:[email address]> [email address]
For FOI requests : <mailto:[Essex Police request email]> [Essex Police request email]
For Data Protection: <mailto:[email address]> [email address]
Website: <http://www.essex.police.uk> www.essex.police.uk
Hours of work : Mon - Thurs 7:30 to 15:30
Fri 7:30 to 15:00
Essex Police provides you the right to request a re-examination of your case under its review procedure. If you decide to request such a review and having followed the Police's full process you are still dissatisfied, then you have the right to direct your comments to the Information Commissioner who will give it consideration.

-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Grayton On Behalf Of FOI
Sent: 28 January 2009 08:00
To: 'John Jarman'
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request our ref. 1882 [NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED]

Classification: NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED

Thank you for your enquiry which has been logged under the above reference.

Under the Freedom of Information Act we are required to reply within 20 working days but given the current high level of requests being received that may not be possible. We will reply as soon as possible and please accept our apologies for any inconvenience any delay may cause.

Steve Grayton
Assistant Freedom of Information Officer, Essex Police
Information Compliance Team
Corporate Development Department
Essex Police Headquarters
PO Box 2, Springfield, Chelmsford, CM2 6DA
Tel: 0300 333 4444 Ext 54551
Fax: 01245 452256
Email : [email address]
For FOI requests : [Essex Police request email]
For Data Protection: [email address]
Website: <file://www.essex.police.uk> www.essex.police.uk
Hours of work : Mon - Thurs 7:30 to 15:30
Fri 7:30 to 15:00

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