Police Officers with Osteoarthritis

lozza812
lozza812 Member Posts: 25
edited 24. Oct 2011, 18:21 in Benefits and Working Matters archive
Anyone fighting arthur along with the job ?
Would love to hear experiences and any advice from fellow plods.
I have osteo in my knee after an injury at training school 22 years ago. Has now spread to my hip and most probably my spine. I am on permenent restricted duties, but still struggling.
I'm looking for inspiration (as a medical is highly unlikely) as I dont know how much longer I can go on.

Comments

  • dorcas
    dorcas Member Posts: 3,516
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi!

    I'm not a police officer but I think that the process you have to trigger to ensure you receive assistance and support within the workplace (under DDA) would be similar to most other government agencies/ departments. But it is important that you know what your rights are and what your employer's duty and responsibilities towards you are.

    I don't know if you've had a look at the publications section on this website? but it's a good place to start ! I've posted you a link to the web page which I hope you'll find helpful...

    http://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/PublicationsandResources/Workindependence

    good luck and please let us know if we can help! lots of us on the forum have been in your shoes.

    Iris x
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 30,087
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Lozza

    I Am not a rozzer ( meant to be a poem - not offensive :wink: )

    I bet you feel down in that kind of job - being physical

    We do have a lot of NHS staff on here as well as one who works at a fire station - some impressive title, but I canna remember :(

    Some of the issues will be similar. maybe??

    hope you get some help and support

    Love

    Toni xx
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    My best friend Wendy is with the police, based in Essex and recently diagnosed with osteo of the hips, spine and knees. I'll find out from her what's happening work-wise and get back to you, probably early next week. Dreamdaisy
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • speedalong
    speedalong Member Posts: 3,315
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Lozza,

    Are there any actual aspects of your work that make it even harder/unbearable? Or is it all of it?

    What other opportunities are there in the police force - could you/would you do talks in schools etc or crime preventation house visits?

    If you feel adaptions to what you do now and some special equipment might help then the disability officer at the job centre might really be able to help make a difference.

    Speedy
    Hi Lozza

    I Am not a rozzer ( meant to be a poem - not offensive )

    Toni,
    What are you like?!

    Made me laugh though .... just what I needed.

    Speedy
    I have had OA since mid twenties. It affects my hips and knees. I had a THR on the left aged 30 and now have a resurface-replacement on the right - done May 2010.
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I had completely fogotten this! W is still on full duties and starting shift work. She is not happy about it but is not getting much support from anywhere within her force. She's not a beat bobby (or whatever you call them), she does stuff to do with e-fits and such like. They have given her a new workstation and snazzy chair, so she ain't too uncomfortable when working. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • sharrie
    sharrie Member Posts: 4
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    lozza812 wrote:
    Anyone fighting arthur along with the job ?
    Would love to hear experiences and any advice from fellow plods.
    I have osteo in my knee after an injury at training school 22 years ago. Has now spread to my hip and most probably my spine. I am on permenent restricted duties, but still struggling.
    I'm looking for inspiration (as a medical is highly unlikely) as I dont know how much longer I can go on.
    You mention a medical is highly unlikley, I wondered why? I work in public sector and would expect the process if you are finding it difficult to do your role is to request to be referred to occupational health which should lead to a medical assessment. The resulting outcome should be you can be re-deployed to a suitable adjusted position i.e. reasonable adjustments applied under DDA to allow you to continue working, or you should be considered for medical retirement if re-deployment isn't an option. As long as you are in the pension scheme, if you are medically retired, you would leave the force, but receive enhanced pension benefits payable immediately, which is a great benefit and one not provided by many employers these days.
  • tanith
    tanith Member Posts: 175
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Not in the police but I was in the Ambulance Service and had to take ill-health retirement because of O/A hips , spine and various other places . I couldn't continue the job was just to physical, it took a year to actually get my pension entitlement sorted , went through re-deployment etc as I really didn't want to retire but in the end I had no choice and was so glad that I got an enhanced pension at 58yrs old. I struggled on for a year after I had one hip-replacement but it was just too hard.
    Our worst times are always our best lessons.
  • Ankyspond
    Ankyspond Member Posts: 626
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Not a police officer but a teacher which is quite challanging.xx
    AS Sufferer
    Live, love and enjoy life, live each day as though it's your last!
  • LolaCrayola
    LolaCrayola Member Posts: 152
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Also a teacher, off sick.
  • elnafinn
    elnafinn Member Posts: 7,412
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    LolaCrayola wrote:
    Also a teacher, off sick.

    Hi Lola, just said hello to you on the other zone.

    Welcome :smile:

    Elna x
    The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.

    If you can lay down at night knowing in your heart that you made someone's day just a little bit better, you know you had a good day.
  • LolaCrayola
    LolaCrayola Member Posts: 152
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thank you Elna.
  • sailrib
    sailrib Member Posts: 327
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I have arthritis and my twin Brother (he is a police officer) got told he has arthritis last year after a prisoner stamped on his back so he got sent for a scan and he got told he had arthritis in his upper back. Being stamped on the back has made the arthritis come out with swelling and pain.

    He is the kind of person to just live through the pain but so far he seems to be able to be a front line police officer. He is sometimes on light duty but not often.

    He is a very big built 6 foot 5 man with size 15 feet and very very wide shoulders. Although not over weight, we think him being such big built has lead him to have this arthritis.
  • dingbat77
    dingbat77 Member Posts: 40
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    lozza812 wrote:
    I'm looking for inspiration (as a medical is highly unlikely) as I dont know how much longer I can go on.

    Tell me about it, they only can do so many as there is a penalty the farce has to pay to the HO as the pension more expensive and index linked I believe they have to pay the same amount as your annual salary as a penalty to allow an officer to go on an IHR.

    So they would rather have you doing 6hrs a week doing a non job in pain , paying for cabs and other ajustments........And yes there are officers having to do that with quite serious conditions whilst they argue the toss.

    Windsor is reviewing it as a non sensical situation but most forces hands are tied because of targets on IHR , the only way you are likely to get one is if you visit the MO in a bed with a machine going ping .

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