Report Detail

Background
Attached at Appendix A is the combined report for Health, Safety and Wellbeing providing an update on the previous six months from the previous meeting in August 2025. This report now integrates Ill health retirement (IHR) and Injury on Duty (IoD) information was previously reported six-monthly through a standalone update, most recently to the SPA People Committee on 29 May 2025 for the period 1 October 2024 to 31 March 2025.

Further detail
The Health, Safety and Wellbeing report, details the continuous work in relation to meeting our strategic commitment, strategic delivery, risk/accident/incident/near miss, audit recommendations, and impact.

The report also provides updates on current and emerging health, safety and wellbeing issues and updates regarding the development of policy and practice.

IHR / IODs
This section provides an updated position covering 1 April 2025 to 31 December 2025.

Applications for retirement on the grounds of ill health (IHR) are determined under the Police Pensions (Scotland) Regulations 2015. This allows the Authority to determine if an officer ought to retire on the grounds that they are permanently disabled for the performance of their duties as a police officer. In considering whether a person is permanently disabled, the regulations provide that the Police Authority shall refer certain questions to the Authority’s Selected Medical Practitioner (SMP) who shall provide a report with their determination.

Applications for Injury on Duty (IOD) awards are considered in terms of the Police (Injury Benefit) (Scotland) Regulations 2007. Regulation 30 of the 2007 Regulations provides that, where a police authority is considering whether to grant an IOD award to an individual, it should refer questions to the SMP.

Across the nine‑month period, the Authority approved 64 officers for ill health retirement, with one officer redeployed to a suitable alternative role. There continues to be strong alignment between Police Scotland recommendations and SPA decisions, with no decisions overturned.

IHR Process Duration

For officers approved for IHR between 1 April and 31 December 2025, it took an average of 10.4 months to complete the full process. A key factor within this is the time frame to Select Medical Practitioner (SMP) appointment which is averaging at 6.6 months at present. This is influenced by a number of factors including the wait for the return of further medical evidence from an individual’s GP or where there is a need for specialist report, and the provision of SMP resource. Overall, this period remains a constraint for both officer wellbeing and organisational workforce planning. This issue and the processes within will be addressed through the Joint Taskforce with Optima Health.

IHR Deep Dive Analysis: Q3 2025/26

As part of the implementation of the new Centralised Case Team, a deep dive analysis was undertaken for 22 approved IHR cases (plus one retention) in Q3 2025/26. Key findings include:
• 64% male, 36% female
• Average age: 48.8
• Average service: 22.8 years

The top three medical drivers within these cases are outlined below:

Approximately 46% of cases showed evidence the condition was likely or clearly related to policing duties, including cumulative traumatic exposure or injuries sustained on duty.

IHR Opportunities and Improvement Actions

While no systemic issues with attendance management were identified, the analysis highlighted:

• cases where earlier referral to Occupational Health may have been beneficial.
• the value of having a feedback loop to Optima Health for Occupational Health reports to strengthen consistency and decision making.

These findings align with ongoing work set out in section 8.b, including:
• influencing and supporting line managers to make earlier referrals where appropriate.
• a planned proactive initiative focusing on officers with musculoskeletal conditions.

Consideration of trauma remains a central theme within the Health and Wellbeing Action Plan (Appendix B), and the deep dive findings reinforce the need to maintain a trauma informed approach across the organisation.

A deep dive of 14 IoD cases approved in Q3 2025/26 indicates strong alignment with the causal factor analysis reported to the People Committee in May 2025. The key themes remain:

• Psychological injury continues to be the predominant driver, with around 70% of cases involving trauma related mental health conditions.
• In most cases, SMPs assessed the condition as substantially attributable to policing duties, often reflecting cumulative exposure across a career.
• As with IHR, some cases indicated opportunities for earlier Occupational Health referral, reinforcing the need for consistent, timely support pathways.

These insights align closely with the broader IHR learning and reinforce the importance of early intervention, trauma informed management and ongoing support activity within the Health and Wellbeing Action Plan (see appendix B).

Members are invited to discuss this report.