Officers on recuperative duties over 30 months

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.22.027714

I note you seek access to the following information:

With reference to FOI request 01/FOI/22/026812 Dated 14/10/2022

1. Could you please explain to me why you have 194 Officers on recuperative duties for over 30 months when you policy below clearly states that in exceptional circumstances it can be extended to 12 months. Surely this is a complete waste of tax payers money minimum £6,000,000 per year.

2. Can these officers just carry on, on full pay until retirement date?

3. How long can an Officer stay on full pay on recuperative duties?

Recuperative Duties Process
Typically recuperative duties would not exceed 6 months, but in exceptional circumstances the recuperation period can be extended to 12 months. In this period the individual prepares to return to full duties and the full hours normally worked.

Assessments for fitness for duty are carried out by occupational health (OH) in the first instance. Upon referral from your manager and after the initial assessment process they will advise on any workplace adjustments that are needed, and manage the individuals return to full duties. Recuperative duties can only be authorised by OH. OH will also review any changes in conditions that may follow from a review or referral from an individual’s line manager. Reviews between the individuals and their line manager are held if the individual is still on recuperative duties after 12, 18 and 24 weeks.

Decision

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.

Please find below information pursuant to your request above.

Recuperative duties are a temporary programme of work that gradually brings a member of staff back to their normal duties after a period of sickness absence.

Recuperative duties therefore play a crucial role in returning employees to the workplace where they are unable to perform normal duties following an injury, accident, illness or medical incident. Whilst police officers performing recuperative duties undertake a range of meaningful roles, often in direct support of their front line colleagues, we do recognise that a number of our officers have been performing recuperative duties for an extended period. We also recognise the importance of returning officers to full operational duties as soon as practicable. To achieve this, we are reviewing all of our officers performing recuperative duties as a part of our wider plan to return more officers to front line duties. It should be noted that whilst an officer is on recuperative duties, they remain on full pay. Their pay may only be impacted if they also report sick. Generally, an officer will remain on full pay for the first six months of an absence, which is then followed by half pay for six months.

The MPS employers over 34,000 police officers and a further 1600 volunteer police officers in the Metropolitan Special Constabulary (MSC). The number of police officers that perform recuperative duties for an extended period accordingly, represents very small percentage of the police officers employed by the MPS.

Furthermore, the MPS Occupational Health (OH) department, which is our specialist branch of medicine and nursing that focuses on the physical and mental wellbeing of people in the workplace, carry out each employee’s fitness for duty assessment in the first instance. They also advise on any workplace adjustments that are needed and manage each employee’s subsequent return to full duties. Recuperative duties can only be authorised by the OH department.