Page 21 - Bedfed Conf2016 Flip Book

Getting to grips with an older workforce
spine degeneration. Changes in the policing landscape had to be considered – people were working longer due to pension changes, there was a lower rate of ill-health retirements, coupled with an increased awareness of conditions such as PTSD, officers were having to work harder under the ‘more for less’ regime and the job related fitness test, a lack of reasonable alternatives were having an effect.
Forces needed to adapt job roles and allow retraining to accommodate age related health conditions but people also needed to take personal responsibility and recognise their own limitations.
The final presentation of the session was by Jonathan Keighley and Laura-Jane Fowler of the Federation’s in-house legal team who gave an insight into discrimination legislation, how this could be applied in cases involving women going through the menopause and citing appropriate legal case history.
OURREPsAYs
“This session was particularly relevant for me as I only joined the police six years ago aged 39 so a lot older than the average new recruit. The presentation was a real eye-opener for me as it covered not just the issues of an ageing workforce but also disability. I assumed wrongly, as many do, that you would know if someone was disabled by just looking at them. I didn’t consider psychological conditions or the menopause which could in itself lead to other debilitating conditions. The fact is that disability is different to being disabled.
“Jayne Willetts gave a good overview and Dee Collins gave a really good presentation about the menopause and how it affects the female population – something I knew nothing about. Jamie Mills’ presentation was also good and, although there was no visible disability, he said he suffered from one.
“Jonathan Keighley and Laura- Jane Fowler were a good double act, providing humour and information delivered in plain English.
“The message I’ll take back to Force is that we shouldn’t assume someone is fit and well just because there are no visible signs of illness or injury. There needs to be more discussion in the workplace and support and openness for officers and staff. Also, we all need to stop feeling embarrassed or scared because if we bottle problems up this can lead to our mental wellbeing suffering.”
Stephen Bozward
Jayne Willetts, the Federation’s equality lead.
With an increasingly older workforce, the police service needs to consider how best to address their needs, Jayne Willetts, the Federation’s equality lead told conference.
And, she said that it is an issue that should be picked up by forces and not just fall to Federation representatives.
The double effects of an ageing workforce and changes to pensions - which mean officers are working longer - could mean forces have to learn to adapt to having more officers with disabilities or face more employment Tribunals.
The session dedicated much of its time to raising the issues faced by women going through the menopause with the first panellist - West yorkshire Temporary Chief Constable Dee Collins - describing managing this in the workplace as the ‘last taboo’ and calling for more training to raise awareness of its debilitating effects.
With 13 million women in the uK currently going through the menopause and seven out of 10 reporting debilitating symptoms, she said it should not be considered a minority issue. Research carried out by Simply Hormones revealed that 72 per cent of menopausal women felt unsupported at work and 50 per cent had not disclosed their condition to their supervisor or line manager.
This left them exposed to disciplinary or absence procedures and yet there was
legislation in place to offer protection including the equality Act 2010 with reasonable adjustments being called for to help women through this stage of their lives.
She urged women to start the conversation and speak about their symptoms and called on line managers to get better informed. Support is available through the police service Menopause Action Group which she leads.
She said it was important to recognise the benefit of an ageing workforce – knowledge, experience and commitment - and not just see the issues they could bring.
Highlighting the fact that it was not just the menopause to consider, Jamie Mills, general secretary of the Disabled Police Association, explained the organisation’s drive for equality of opportunity for disabled people working in policing and said there should be a focus on ability not difference.
There was, he pointed out, a clear correlation between age and disability and he highlighted the definition of disability under the equality Act 2010 which says you are disabled if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities.
He explained that common problems faced by an older workforce include hearing loss, deterioration of vision and bone and
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