Help for Federation Members

THE core purpose of the Police Federation is the welfare of its members. Northumbria Police Federation is determined to do the very best for its members, writes Northumbria Police Federation Deputy Secretary David Orr.

Those serving police officers have seen great changes in the past ten years which have led to their terms and conditions being adversely affected.

Wage freezes, changes in pensions and reduction in numbers of officers have all had a profound effect on our officers.

The simple fact is that our members have less money to spend and although Federation subscriptions have not risen for some time other living costs have risen and we want to help in some small way.

Escaping Work Pressures

Holidays are a great way of winding down and spending time with loved ones away from the pressures of work.

A short break in a beautiful environment can make a great difference to an officer’s health and wellbeing.

The Federation Group Insurance scheme owns and manages a lodge in the Lake District. Previously the price for this lodge was set at marginally below the market rate.

This meant that a week in the summer holidays was almost £1,000.

We have slashed the prices and the cost of a weekend break is as little as £90 and no week costs more than £399 even in the height of summer. Demand was so high when we launched this offer that the IT system crashed!

The previously under used holiday accommodation is almost at capacity for 2018.

This is only the beginning and the plans to help our members over the next three years will see many more innovative schemes and benefits being introduced.

Healthcare Scheme

Health is so important and officers can fall ill or be injured – whether at work or off duty – and as we get older the wear and tear of shift work can cause all sorts of chronic problems, affecting elbows, knees and toes.

The Northern Police Healthcare Scheme is a private scheme with prices starting from as little as £15 a calendar month.

We have completely altered the pricing policy and benefits in our scheme and this is our vision for our members.

For example, if an officer could be involved in a violent struggle and damages their knee or shoulder. That injury could need an operation.

The officer could also need physio and recuperative treatment and rest before they are fit and able to return to work and do all the things they love to do in day-to-day life.

Delays in this process can have profound and long term negative effects on an officer’s health and wellbeing. Long term injury and sickness can adversely affect careers, home life and relationships.

The Northern Police Healthcare scheme aims to get an officer an immediate assessment and early operation and start the process of recovery in as short a time as possible.

In the past, that is where the scheme benefits ended. The Trustees voted recently to extend the benefits of membership to create a fully wrapped round scheme which now includes access to remedial treatment in the form of physio and counselling.

And we have gone one step forward offering a means of rest and recuperation at a very low cost. What have we done to achieve this you may ask?

Well the Trustees agreed to extend membership of the Police Treatment Centres as part of our scheme. Therefore, if you are a member of the health scheme you will automatically be a member of the PTC. This is normally £7.80 a month. We will add this to the healthcare scheme at no extra cost.

We have actually reduced the cost of membership to serving officers and members below the age of 50.

The trust has purchased a luxury holiday home in Northumberland. Access to this two unit holiday home which has six bedrooms and sleeps up to 12 people is exclusively available to members of the scheme. The prices will be significantly below the market rates. This completes the circle of care we offer.

An injured officer can now get the treatment without delay, go to the PTC and get the physio or other treatment they require and can have a week or a fortnight in idyllic Northumberland with their loved ones to get mind, body and spirit back to normal so they can live life to the full again.

We are offering this wraparound service and the lowest cost of any healthcare provider anywhere in the country with unrivalled benefits attached.

Once again this is only the very beginning. We are a staff association and our goal is clear, we will work tirelessly to assist our members in any way we can.