❓ A WA parliamentary question seeks data on PTSD among current and former police officers, support services available, and medical retirement figures. The response indicates data limitations but outlines available support and financial assistance.
AnsweredQoN 4392Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
(PTSD), and ask: (a) does the WA Police Force keep statistics on the number
of officers who have suffered from PTSD; (b) if no to the above, why not; (c) does the WA Police Force keep statistics on the number
of former officers who have suffered from PTSD as a result of their service in
the WA Police Force; (d) if no to the above, why not; (e) how many officers have medically retired for each of
the years 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and as of
13 November 2018; (f) what support services for PTSD are currently
provided to serving Police Officers; and (g) what support services for PTSD are currently provided to retired Police Officers?
(PTSD), and ask: (a) does the WA Police Force keep statistics on the number
of officers who have suffered from PTSD; (b) if no to the above, why not; (c) does the WA Police Force keep statistics on the number
of former officers who have suffered from PTSD as a result of their service in
the WA Police Force; (d) if no to the above, why not; (e) how many officers have medically retired for each of
the years 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and as of
13 November 2018; (f) what support services for PTSD are currently
provided to serving Police Officers; and (g) what support services for PTSD are currently provided to retired Police Officers?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
2 April 2019
Responded by
Minister for Police; Road Safety
Response time
18 days
The Western Australian Police Force advise:
(a)-(b) The WA Police Force does not maintain a central source for this information. Officers may choose to access treatment external to the Western Australia Police Force. As a consequence, their diagnoses would not be known to the agency and the records would not be an accurate reflection of the number of officers diagnosed with PTSD.
(c)-(d) Records are kept in relation to the Former Police Officers Medical Benefits Scheme however, as former WA Police Officers diagnosed with PTSD are treated external to the agency by private practitioners and as a consequence their diagnoses, which may have been made post separation with the agency, may not be known and the records would not be an accurate reflection of the number of former officers diagnosed with PTSD.
(e) Number of WA Police Officers who retired medically unfit:
2008
18
2009
20
2010
14
2011
11
2012
10
2013
14
2014
12
2015
2
2016
5
2017
5
2018
1*
* as at 13 November 2018
(f) WA Police Officers can access mental health services and can choose to use their private health funds, which will be reimbursed by WA Police Force for any out of pocket expenses. If it is work-related, the costs will be paid in full by the WA Police Force. Access to consulting psychologists internally or via the Employee Assistant Program is free of charge, and any out of pocket expenses for seeing a psychologists on referral of a GP will be reimbursed by the WA Police Force.
The WA Police Force has a comprehensive range of programs and services that provide support and promote the psychological, physical and spiritual health and welfare of all of its workforce. This includes in-house psychological wellbeing services such as psychological support and interventions, critical incident stress management services and workplace wellbeing reviews to proactively identify issues of concern.
Free access to Chaplains and confidential counselling services is also available to serving and former officers and their family members in regard to personal, family or work related problems. Other health and wellbeing initiatives provided include:
(g) Former WA Police Officers with a work related injury can access mental health services and can claim their expenses under the Police (Medical and Other Expenses for Former Officers) Act 2008.
(a)-(b) The WA Police Force does not maintain a central source for this information. Officers may choose to access treatment external to the Western Australia Police Force. As a consequence, their diagnoses would not be known to the agency and the records would not be an accurate reflection of the number of officers diagnosed with PTSD.
(c)-(d) Records are kept in relation to the Former Police Officers Medical Benefits Scheme however, as former WA Police Officers diagnosed with PTSD are treated external to the agency by private practitioners and as a consequence their diagnoses, which may have been made post separation with the agency, may not be known and the records would not be an accurate reflection of the number of former officers diagnosed with PTSD.
(e) Number of WA Police Officers who retired medically unfit:
2008
18
2009
20
2010
14
2011
11
2012
10
2013
14
2014
12
2015
2
2016
5
2017
5
2018
1*
* as at 13 November 2018
(f) WA Police Officers can access mental health services and can choose to use their private health funds, which will be reimbursed by WA Police Force for any out of pocket expenses. If it is work-related, the costs will be paid in full by the WA Police Force. Access to consulting psychologists internally or via the Employee Assistant Program is free of charge, and any out of pocket expenses for seeing a psychologists on referral of a GP will be reimbursed by the WA Police Force.
The WA Police Force has a comprehensive range of programs and services that provide support and promote the psychological, physical and spiritual health and welfare of all of its workforce. This includes in-house psychological wellbeing services such as psychological support and interventions, critical incident stress management services and workplace wellbeing reviews to proactively identify issues of concern.
Free access to Chaplains and confidential counselling services is also available to serving and former officers and their family members in regard to personal, family or work related problems. Other health and wellbeing initiatives provided include:
(g) Former WA Police Officers with a work related injury can access mental health services and can claim their expenses under the Police (Medical and Other Expenses for Former Officers) Act 2008.
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