Page 10 - Federation magazine: December 2016 / January 2017

Reasonable Adjustment Passport

Reasonable
Adjustment Passport
helps officers, staff
and the Force

The Force’s Reasonable Adjustment officer or staff member’s issues and the the Federation, human resources and legal
Passport, or RAP, initially used purely adjustments made to enable them to be a departments and it can form part of the
for disability related reasonable productive member of the Force. Wellbeing Plan, if required, as it enables

adjustments, has now been expanded to “The RAP, while not compulsory, is a quick assessment of the reasonable

include issues around menopause and living document which ensures that if staff adjustments in place and necessary.

caring. move or a supervisor changes, a single record Mick said: “Supervisors having completed

The RAP has been created to enable any is available rather than several repeated the RAP should have had a full and frank

member of staff with any disability to move assessments having to be done. This saves discussion around the issues of the disability

easily and unhindered around and within the time and any potential upset to both staff or issue that requires adjustments.

Force, ensuring the Force is compliant with and supervisor. “This should give them a greater insight

legislation but also helping increase staff “Although the RAP is heavily publicised into a member of staff’s issues. This, in turn,

productivity. by the DCC, West Midlands Police still have means staff feel more valued and understood

“We want to ensure that as many people staff and supervisors who tend to veer away as efforts are made to enable them to have a

as possible know about the passport as it’s a from issues around disability and productive role, and to understand that their

real positive for both individuals and for line adjustments, either through ignorance of needs and welfare issues will be raised in a

managers. It means staff don’t have to process or by choice. After all, you do not proactive manner rather than them being

renegotiate previously agreed adjustments have to declare a disability unless it affects subject to negative responses and attitudes.

with new line managers and it also ensures health and safety.” “The RAP improves all parties’

they have an opportunity to discuss their The RAP was the result of lengthy understanding and ensures that the best

“requirements at least once a year, says consultation between the DCC, staff, unions, solutions are found.”

Inspector Gary Haywood, chair of the We want to ensure that as many people
Disability and Carers Community (DCC), as possible know about the passport as
formerly the Disability and Carers Network, it’s a real positive for both individuals
which helped initiate the process.
“For line managers, it ensures they are
providing the support that is legally required
and puts a process in place for increasing
support and understanding of staff, reducing
the likelihood of mental illness, improving and for line managers. It means staff
staff retention, general productivity and job

satisfaction.” don’t have to renegotiate previously
As part of a project to unify requirements

and records, the RAP, which is a confidential agreed adjustments with new line
document, came into effect in May 2015 “

along with a revised Reasonable managers and it also ensures they have
Adjustments Policy after the Force’s

understanding around the subject was found an opportunity to discuss their
to be limited.

Mick Braycotton, secretary of the DCC, requirements at least once a year.
explains: “The RAP provides a record of an

10 federation December 2016/January 2017 www.westmidspolfed.com