Friend Of Possible Medical Discharge - Public Servant (qld)

[ptsdfriend]

Hi all, I have a close friend who is suffering with ptsd from working within the police force in queensland- I am seeking any information to help her understand her position as the process of not knowing what will happen isn’t helping. I don’t feel she will be able to return to work as it is a trigger for her and feel she may be medically retired. As a middle age woman with a family this is obviously a daunting situation for anyone to see their career come to an end. she is on leave currently and has been for a few months – any ideas on what happens from this point?

Regards partner_of_ptsd

 

[DharmaGirl]

What do you mean what happens? Do you mean emotionally for her? How to get medically retired? I'm not sure. I was medically retired at age 53 and it was devastating for me.

 

[friendofptsd]

HI Dharmagirl

at this stage she has been on leave with payments for the past 7 weeks with a medical certificate, doctor & psych appointments often. I am looking to help her with her financial situation as she is unable to return to the workplace as it is a trigger (she cannot even look at her uniform) she had been working in the policeforce for almost a decade. I am trying to find out what financial support she may be able to have during this time as ofcourse her health and mental wellbeing are the most important thing for her right now. im just trying to help where I can with the processes she will need to go through. we are based in Australia so I think she will be going through workcover or superannuation?

I believe she will be medically retired before the age of 40 based on the workplace being the trigger.

 

[Sighs]

I expect the QPS have their own process but my understanding is that it will come down to whether a medical professional certifies that she is:
a) unable to work at her former job in the police force; or
b) unable to work in any capacity in the police force; or
c) unable to work in any capacity at all.

Depending on that assessment she may be eligible for a QPS pension, or stuck with a Centrelink DSP or looking for new work.

Dr Andrew Khoo at Toowong Private Hospital does a lot of work with PTSD.

 

[friendofptsd]

Thankyou Sighs, appreciate your response. I feel she may seek some advice from a solicitor on what to do from here it does seem to be one of those topics that can take years to find the support emotionally & financially to come to a point of stability. She has informed me this is not the first time she has taken leave for this kind of thing so I get it is called a pre-exsisting condition in the eyes of workcover. tried to return but again after some time had just got to the point where it was all to much. I have tried to research the topic but mostly ptsd police cases in nsw come up.