New Arrangements for Selected Medical Practitioner Services
The Northern Ireland Policing Board (NIPB) has put in place new arrangements for the provision of Selected Medical Practitioner (SMP) services for the Board to fulfil its statutory responsibility for administering applications from current and former police officers for ill health retirement and injury awards set out in the Regulations. The Board has appointed Occupational Health Practitioners to act as the SMP whose role is to conduct all medical assessments in respect of ill health and injury on duty award applications.
This approved list (below) of SMPs will be continually maintained and published on the Board's website. From this list former and serving officers can select who they wish to undertake their assessment, provided that they have not been assessed and/or treated by that SMP within 2 years.
All assessment appointments will take place in specifically designed facilities at the Board’s premises in the James House, The Gasworks, Belfast (you can access a location map here. Appointments under these new arrangements will commence in November 2016. NIPB Police Pensions and Injuries Benefits Branch will write to former and serving officers who have applied for ill health retirement and /or injury awards, requesting that they select three doctors from the SMP list who they wish to undertake their assessment and complete a new consent form (SMP2). An applicant may not select an SMP for their list, if they have been assessed and/or treated by that SMP within 2 years.
On receipt of this information by the NIPB Police Pensions and Injuries Benefits Branch, an assessment will be scheduled for you with one of your chosen SMPs to act in your assessment on the next available appointment.
As part of these new arrangements all files and related materials held by the former SMP contractor have been transferred and are held securely in accordance with our obligations under Data Protection Act.
For further information on any aspect of the scheme please contact Police Pensions and Injuries Benefits Branch on 02890 408500.
Selected Medical Practitioner (SMP) Approved List
Dr David Hamilton MB BCh BAO MRCGP MSc (OccMed) DFOM DCH DRCOG
GMC Number 3337093
Graduated in medicine from QUB in 1989. Trained initially in General Practice and then started working in Occupational Medicine 15 years ago. Experience of working for NHS, local government and in private occupational medicine.
Dr Bill Humphries AFOM, MRCGP, FIA
GMC Number 4301585
Graduated in Medicine from QUB in 1996. Trained initially in General Practice and then started working in Occupational Health. Has 18 years experience in Occupational Health in the Emergency Services.