Exactly. I dance to no one's tune but my own, and after 7 years of it I'm probably unemployable anyway. First prat I meet ill doubtless lose my rag, call them a canute, and be shown the door, so I'm doing the workplace a favour my staying away from it.
But there's a double irony. Having lost some of the function in my right arm and hand as a result of being assaulted while doing my job the farce were happy to leave me in hi tec crime, where my disability made no difference.
But the government appointed Tom Winsor as HMIC and he recommended that "unfit" officers should be docked 10% of their salary, the so called x factor, to encourage them back to fitness.
Well, I'd already had three surgeries and had been told that's it, thats the best you're getting, so the prat could could make as many threats as he wants, there would be no improvement.
So I reluctantly went on a medical. I didn't want to, but wasn't hanging about to risk being f**** over financially. So I bought a few more "years" and went with full pension. On top of that I went through the legal process and sued for an injury award, and was awarded Band 3 (50-75% disability for the purposes of the role of a constable.) That award is more or less 150% of the pension itself and is untaxed, so Tom Winsors effort to save the country money by getting rid of what he sees as malingerers actually cost the government a fortune as injured officers like myself took them to the cleaners.
So having pulled the pants down of brave officers who had been injured protecting the public, many of them QPM holders for gallantry, and costing the country a fortune in the process, he was rewarded with a knighthood!
So when the powers that be talk about getting the missing working age folk back to the workplace I invite them to kiss my arriss, because if it weren't for them I'd never have left it in the first place.
