Reasonable adjustments panel (RAP)

The aim of the West Midlands Police’s (WMP) reasonable adjustments panel (RAP) is to:

• ensure line managers are educated on the force’s requirement under The Equality Act 2010
• ensure consistent decision-making
• embed any learning into future force training 

The intended outcomes of the WMP RAP are to:

• improve the quality of reasonable adjustments passports
• increase the usage of reasonable adjustments passports
• improve the quality of feedback from staff associations such as the EnABLE Disability and Carers Network and the Neurodiversity Network
• decrease the number of employment tribunals and grievances related to disability or a failure to provide reasonable adjustments
• improve supervisors and line managers understanding and confidence to proactively implement reasonable adjustments

Background

Feedback from the National Neurodiversity Group identified that most forces do not have a reasonable adjustments policy. The feedback also highlighted that there is inconsistency around decision-making and lack of data, meaning that many forces do not understand the impact of reasonable adjustments. As a result of the feedback, WMP decided to introduce the RAP. 

Planning

The head of human resources (HR) consulted with:

• Occupational health
• EnABLE Disability and Carers Network
• Neurodiversity Network
• College of Policing

The purpose of the consultation was to support the creation of a panel where individuals who have a disability, long-term physical or mental health condition, and/or are neurodivergent can request reasonable adjustments. The policy would also support line managers’ understanding on how to effectively implement reasonable adjustments.

Implementation 

In the summer of 2025, the force established a monthly in-person RAP. The panel is chaired by a superintendent or equivalent staff role and includes representation from:

• workforce governance
• recruitment
• HR
• employee relations
• the diversity and inclusion team
• occupational health
• Unite the Union, Unison, or Police Federation (on a case-by-case basis)

For those unable to attend in-person, dial-in options are available. There is an appointed minute-taker to record any decisions, actions and learning, which is shared through the appropriate channels.

The RAP ensures there is force oversight on decision-making and identify opportunities to improve reasonable adjustments within WMP. Broad data patterns such as types of conditions, types of equipment needed, and departments are shared with panel members. This highlights any gaps or areas that require the implementation of reasonable adjustments. 

The RAP has implemented the following changes to WMP:

• Data on reasonable adjustments requests revealed consistent and significant increase in the number of individuals with neurodivergent conditions. The RAP approved the diversity and inclusion team to make a business case for neurodiversity workplace needs assessor training. The training would equip line managers and supervisors with the skills to understand individuals’ needs and making appropriate reasonable adjustments recommendations.
• Feedback from the recruitment team highlighted a lack of knowledge from applicants on the access to work scheme and that more needed to be done attract a diverse range of candidates. Reasonable adjustment data also showed that there was a high number of muscular skeletal conditions requiring extensive display screen equipment. Despite this, finance data revealed there were missed opportunities to receive funding from access to work. In response, the force created a fact sheet on access to work to outline when an individuals can apply for support.
• Force data encouraged the RAP to identify knowledge gaps on how to fill out reasonable adjustment passports. This highlighted the need to train line managers to have the confidence to proactively speak to their staff about adjustments and effectively implement them. The force now run in-person and online upskill sessions for officers, from sergeant to chief inspector rank, to educate individuals on the force’s requirement under The Equality Act 2010 and embed learning around reasonable adjustments.

Each initiative that is decided by RAP is tracked through to competition. If there is a dispute over reasonable adjustments that cannot be resolved at a local level, RAP also acts as the final decision-making body.

There has been no funding required for the development and implementation of WMP RAP. 

• there has been positive feedback from the workforce and staff associations who have welcomed the force’s improved on focus on reasonable adjustments
• force data indicates an improvement in quality of reasonable adjustment passports an increase in the number of successful access to work applications
• a survey was distributed to 119 attendees across two upskill sessions and found that there was an increase in knowledge from 4.93/10 before to 7.86/10 after the session

• It is important to consult with internal stakeholders such as the force’s staff networks. This has enabled the force to make improvements to the initiative during the planning stage.
• The RAP has provided greater consistency across the force and has identified opportunities to improve WMP reasonable adjustment offering. It has been beneficial to have the relevant teams on RAP to make informed decisions on reasonable adjustments.
• During the initial stage of RAP, due to insufficient data it was a challenge to identify opportunities for development. In response, there has been a sustained commitment from the force to record and share data.
• It is recommended that forces complete a data protection risk assessment at the earliest opportunity as reasonable adjustments passports contain sensitive personal information. It is essential to clear with the workforce on how the information should be used and shared.