POA Circulars

Please bring the contents of this circular to the attention of all POA members

Please find attached NEC minutes for 12^th January 2022 for your information.

The POA urge members to write to their local MP and ask them to support Grahame Morris MP’s Prisons (Violence) Bill, aka the “Safe Inside Law” which returns to Parliament on 25^th February 2022.

As members are aware the POA Health and Safety Whitley Committee have been campaigning for a menopause policy for members to be produced by HMPPS. HMPPS have now realised they need a policy and work has started on producing it.

As you are aware POA Circular 114/2021 requested expressions of interest to attend the above training. Unfortunately, due to the current Omicron variant and related problems, it has been decided to postpone this training.

Please find attached NEC minutes for 15^th December and Special NEC minutes for the 21^st December 2021 for your information.

The National Executive Committee met on 15th December 2021 to consider their response to the White Paper that had been launched in Parliament and published on the 7th December 2021.

Please find attached NEC minutes for 24^th November and Special NEC minutes for the 9^th December 2021 for your information.

As you are aware the NEC are committed to the continued training and development of local Branch Officials.

The NEC were informed by the Director General Phil Copple on 20th December 2021, that due to the infection rate of Omicron and the risk it posed within our Prisons HMPPS had been advised by UKHSA (United Kingdom Health Security Agency- formerly Public Health England PHE), that it may be necessary to mandate the testing of all HMPPS employees working in our Prisons for Covid.