YOU AND THE RAF
PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT A level of protection from the demands
of Service life for a limited period by Sqn Ldr Jenny Hone
Occasionally, a crisis in a Serviceperson’s personal life will arise making it more challenging for them to fulfil their Service commitments at the same time as dealing with the problem itself. The RAF recognises that exigencies of the Service can sometimes make resolving personal family crises more difficult.
P
referential Treatment, or PT for short, aims to provide a level of protection from the demands of Service life
for a limited period in order to allow the Serviceperson to deal with the issue. The PT policy is laid down in AP 3392, Volume 2, Leaflet 1555 (held by your unit Personnel Staff ), but the key criteria for assistance are that the Serviceperson’s spouse/ civil partner, dependants or wider family is suffering Serious Illness or Severe Distress (SISD) and that the circumstances should be beyond the individual’s control.
What does PT give me?
Help is at hand at all rank levels when a family member is suffering Serious Ilness or Severe Distress. If Preferential Treatment is awarded, the level of protection that can be granted ranges from:
• Screening from operational deployment, long-term courses or detachments
• Screening from movement (including assignment)
• A change in assignment
What is the First Step? Unfortunately, many fail to ask for help either because they don’t know help is available, they are too proud to ask, or they are concerned about career consequences. A Serviceperson who has a personal family issue which conflicts with their ability to provide support at the same time as performing their Service duties, is urged to seek help and advice from their line manager, unit personnel or unit welfare staff (SSAFA or Padre) as soon as possible. Unit personnel and welfare staff,
36 Envoy Winter 2011
in particular, are ably qualified to signpost or provide advice on what to do next.
Don’t Leave it Too Late… Once the Service is aware that a problem exists, they can act quickly to provide lower level support such as compassionate leave, flexible local working arrangements, temporary duty, a last tour of duty application or help from local support staffs. Often, early intervention minimises the stress on the family unit and avoids the requirement for formal PT.
How Do I Apply?
If alternative mechanisms to assist have been exhausted and it is decided that family circumstances necessitate PT, the Serviceperson will be required to complete the application form in the Leaflet detailing the problem together with what level of screening they require.
Unit Personnel Staff are on hand to provide detailed advice on the
Who Decides? The CAT, comprising of at least two permanent board members – both experienced Personnel staff – based at Headquarters Air Command will consider each application for PT on an individual basis. Specific areas that are assessed are:
• Whether there is sufficient evidence to support the case
www.raf-ff.org.uk
submission of PT applications but having received this advice, the final decision to proceed rests with the individual Serviceperson. The Unit Personnel staff will fully investigate the case and they will guide the Serviceperson in obtaining professional welfare or medical supporting evidence if they have not already done so. The individual’s unit will make a final recommendation and the application will be forwarded to the Compassionate Appeals Tribunal (CAT). All cases for PT are submitted to the CAT regardless of whether it is supported by the unit.
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