Healthcare reform causes confusion: Who will conduct psychological assessments of police officers

A working consultation meeting was held in mid-September at the Health Care Institute for MUP KS employees, along with representatives from OSA, the Ministry of Security of BiH, FMUP, FUP, DKPT, MUP KS, the BiH Border Police, the Ministry of Justice of BiH-Court Police, the FBiH Court Police, the FMUP Police Union, and the MUP KS Police Union, to discuss the problems arising in the implementation of healthcare reform, as police officers are being treated like all other individuals in terms of healthcare, reports Patria agency.

Police service requires the establishment of specific health conditions, with a particular emphasis on psychological assessment. It was highlighted that the reform could cause more harm than good, and it is necessary to adopt regulations for checking the psychophysical abilities of candidates for employment as well as current employees in police structures.

What the healthcare reform envisages is that the healthcare of police officers be entrusted to occupational medicine, which the Health Care Institute for MUP KS employees considers risky, given that each police officer's file needs to be protected due to the specifics of the job.

All participants of the meeting agreed that the protection of personal and other data is necessary.

It was concluded that a meeting should be held as soon as possible with the Minister of Health of KS, Zilha Ademaj, the Prime Minister of KS, Elmedin Konaković, and the Minister of Health of FBiH, Vjekoslav Mandić, to explain all the consequences that could arise if this Institute is abolished by the ongoing healthcare reform.

The participants of the meeting are particularly concerned about the possible misuse of data held by this healthcare institution.

- There is a great risk. Such a service must be independent, as the goal is to ensure reliable, efficient, and safe psycho-social and health protection, because the service is provided to individuals with special authorizations. This refers to the fact that these are individuals who have permission to carry and use weapons daily – says our source.

In the countries of the region, this system is more aligned with the health sector, and in European countries such as Germany, Switzerland, France, etc., special sectors designated as Health Human have been established within police agencies, where doctors are police officers.

- This system has proven to be very effective. In our country, it should be done differently, as we have multiple police agencies, but it can be done better than the existing system and function properly. The way it is proposed is insufficient and unsustainable – adds our source.

Police in BiH must not be left without healthcare that will be provided to them under specific conditions where their records are safe and protected from the public.

- Imagine an OSA agent whose file is in family medicine, and to which all employees of that health center have access? I don't understand how someone envisioned that – adds our source.

Incidentally, this Institute holds the key when it comes to the employment of new police officers.

- They are the ones who assess the health and psychological condition of a person who will carry a weapon every day in the future and have special authorizations. The doctors of this Institute also have psycho-profiles of all police officers, which are classified data – adds our source.