Post by Banjo on Dec 2, 2013 8:13:05 GMT 7
Work Capability Assessment
From Wikipedia
Following the implementation of two Acts of Parliament in the United Kingdom - the Welfare Reform Act 2007, followed by the Welfare Reform Act 2012 - welfare benefits paid to people with disabilities in the United Kingdom are subject to assessments to determine claimants' level of disability and ability to work. These assessments are conducted by the health division of the UK branch of the multinational company Atos, which is commonly known as Atos Healthcare. The assessments themselves are known within the UK as a work capability assessment, or WCA.
On 22 May 2013, a landmark decision by the courts in a judicial review brought by two individuals with mental health problems ruled that the Work Capability Assessments conducted by Atos were not fit for purpose, and that they substantially disadvantage people with mental health conditions.[27] Despite the ruling's self-evident importance, the decision had a similar lack of real-world effect as it did not halt or even slow down the WCA assessment process; Atos seems to have ignored the judgement and its implications.
Figures
A government study published in 2012 found that one-half of the people identified as "fit for work" by Atos Healthcare's Work Capability Assessment on behalf of the Department of Work and Pensions in the UK, remained unemployed and without income.
In 2012, 43 complaints against Atos doctors and nurses were being investigated by the General Medical Council or Nursing and Midwifery Council. Criticism has been directed at Atos over the ability of its staff to deal with complex mental health problems and conditions whose symptoms vary with time. In August 2012, Atos Healthcare claimed they had appointed 60 Mental Function Champions to provide additional training.
Dangerous conclusions and deaths
Government statistics reveal that between January 2010 and January 2011, 10,600 sick and disabled people people died within six weeks of their benefits having been ended.[36] Government statistics also revealed that in terms of those who had been found 'fit for work' in particular, 1300 of those people died shortly after being declared fit for work by Atos. Atos and the UK Government have usually responded to the 10,600 figure by questioning its authenticity, but its advocates vehemently defend the number's accuracy and allege that if anything, the number is not less but more, as the figure keeps increasing through to the present day. In mid-January 2012, there was a significant scandal as media were alerted to the fact that Atos had found a man in a coma to be 'fit for work'.
Atos assessors have found patients with brain damage, terminal cancer, severe multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's Disease to be fit for work. On 24 April 2013, a woman who was a double heart and lung transplant patient died in her hospital bed only days after she was told, after assessment by Atos, that her allowance was being stopped and that she was fit for work.
In August 2011, twelve doctors working for Atos as disability assessors were placed under investigation by the General Medical Council because of allegations of misconduct in relation to their duty of care to patients.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work_Capability_Assessment
I've cut a lot of this article out, interesting reading.
From Wikipedia
Following the implementation of two Acts of Parliament in the United Kingdom - the Welfare Reform Act 2007, followed by the Welfare Reform Act 2012 - welfare benefits paid to people with disabilities in the United Kingdom are subject to assessments to determine claimants' level of disability and ability to work. These assessments are conducted by the health division of the UK branch of the multinational company Atos, which is commonly known as Atos Healthcare. The assessments themselves are known within the UK as a work capability assessment, or WCA.
On 22 May 2013, a landmark decision by the courts in a judicial review brought by two individuals with mental health problems ruled that the Work Capability Assessments conducted by Atos were not fit for purpose, and that they substantially disadvantage people with mental health conditions.[27] Despite the ruling's self-evident importance, the decision had a similar lack of real-world effect as it did not halt or even slow down the WCA assessment process; Atos seems to have ignored the judgement and its implications.
Figures
A government study published in 2012 found that one-half of the people identified as "fit for work" by Atos Healthcare's Work Capability Assessment on behalf of the Department of Work and Pensions in the UK, remained unemployed and without income.
In 2012, 43 complaints against Atos doctors and nurses were being investigated by the General Medical Council or Nursing and Midwifery Council. Criticism has been directed at Atos over the ability of its staff to deal with complex mental health problems and conditions whose symptoms vary with time. In August 2012, Atos Healthcare claimed they had appointed 60 Mental Function Champions to provide additional training.
Dangerous conclusions and deaths
Government statistics reveal that between January 2010 and January 2011, 10,600 sick and disabled people people died within six weeks of their benefits having been ended.[36] Government statistics also revealed that in terms of those who had been found 'fit for work' in particular, 1300 of those people died shortly after being declared fit for work by Atos. Atos and the UK Government have usually responded to the 10,600 figure by questioning its authenticity, but its advocates vehemently defend the number's accuracy and allege that if anything, the number is not less but more, as the figure keeps increasing through to the present day. In mid-January 2012, there was a significant scandal as media were alerted to the fact that Atos had found a man in a coma to be 'fit for work'.
Atos assessors have found patients with brain damage, terminal cancer, severe multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's Disease to be fit for work. On 24 April 2013, a woman who was a double heart and lung transplant patient died in her hospital bed only days after she was told, after assessment by Atos, that her allowance was being stopped and that she was fit for work.
In August 2011, twelve doctors working for Atos as disability assessors were placed under investigation by the General Medical Council because of allegations of misconduct in relation to their duty of care to patients.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work_Capability_Assessment
I've cut a lot of this article out, interesting reading.