Fit for work assessments fail the grade
Fit for work assessments fail the grade
More than four out of every 10 fit for work tests were of the lowest standard, the government has admitted. The government's Work Capability Assessments, conducted by the private firm Atos Healthcare, have been criticised consistently since their introduction (Risks 516), with unions and disability organisations saying they are frequently wrong, unfair (Risks 583) and distressing for those being tested (Risks 604). Employers too have been critical (Risks 610). The company's assessments are used to gauge eligibility for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Incapacity Benefit. Now minister for employment Mark Hoban has said Atos Healthcare has been told to put in place a 'quality improvement plan' following a DWP audit that found 41 per cent of reports following medical assessments were in the bottom 'C' grade. Disability charity Scope chief executive Richard Hawkes said it was 'strikingly clear to disabled people that the whole £112 million per year system is broken. The cost of appeals has skyrocketed, assessors have resigned in disgust and the test has received criticism from the public accounts committee and National Audit Office. The government needs to deliver a test that is fit for purpose.' He added: 'Most disabled people want to work but they face significant barriers, such as a lack of skills and experience, confidence and even negative attitudes from some employers. The work capability assessment ignores all this. It's a tick-box test of someone's medical condition.'
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