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WCA Review
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/wca-review-2010.pdf
Prof. Harringtons review has been published
Re: WCA ReviewThanks for posting the link to the DWP website – that is very helpful.
The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign and Trailblazers have endorsed the recommendations to improve the flawed Work Capability Assessment (WCA) – the process used to assess eligibility for the out of work disability benefit – Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), following an independent review carried out by Professor Malcolm Harrington.
Re: WCA ReviewI am risking havoc by saying …. could it be some intelligence and common sense being applied?
I'm always the animal, my body's the cage
I blog about nothingness www.amgroves.com
Re: WCA ReviewFinally some good news on this topic. This does sound a major step forward. Well done Professor Harrington.
I love the section on page 33 where he suggestes a short paragraph should be included with the claimants “personalised justification”. Dare I suggest Neuromuscular conditions might need a long paragraph. It is a positive step towards the acceptance the some people have “rare and complex” conditions like we do.
The TV coverage centred on people with mental afflictions and the report suggests “Mental and Cognitive Champions” in each testing centre. No mention of any Neuromuscular champions though, I hope we are not left behind on this.
I hope this report will be fully adopted and redress the figures for current testing outlined in Alexandra Crampton’s article http://campaignsmd.wordpress.com/2010/10/27/concerns-over-test-for-employment-and-support-allowance/ . This stated that 75 % of applicants were being found “fit for work” as against 37 % on the IB tests. This was more than the governments own estimate that 49 % would be “fit for work”. Obviously the WCA test was too severe or being applied too harshly. Please can Proffessor Harrington’s report be he answer to this ugly set of figures. Pressure must be kept up so that these common sense measures are applied fully. Buzz words / phrases like “Real life context” and “Rare and Complex conditions” must be fully accepted as part of the new testing proceedure. Thank you Malcolm Harrington.
"Even if you are not paranoid, it does not mean they are not out to get you!".
Re: WCA ReviewUnfortunately if you read the report I gave the link to of the ‘Revised’ descriptors ,which come into force March 2011 in time for the mass IB migration to ESA it will be noticed that actually things will get much much worse for very many people indeed.
For from common sense most of the Harrington report is being classified as a ‘whitewash’ and fails to address the issues of the ‘improved’ WCA , after talking to Welfare Rights Officer today on another matter and hearing her opinion of the report and the lulling into a false sense of security by the Charities ‘positive’ responses etc things will only get worse. She is horrified.
The Neuromuscular patients will struggle to pass the new ESA. I have spent weeks now reading various forums, reports etc and reading how our disability problems will be assessed using their favoured word of ‘adaptation’.
Professor Harrington was not looking at the forthcoming harsher test.
ATOS are treating the testing as the Govt. wish, in future even more will be classed as ‘fit for work’
No-one ever mentions disease progression, the affects of ageing and everyday issues that we all deal with in the real world
Re: WCA ReviewThanks for your input mistynow.
I apologise for my optimism. Just been reading the descriptors document you have put a link to. I see what you mean these new tests do look tougher.
Therefore all the more need for there to be pressure for people with Neuromuscular disease to be recognised as having “Rare and Complex” conditions and for the assessments to take note of “real life context”. If there are to be “mental Champions” there should be “Neuromuscular Champions”, or at least people who have heard of the disease.
The 75 % failure rate of the new tests, with those people classed as fit for work is a terrifying statistic. On 2.7 million IB claimants with a 37 % fit for work ratio that is an astounding number who will lose benefit. As we have worked out previously hundreds of thousands of these people will not get the means tested “safety net” of benefits if they have a wage earner in the household or a small amount of assets (6000). They obviously just want to save money and this is a cruel trick to do it. Disabled people are being “set up to fail” these new tests.
"Even if you are not paranoid, it does not mean they are not out to get you!".
Re: WCA Review@taungfox wrote:
Thanks for your input mistynow.
I apologise for my optimism. Just been reading the descriptors document you have put a link to. I see what you mean these new tests do look tougher.
Disabled people are being “set up to fail” these new tests.
Yes I was horrified after ploughing through the documents and trying to understand how it would affect myself.
paraplegia as only a part of my Neuromuscular disorder put me in a wheelchair roughly 10 years ago, at that time I was younger
and able to swing myself around in/out the chair but can no longer do so…ATOS will not recognise deterioration, progression etc, Wheelchairs make you free, ‘adaptation’
Shoulders become painful after self propulsion for 10 years, not allowed for, muscles wear out and become exhausted after a few yards
Notice though they only test using ‘standard manual wheelchairs’
Re: WCA Review@mistynow wrote:
No-one ever mentions disease progression, the affects of ageing and everyday issues that we all deal with in the real world
This is one of the factors that always concerns me. I’m 49 now and I know that my body is no longer as capable as it was 20 years ago. My recent surgery was done in the hope that it might give me another 10 years of independence but I won’t be able to have anymore after this recent procedure on my left foot, well except amputation maybe.
Will I be fit to work by then? I’d like to think so but my body might have other ideas as age and the progressive character of my foot deformities, not to mention the stress of all the surgery that I’ve had, take their toll. Then there’s the Myotonia Congenita to consider, which doesn’t have a dedicated drug treatment and the one drug that does work for me is ceasing production soon. If my neurosurgeon cannot find a viable replacement I will find my mobility seriously impaired through my muscles’ inability to relax after conrtaction.
The future really isn’t very bright is it? In fact if I hear Clegg/Cameron utter “we’re all in it together” I might just invite them to spend one day in my world!! :twisted:
Re: WCA Review@tygertyger wrote:
This is one of the factors that always concerns me. I’m 49 now and I know that my body is no longer as capable as it was 20 years ago. My recent surgery was done in the hope that it might give me another 10 years of independence but I won’t be able to have anymore after this recent procedure on my left foot, well except amputation maybe.
Will I be fit to work by then?
Age causes deterioration also many Neuromuscular Disorders are progressive and are not able to be reversed so the ATOS medical which seems to think we will all be miraculously cured and ‘fit for work’ within a few months is no laughing matter and the alteration in retirement age will cause problems for the future.
The future really isn’t very bright is it? In fact if I hear Clegg/Cameron utter “we’re all in it together” I might just invite them to spend one day in my world!! :twisted:
They would not understand ‘our world’ , “we’re all in it together” yes they are all together, causing maximum suffering to the Disabled financially
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