Press Articles from 2009

Government climbs down on private NHS clinics.

... The Department of Health said it became clear that Atos Origin, a private firm supplying the NHS with diagnostic services in north-west and south-west England, was "not in a position to meet" the terms of its contract....

by David Batty and agencies, 25 July 2007.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2007/jul/25/health.medicineandhealth

James Purnell's reforms of incapacity benefit are inspired by a US company with vested interests and a murky record. Now, that's really sick

The work and pensions secretary, James Purnell, announced that all incapacity benefit claimants will face the new work capability assessment...

...In fact, welfare reform has been for some time a key battleground to outflank Cameron, by playing tough to the tabloids. In the process, the welfare state is being transformed by marketisation...

...In fact, the origin of active welfare - the idea that the poor are the cause of their own poverty because they fail to take advantage of the opportunities "available" to them - lies in the American right. For those who play by the rules, says Purnell, there is a world of opportunity. But for those who don't, "there will be clear consequences from their behaviour"...

...Unum has built up its influence in Britain... This is the company that has played a leading role in shaping welfare reform in Britain. It has promoted the ideas behind the new work capability assessment. The more stringent the assessment, the more people fail it or fear failing it, and so the larger the potential market in private disability insurance. Fifty per cent of IB appeals against the refusal of claims found in favour of the claimant. In eighty per cent of these, the problem was poor assessment of mental health problems.

by Jonathan Rutherford, The Guardian, 17 March 2008.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/mar/17/epluribusunum

Insensitive treatment of dying claimant raises fears over new benefit.

by Peter Beresford, The Guardian, 10 March 2009.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/joepublic/2009/mar/10/social-exclusion-benefits

The welfare reform bill's hour of need. This bill fails people with mental illness. We urgently need an amendment to protect the vulnerable

by Jonathan Rutherford, The Guardian, 22 June 2009

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jun/22/welfare-reform-bill-mental-health

Blame the unemployed for unemployment. This is the basic principle behind New Labour's proposals to reform welfare benefits. Failure to find employment is no longer the result of labour market conditions or health barriers to work, but rather a motivational failure on the part of the unemployed.

By Leanne Wood A.M, Cambria Politico, October 2009

http://cambriapolitico.com/2009/10/fair-unfair-and-workfare/

People with autism 'condemnded to poverty'

By Jeremy Laurance, The Independent Health Editor, 12 October 209

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/people-with-autism-condemnded-to-poverty-1801645.html

Two-thirds applying for new sickness benefit are refused claims.

By Patrick Wintour, The Guardian Political Editor, 13 October 209

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/oct/13/sickness-benefit-refused

Testing times for disabled people. The new eligibility test for people on sickness benefit will only intensify the massive disadvantage faced by disabled people.

By Guy Parckar, The Guardian, 14 October 209

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/oct/14/disabled-people-sickness-benefit

Just one in 20 sickness benefit applicants 'permanently unable to work'. Just one in 20 people applying for disability benefit are permanently unable to work, according to official statistics.

By Kate Devlin, The Telegraph Medical Correspondent, 14 October 2009

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/6318325/Just-one-in-20-sickness-benefit-applicants-permanently-unable-to-work.html

Failing the incapacity test. As an inner-city GP I am beginning to see first-hand the heavy-handedness of this new policy. Patients with mental illness seem to be particularly affected.

The Guardian, 16 October 2009

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/oct/16/incapacity-benefit-autism-mental-illness

A new look at welfare. It's time to replace our market-driven approach to welfare with a return to universality, equality and good living... The 1834 Poor Law Reform Act divided the poor into helpless paupers to be confined to the workhouse, and free labourers who must earn their living by working for a wage.

By Jonathan Rutherford, The Guardian, 19 October 2009

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/oct/19/welfare-tuc-community-values

Second thoughts. Disallowing disability benefit hasn't worked,.

By Alan Marsh, The Guardian, 21 October 2009

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/joepublic/2009/oct/21/disability-benefit-second-thoughts

Aiming at the wrong target. Means-test welfare reform is a costly waste.

by Peter Beresford, The Guardian, 28 October 2009.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/oct/28/means-test-welfare-benefits

Bending the rules. Critics of new medical tests aimed at getting claimants off benefits and into work say they are target-driven measures that penalise genuinely ill people.

by Melissa Viney, The Guardian, 28 October 2009.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/oct/28/work-capability-assessment-incapacity-benefits

Jobless to be offered 'talking treatment' to help put Britain back to work. Jobcentres will bypass doctors to refer claimants for cognitive behaviour therapy at up to 300 centres.... The government's adviser on these issues, Lord Layard, believes that a short course of CBT delivered by a therapist with only basic training is all that is required to cure a substantial proportion of those out of work because of depression or mental health problems.

by Allegra Stratton, The Guardian Political Correspondent, 4 December 2009.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/dec/04/jobless-therapy-talking-cbt-unemployment

Cancer patients forced to undergo "cruel" interviews. Seriously ill cancer patients are being forced to undergo "cruel" back-to-work interviews despite the fact they should be exempt, charities warned today.

The Telegraph, 6 December 2009

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/6743920/Cancer-patients-forced-to-undergo-cruel-interviews.html

'Tis the season ... Christmas communication from the Department for Work and Pensions. The season of goodwill is again upon us. But even in this festive season, the Department for Work and Pensions' paranoid view of claimants as forever on the take, still seems to rule.

by Peter Beresford, The Guardian, 23 December 2009.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/joepublic/2009/dec/23/department-work-pensions-christmas