All information may be accessed for non-commercial use on the strict understanding that any quotes from my research will acknowledge the copyright as that of the author: Mo Stewart.
By Mrs S... - disabled veteran - 5 December 2011
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Two years of detailed research has drawn to a natural conclusion with the exposure of two memorandums by Unum Provident Insurance, to the Work & Pensions Select committee, dated 2002 and 2006.
Whilst government rhetoric continues to suggest concern for people left on disability benefit for years, and the 'opportunities' available for the long-term sick and disabled population once removed from long-term benefit and directed into work, detailed evidence from the President of the Appeal Tribunals and all the national welfare charities have been consistently overlooked by successive governments. These planned welfare reforms are mainly a cost cutting initiative, by successive governments since 1994, as the UK moves ever closer to the American style healthcare system funded by insurance.
Unum Provident Insurance, now known as Unum Insurance following yet another name change, have a notorious reputation in the US and were identified as "an outlaw company" in 2005 and, by 2007, they were identified as the 2nd worst insurance company in the entire United States. This then begs the obvious question as to why the UK government have been in partnership with this discredited corporate giant since 1994?
The evidence exposed within this research is cause for serious concern.
The promotion of an unelected government adviser to ministerial office, with apparent unlimited authority to destroy the UK welfare service whilst masquerading as reform, should be challenged when the Minister's experience is in finance, not welfare.
The only priority is a cost reduction, with no concern for the stress and distress caused using an assessment system that's identified as being unfit for purpose, and with the latest proposal to remove benefits from claimants if they choose to challenge the Atos medical assessment via the appeals service. Given that the appeals service is close to collapse, with claimants waiting up to 12 months for an appeal, the latest suggestion is that benefit will be removed until after the appeal decision.
This latest threat is used by an unelected government Minister, as a form of intimidation against the most vulnerable in society, to guarantee a reduction in the numbers of appeals that generate a 70% success rate when the claimant has representation. How much more evidence is needed before the assessment system, funded at a cost of £100million per annum, is confirmed as being totally compromised and unacceptable? Yet, the Atos contract has just been extended for three years…..
The identified medical tyranny of the totally compromised medical assessment system, as conducted by Atos Healthcare, will now be supported by enforced poverty to dramatically increase the fear and anxiety of all chronically sick and permanently disabled people who are at the mercy of the State when forced to depend on welfare payments.
Why is this tyranny permitted in 21st Century UK?
Mrs S..., Retired healthcare professional
5th December 2011
Unum submissions to the UK Parliament Work and Pensions Select Committee.
Unum in 2002 (www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200203/cmselect/cmworpen/401/3021203.htm)
Unum in 2006 (www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmselect/cmworpen/616/616we37.htm)
More extracts and other submissions are available here(www.whywaitforever.com/dwpatosbusinessunum.html#wapcom).