The December edition of Touchbase (http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/dwp/touchbase/2005/touchbase41.pdf) reports that Corporate Medical Services have approved the use of Healthcare Professionals (HCPs) for incapacity assessment. It states that "Customers will see no difference in service as each HCP or doctor will be qualified for the job ...". This implies that the HCPs are NOT doctors.

Reg.8(1) of the Incapacity for Work Regs. states that a claimant may be called for medical examination, by or on behalf of "a doctor approved by the Secretary of State". "Doctor" is further interpreted as a "registered medical practitioner".

Is this proposal lawful?

Hi Ruth,

I think the use of Atos Origin's own occupational health nurses will be for DLA & AA medicals only and will probably only happen in Bootle and Manchester to begin with, where the new computerised - points mean prizes - DLA decision making software is also being piloted. It's likely that the nurses will only be used on claimants who agree to come to a Medical Assessment Centre for their DLA or AA medical as the nurses will need access to a computer to tell them how to carry out the assessment.

Expect to see a proposal to change the law to allow the use of nurses for IB assessments next year, however.

Steve

we'd published info on this in rightsnet news in october -

'Atos Origin has reviewed the trend of both General Practices and hospitals to complement the use of doctors with other Healthcare Professionals (HCPs) such as nurses.

Under current legislation, only doctors may undertake IB examinations.

The CMG has, however, agreed that Atos Origin may pilot the use of suitably qualified and trained HCPs in other benefit areas – provided that they follow appropriate EBM protocols and are supported by LiMA.

The piloting of HCPs will begin early in 2006, and planning is already underway.

Initially, HCPs will come from Atos Origin’s Occupational Health business, and they will bring practical experience with them to help set up of our HCP resource pool. Customers will see no difference in service as each HCP or doctor will be qualified for the job, follow EBM protocols, and be supported by LiMA.'

What worries me is what medical qualifications will these healthcare professionals have?
If they are not doctors then we will have a field day (again) getting decisions overturned at Tribunal's using evidence from the client's GP.

All at more cost to the public purse