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WCA II independent review published
“My first review found that the WCA is the right concept, but that each part of the process was not working as well as it could or should. Since my last review the process has started giving people a more tailored and personal service.”
“We are committed to helping thousands of people move from benefits and back into work.”
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/newsroom/press-releases/2011/nov-2011/dwp131-11.shtml
review document here http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/wca-review-2011.pdf
“My first review found that the WCA is the right concept, but that each part of the process was not working as well as it could or should….
“I’m playing all the right notes—but not necessarily in the right order.” - Eric Morecambe.
[“I’m playing all the right notes—but not necessarily in the right order.” - Eric Morecambe.[/quote]
Perhaps a descriptor concerning claimants short fat hairy legs may shortly be introduced!
And Harrington was amazed (unlike any WRO) that unessessary appeals were costing £50m p.a. Me thinks he is inhabiting some parallel positively charged universe which at the end of its five year orbit will have made the WCA almost perfect.
review document here http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/wca-review-2011.pdf
Hell’s bells. What improvements are these, then? Wouldn’t we have noticed if Atos was performing better? Still, I expected nothing of any value to copme out of this exercise so there’s no call to be too diappointed, I suppose.
We noticed a change for a brief period just after the Harrington report came out last year but I think the DWP took the view that with the extra work caused by the migration from IB they probably would not have the time to go the extra mile, see this news story from earlier in the year
Claimant and DWP staff experiences and views of trial incapacity benefits reassessment
New DWP research report shows staff concerns that ‘going the extra mile’ in decision making process may have to be scaled back for national roll-out
01 June, 2011
The DWP has published a new research report on claimant and staff experiences and views of the trial reassessment of incapacity benefits claimants.
The new report, ‘Trial incapacity benefits reassessment: customer and staff views and experiences’, sets out the findings of research on the trial reassessment of incapacity benefits claimants under the work capability assessment (WCA) carried out in Aberdeen and Burnley from October 2010 in advance of national reassessment in 2011.
Key findings of the report include -
• the system of notifying claimants of the reassessment by letter, with a phone call a week later, was generally well received although some claimants and staff felt that the phone call was too heavily scripted;
• some claimants felt that the ESA50 was an improvement on previous forms they had had to fill in, but commonly felt that the questions asked were repetitive - this may have been because of a tendency for claimants to to complete both the physical and mental health sections of the questionnaire in cases where their impairment was only physical;
• claimants with mental health conditions had concerns about the suitability of the ESA50 for them - many found writing about their condition a difficult or daunting task;
• generally, the assessment with a health care professional (HCP) was seen as less in-depth than previous assessments for incapacity benefits claims and, although some claimants commented positively on the empathy and professionalism of the HCP conducting their assessment, negative reports of the tone, manner or approach of HCPs were reasonably common;
• HCPs interviewed reported that WCAs for reassessment claimants tended to take considerably longer than assessments for new ESA claims - this was felt to be a consequence primarily of claimants having multiple, and/or complex, health conditions, but also because of a need to answer questions about the reassessment process and/or encourage claimants to co-operate;
• overall, the staff view was that decision-making was working well, but there were serious reservations about how scalable trial processes were on a national level - both Jobcentre Plus and Atos Healthcare staff said they were ‘going the extra mile’ in many cases to review cases thoroughly and to acquire additional evidence to inform their decision, but staff felt the time spent chasing further evidence and clarifying the WCA report may have to be scaled back for national roll-out; and
• both Jobcentre Plus staff and HCPs said they often told claimants they could appeal as a means of deflecting negative attitudes towards reassessment: in the context of the face-to-face WCA, HCPs were sometimes trying to ensure co-operation from unwilling claimants within the limited time available for the assessment, and had found that telling claimants that they could appeal if they did not like the outcome was an effective way of achieving this.
DWP Reasearch report 741, Trial incapacity benefits reassessment: customer and staff views and experiences, is available from the DWP website.
There are other issues too. Round here seem to be getting a lot of short notice cancellations for WCA appts. One client attended 4 or 5 times (60 mile round trip changing buses each time) and was sent away on each occasion as Atos staff were off sick (no work related activity taking place presumambly). Complained - taxi was paid for by Atos to compensate.
Another client has been waiting since June to get an appt. Appts cancelled twice (wife took day off work/childcare paid for, etc.). Complaint gone in and MP copied in.