The British Medical Association Local Medical Committee Conference, which represents GPs,  has voted unanimously to end the notorious Work Capability Assessment with immediate effect.

In a crushing blow to Iain Duncan Smith’s welfare reforms a motion was passed stating:

That conference, in respect of work capability assessments (WCA) as performed by ATOS Healthcare, believes that the:

(i) inadequate computer based assessments that are used have little regard to the nature or complexity of the needs of long term sick and disabled persons

(ii) WCA should end with immediate effect and be replaced with a rigorous and safe system that does not cause avoidable harm to some of the weakest and most vulnerable in society.

This follows on from the recent vote by Scottish GPs calling for an end to degrading tests for sickness and disability benefits which have driven thousands into poverty, ill health and even suicide.

This results has come on the back of some heroic lobbying carried out by disabled activists and in particular the Black Triangle Campaign in Defence of Disability Rights, who will be issuing a statement later today.

Atos kills, and today’s vote shows that GPs have recognised that this inhumane policy needs to be abandoned immediately.

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