DR GREG WOOD resigned from Atos in May after working as an assessor for the French firm for two-and-a-half years. He said said the system was “skewered against the claimant”.
TORY axe-man Iain Duncan Smith has been slammed for ignoring the warnings of a whistle-blower who quit Atos in protest at controversial welfare tests.
Labour’s Tom Greatrex hit out at the “woefully inadequate” response from the Work and Pensions Secretary about the concerns of Dr Greg Wood.
Dr Wood resigned from Atos in May after working as an assessor for the French firm for two-and-a-half years.
Atos has faced fierce criticism from disability campaigners for the work capability assessments (WCAs) it carries out on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
And Wood, a former Royal Navy doctor, said the system was “skewered against the claimant”.
He claimed a number of the tests were staged in such a way as to find people fit for work and excuse cutting their benefits.
Rutherglen and Hamilton West MP Greatrex has been campaigning against the tests and wrote to Prime Minister David Cameron to highlight Dr Wood’s concerns.
His response came from Duncan Smith - and made no reference to the specific allegations.
The letter said: “The DWP takes all complaints about its suppliers and the services the provide very seriously.
“We continue to monitor the delivery of service and the quality of those services ... and where there is cause for concern raise this with the supplier.”
But Greatrex said the response was unacceptable as it failed to address Dr Wood’s concerns about Atos.
“The response from Iain Duncan Smith was woefully inadequate,” he said.
“First he says he wants to improve the situation but then he blatantly ignores specific and concrete allegations made by a doctor who was working for Atos until very recently.
“Iain Duncan Smith should launch a full investigation into this complaint immediately.”
Atos Healthcare has stressed it submits “clinically justified reports” and completely rejects Dr Wood’s claims.
Daily Record
