AN investigation into the women's death, carried out by the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland, found a lack of sensitivity to the impact benefit cuts could have on peoples' lives.
A HIGHLY critical report by a public watchdog has called for changes
to the government’s fitness to work assessments after a woman killed
herself following cuts to her benefits.
The findings of an investigation into the tragic case found important shortcomings in the tests and a lack of sensitivity to the impact they could have on peoples’ lives.
In the 39-page report, published yesterday the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland, which carried out the investigation, made 13 recommendations it believed would improve the system.
They included a key measure that an applicant’s medical reports should be obtained to assess a claim for individuals with a mental illness or learning disability – a practice which is not currently routine.
Dr Donald Lyons, chief executive of the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland, said the findings of the investigation indicated the current assessment process was “flawed” and “unreliable”.
“I don’t think there is enough understanding of the momentous impact these assessments can have,” he said.
“There was nothing else going on in this woman’s life that we could identify [as to why she took her own life]. She was engaged, she was looking forward to getting married. The only thing that was going on was the benefit assessment.”
He added: “I think the DWP should reflect on this case and learn from it. It does suggest, that certainly, with regard to people with mental health problems, the assessment process is flawed and unreliable.”
The report will put further pressure on Prime Minister David Cameron to review the assessment process which has been previously criticised for dealing harshly with the sick and disabled.
The commission’s report said the former officer worker and mother-of-one, referred to as Ms DE, lived in Scotland and was in her early fifties. She had suffered from depression for 20 years and was under the care of a consultant psychiatrist and a GP.
She was a regular church-goer and had worked for most of her life but had given up her job a few years earlier when her illness deteriorated.
Despite her condition, she had no history of self-harm and had not previously tried to commit suicide.
She was found dead on Hogmanay 2011 after taking an overdose fearing she would be unable to pay her mortgage because of a substantial drop in income following changes to her benefits.
The DWP’s work capability assessment – the test carried out to see if someone is fit to work – found she was able to return to work and she was told she would move from £94.25 a week incapacity benefit to £67.50 jobseeker’s allowance. The face to face interview was carried out by the outsourcing company Atos Healthcare – which has been at the centre of criticism over the tests.
Ms DE’s best friend and doctors told the inquiry she had been highly distressed and was plunged into crisis when she received the letter informing her of the change.
Under the assessment process Atos was not required to seek further information from the woman’s GP or consultant – both of whom believed she was not well enough to return to work.
Dr Lyons said: “One of the most concerning aspects in the case was that the only information the decision maker had to go on was the work capability assessment and everything we found in this case points to this not being a reliable indication of someone’s ability to work.
“In this case there was no report from the patient herself, no letters from her GP or her psychiatrist.”
Politicians said last night the case demonstrated the work capability assessment should be scrapped and a “more humane” system introduced.
Labour MSP Jackie Baillie, shadow social justice minister, said: “This case is heart-wrenching. It shows just how broken the benefits assessment system is under Tory reforms.
“It is imperative the Tory/Lib Dem government scrap these changes and ensure any replacement treats people with disabilities with dignity and respect.”
The SNP’s Linda Fabiani MSP, a member of Holyrood’s welfare reform committee, added: “This is an absolutely tragic case which unfortunately highlights the wider issues with the DWP’s attitude towards benefits claimants.
“The DWP’s work capability assessment process is simply not fit for purpose and must be immediately reformed.”
Read more...
The findings of an investigation into the tragic case found important shortcomings in the tests and a lack of sensitivity to the impact they could have on peoples’ lives.
In the 39-page report, published yesterday the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland, which carried out the investigation, made 13 recommendations it believed would improve the system.
They included a key measure that an applicant’s medical reports should be obtained to assess a claim for individuals with a mental illness or learning disability – a practice which is not currently routine.
Dr Donald Lyons, chief executive of the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland, said the findings of the investigation indicated the current assessment process was “flawed” and “unreliable”.
“I don’t think there is enough understanding of the momentous impact these assessments can have,” he said.
“There was nothing else going on in this woman’s life that we could identify [as to why she took her own life]. She was engaged, she was looking forward to getting married. The only thing that was going on was the benefit assessment.”
He added: “I think the DWP should reflect on this case and learn from it. It does suggest, that certainly, with regard to people with mental health problems, the assessment process is flawed and unreliable.”
The report will put further pressure on Prime Minister David Cameron to review the assessment process which has been previously criticised for dealing harshly with the sick and disabled.
The commission’s report said the former officer worker and mother-of-one, referred to as Ms DE, lived in Scotland and was in her early fifties. She had suffered from depression for 20 years and was under the care of a consultant psychiatrist and a GP.
She was a regular church-goer and had worked for most of her life but had given up her job a few years earlier when her illness deteriorated.
Despite her condition, she had no history of self-harm and had not previously tried to commit suicide.
She was found dead on Hogmanay 2011 after taking an overdose fearing she would be unable to pay her mortgage because of a substantial drop in income following changes to her benefits.
The DWP’s work capability assessment – the test carried out to see if someone is fit to work – found she was able to return to work and she was told she would move from £94.25 a week incapacity benefit to £67.50 jobseeker’s allowance. The face to face interview was carried out by the outsourcing company Atos Healthcare – which has been at the centre of criticism over the tests.
Ms DE’s best friend and doctors told the inquiry she had been highly distressed and was plunged into crisis when she received the letter informing her of the change.
Under the assessment process Atos was not required to seek further information from the woman’s GP or consultant – both of whom believed she was not well enough to return to work.
Dr Lyons said: “One of the most concerning aspects in the case was that the only information the decision maker had to go on was the work capability assessment and everything we found in this case points to this not being a reliable indication of someone’s ability to work.
“In this case there was no report from the patient herself, no letters from her GP or her psychiatrist.”
Politicians said last night the case demonstrated the work capability assessment should be scrapped and a “more humane” system introduced.
Labour MSP Jackie Baillie, shadow social justice minister, said: “This case is heart-wrenching. It shows just how broken the benefits assessment system is under Tory reforms.
“It is imperative the Tory/Lib Dem government scrap these changes and ensure any replacement treats people with disabilities with dignity and respect.”
The SNP’s Linda Fabiani MSP, a member of Holyrood’s welfare reform committee, added: “This is an absolutely tragic case which unfortunately highlights the wider issues with the DWP’s attitude towards benefits claimants.
“The DWP’s work capability assessment process is simply not fit for purpose and must be immediately reformed.”
Read more...
