Over the past few weeks, a significant number of constituents have complained to me about their treatment by the company ATOS. As my previous blog stated, it is ATOS that was charged by the last Labour Government to test Work Capability Assessments (WCAs).
The problem is they seem to have been doing this in a way which has been somewhat unsatisfactory. Local residents have told me of inadequate medical checks, maladministration and treatment that is neither dignified nor competent.
I have no problem with welfare reform carried out by the Government, and welcome efforts to help people on incapacity benefit back into work. But that does not mean people should be subject to the humility of undergoing WCAs from a company like ATOS.
This is why, last week, I asked the Government the following:
"Has my right hon. Friend seen my early-day motion 1090?
[That this House notes the Harrington Report, and its criticisms of the French multinational company ATOS, who have a £54 million contract to assess benefit claimants through medical checks; welcomes the Government's agreement with the Harrington Report and its promise to implement the Harrington proposals in full; concludes that ATOS has damaged the public perception of medical assessments, and has also created a serious risk of maladministration of incapacity benefit checks, following the shocking reports on their systems in the national media; further notes frequent complaints in this regard from Harlow constituents and others; and therefore calls on the Government to act swiftly so that medical assessments are more localised, humane and sympathetic.]
Will my right hon. Friend find time for an early debate on the Harrington report and the maladministration of incapacity benefit checks, following the shocking report into the private company ATOS? A number of my Harlow constituents have been maltreated by this company. Does he agree that urgent action is needed?"
To the Government's credit, a report was commissioned into the workings of ATOS, headed by Professor Harrington. The conclusions were damning.
As The Guardian newspaper stated on 23 November:
"Harrington found that the assessments, run by a French multinational, Atos Origin, which received £54m from the coalition government for the contract, failed people with mental illnesses and long-term disabilities. One form which claimants needed to complete ran to 28 pages and almost half "found the questionnaire difficult or impossible to complete". Another problem was that people were characterised by "descriptors" within a computer system that relied on questions apparently unrelated to work. In one instance people were asked whether they had "loaded a dishwasher or washing machine" that day. It does not bother to ask whether the claimant has a dishwasher or washing machine. That is the danger with computer systems and drop-down menus," said Harrington. "We want to rely much more on healthcare professionals and assessments." He pointed out that 40% of those found fit for work by the system appealed and won – and added that 40% of people who went in front of a judge did so with "additional medical information". Harrington called for a radical overhaul, with jobcentre staff having to take into account health records, the Atos assessments and an individual's own testimony before making a decision about whether someone on sickness benefits should be forced back into work. At present staff rarely dissented from Atos's verdict, he said, and "a lack of procedural justice can lead people to feel embittered and for some this can lead to psychological distress with affects on physical and mental health".
The Harrington report, makes a number of recommendations, including having 'lay champions', to mentor those undergoing WCAs.
The Government has said that it will accept the Harrington recommendations in full. This was reflected in the reply of the Sir George Young, Leader of the House of Commons:
To the Government's credit, a report was commissioned into the workings of ATOS, headed by Professor Harrington. The conclusions were damning.
As The Guardian newspaper stated on 23 November:
"Harrington found that the assessments, run by a French multinational, Atos Origin, which received £54m from the coalition government for the contract, failed people with mental illnesses and long-term disabilities. One form which claimants needed to complete ran to 28 pages and almost half "found the questionnaire difficult or impossible to complete". Another problem was that people were characterised by "descriptors" within a computer system that relied on questions apparently unrelated to work. In one instance people were asked whether they had "loaded a dishwasher or washing machine" that day. It does not bother to ask whether the claimant has a dishwasher or washing machine. That is the danger with computer systems and drop-down menus," said Harrington. "We want to rely much more on healthcare professionals and assessments." He pointed out that 40% of those found fit for work by the system appealed and won – and added that 40% of people who went in front of a judge did so with "additional medical information". Harrington called for a radical overhaul, with jobcentre staff having to take into account health records, the Atos assessments and an individual's own testimony before making a decision about whether someone on sickness benefits should be forced back into work. At present staff rarely dissented from Atos's verdict, he said, and "a lack of procedural justice can lead people to feel embittered and for some this can lead to psychological distress with affects on physical and mental health".
The Harrington report, makes a number of recommendations, including having 'lay champions', to mentor those undergoing WCAs.
The Government has said that it will accept the Harrington recommendations in full. This was reflected in the reply of the Sir George Young, Leader of the House of Commons:
"We are grateful to Professor Harrington for publishing his report on the work capacity assessment and we accept all his recommendations. He did indeed find that improvements should be made. He has now started the next stage of the next review. We will improve the medical assessment conducted by ATOS by putting in place champions with additional expertise in mental, cognitive and intellectual conditions".
You can read the full report, and Government response HERE. (The Guardian have a further article about ATOS on THIS weblink).
P.S. My Commons Motion on ATOS, has been signed by MPs from all-parties). You can see who HERE.
