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| Campaigners warn over incapacity benefit changes | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Government changes to the benefits system are already having a devastating effect on people with mental health problems, campaigners have said. | |
| The group, including charity Mind, strongly criticised the work capability assessment (WCA), which will be used to reassess people on incapacity benefit. | The group, including charity Mind, strongly criticised the work capability assessment (WCA), which will be used to reassess people on incapacity benefit. |
| In a letter to the Guardian, they said the changes were causing "huge" distress and had resulted in suicides. | In a letter to the Guardian, they said the changes were causing "huge" distress and had resulted in suicides. |
| Ministers said they wanted the WCA to be "as fair and accurate as possible". | Ministers said they wanted the WCA to be "as fair and accurate as possible". |
| 'Supportive system' | 'Supportive system' |
| The group of organisations wrote: "We've found that the prospect of IB [incapacity benefit] reassessment is causing huge amounts of distress, and tragically there have already been cases where people have taken their own life following problems with changes to their benefits. | The group of organisations wrote: "We've found that the prospect of IB [incapacity benefit] reassessment is causing huge amounts of distress, and tragically there have already been cases where people have taken their own life following problems with changes to their benefits. |
| "We are hugely worried that the benefits system is heading in a direction which will put people with mental health problems under even more pressure and scrutiny, at a time when they are already being hit in other areas such as cuts to services." | "We are hugely worried that the benefits system is heading in a direction which will put people with mental health problems under even more pressure and scrutiny, at a time when they are already being hit in other areas such as cuts to services." |
| They added: "There needs to be a shift towards a more sympathetic and supportive system that genuinely takes into account the additional challenges people with mental health problems face and can make a real objective assessment of their needs rather than placing them into a situation where their wellbeing is put at risk." | They added: "There needs to be a shift towards a more sympathetic and supportive system that genuinely takes into account the additional challenges people with mental health problems face and can make a real objective assessment of their needs rather than placing them into a situation where their wellbeing is put at risk." |
| The signatories include Mind chief executive Paul Farmer, Rethink chief executive Paul Jenkins, Centre for Mental Health joint chief executive Professor Bob Grove, Dr Jed Boardman of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, chief executive Bill Walden-Jones of Welsh charity Hafal, and Scottish Association for Mental Health chief executive Billy Watson. | The signatories include Mind chief executive Paul Farmer, Rethink chief executive Paul Jenkins, Centre for Mental Health joint chief executive Professor Bob Grove, Dr Jed Boardman of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, chief executive Bill Walden-Jones of Welsh charity Hafal, and Scottish Association for Mental Health chief executive Billy Watson. |
| 'Build understanding' | 'Build understanding' |
| Last month, six charities - including the MS Society and Parkinson's UK - said the assessments were declaring sick people fit for work, and called for changes to the system. | Last month, six charities - including the MS Society and Parkinson's UK - said the assessments were declaring sick people fit for work, and called for changes to the system. |
| And earlier this year a group of cancer charities voiced their concerns in an open letter, also published in the Guardian, to Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith. | And earlier this year a group of cancer charities voiced their concerns in an open letter, also published in the Guardian, to Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith. |
| The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said it had accepted all the recommendations of an independent review of WCA by Professor Malcolm Harrington. | The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said it had accepted all the recommendations of an independent review of WCA by Professor Malcolm Harrington. |
| These assessments are conducted by the DWP's independent medical adviser, Atos Healthcare, at more than 140 medical examination centres across the country. | These assessments are conducted by the DWP's independent medical adviser, Atos Healthcare, at more than 140 medical examination centres across the country. |
| A DWP spokeswoman said: "We have already put in place his recommendation to create a network of 'mental health, intellectual and cognitive champions' in each Atos Medical Examination Centre to spread best practice and build understanding of these conditions. | A DWP spokeswoman said: "We have already put in place his recommendation to create a network of 'mental health, intellectual and cognitive champions' in each Atos Medical Examination Centre to spread best practice and build understanding of these conditions. |
| "In consultation with charities such as Mind, Professor Harrington is now looking at the way mental health is assessed in the WCA and we look forward to receiving his recommendations later this year." | "In consultation with charities such as Mind, Professor Harrington is now looking at the way mental health is assessed in the WCA and we look forward to receiving his recommendations later this year." |
| Are you on incapacity benefit? Have you had a work capability assessment? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. | Are you on incapacity benefit? Have you had a work capability assessment? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. |