Wednesday 25 July 2012

IMPORTANT : Harrington Calls for Evidence

Professor Harrington is calling for evidence. He wants to know how your Work Capability Assessments have been.

The wonderful Benefits and Work site have put together a really simple questionnaire. You answer the questions, it only takes a few minutes and then they send you an email collating your answers that you can send in,

PLEASE if you have had a WCA and particularly if you've had more than one, please fill in the questionnaire and send the email. It's vitally important at this point in time that Harrington has all the information he can get from us. 


I can't stress this enough. Of all the things I've asked you to do, or drawn your attention to, this might have the most impact, so please do fill in the questionnaire



http://t.co/FeQVsXhT

Please, share this with your networks, send to anyone you feel can take part, tweet, link and generally encourage anyone you think may be able to help to take part. You can click on the twitter and facebook buttons below this post.

21 comments:

  1. Can I comment anywhere as a CPN whose workloas has increased as a result of this

    ReplyDelete
  2. Erm..... *thinks* I don't see any reason at all why you couldn't submit something to Harrington too - you couldn't use the template, but I think he may find it relevant.

    Here's the direct link for the Harrington request. http://www.dwp.gov.uk/policy/welfare-reform/employment-and-support/wca-independent-review/

    I advise, keep it short and relevant.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I WOULD ALSO STRESS THAT YOU ONLY HAVE UNTIL THE THE 7TH SEPTEMBER TO SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONIRE

    ReplyDelete
  4. Please see this link to help with your response:
    http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=54677457&postcount=6

    ReplyDelete
  5. Am almost pissed off I haven't had mine yet :(

    ReplyDelete
  6. i would say do it fast, as you will be timed out .,like i have been.one of the good things about this site is that you do not get timed out. and as it takes me some time due to pain typing it may be worth suggesting some people need a little more time to fill it in .steve

    ReplyDelete
  7. Mine is coming up in 10 days, I'm so petrified I keep puking up my medications in the mornings. They are sort of important, they keep my heart going. I wish I could have my WCA in the safety of my own home.I would feel much safer, and closer to the hospital. Have no idea about how I go about asking.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You need to ask your doctor to write them letter explaining that you need a home assessment. Not much time though, and they only let you rearrange an appointment once I believe? Could you get your GP surgery to do this and fax it to the address on your assessment appointment letter?

      PS. Miss Sue, I twittered you about this Harrington review last week, asking if anyone could fill it in because the DWP website doesn't make it very clear at all. I guess you must get thousands of tweets in your timeline and you won't see them all? This post answers my question. Thank you for the link. All done. Spleen vented.

      Delete
  8. There should be on online fillable form on the DWP website by the end of the week.
    I have been emailed a copy but I can see no way emailing as an attachment to this site.
    Papasmurf

    ReplyDelete
  9. I agree papasmurf, this has been discussed on the spartacus forum; it's almost like they want to make it as difficult as possible for the people who are most affected to fill it in, I'm having the same problem.
    But, in response to the anonymous poster above you, you most certainly CAN ask for the WCA to be at home. I strongly recommend you get in touch with a local welfare rights adviser or the Citizen's Advice Bureau; they can tell you more. Please don't worry yourself sick over this; there are people out there who can help.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks suzieq62. I'm just gonna go.If my heart cannot cope, I will know about it and ask the assessor to get me an ambulance. I can't even do my hoovering without having angina. I have absolutely nothing to hide. I did put that on my ESA50. I have a mega powerful hoover I can't use, and have to get a friend round to do. I am so going to fill in the Harrington Questionare.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I just completed it and about to email it. Felt good to let rip about ATOS. I had my ESA appeal hearing (traumatic to say the least) this morning and I was successful,although put in the WRAG group so money stops in 6 months!Don't know what I'll do then - maybe I'll have a miraculous recovery after 5 year of ME! Running on adrenaline at the moment.

    ReplyDelete
  12. The fillable on your PC form is now available on the DWP website:-

    http://www.dwp.gov.uk/consultations/2012/wca-call-for-evidence.shtml

    http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/wca-year-3-call-for-evidence-questions.rtf

    Papasmurf

    ReplyDelete
  13. I wonder if if Harrington will get this evidence:-

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/jul/27/disability-benefit-assessors-film?newsfeed=true
    Atos assessors told to keep disability benefit approvals low, film suggests

    Papasmurf

    ReplyDelete
  14. I have my appointment today and feel so ill have hardly slept for 3 nights sweating concentrations has gone no energy can hardly put 1 foot in front of the other and so depressed feel close to tears Im like this cause of too much stress and pressure for too many years It will probably take me the rest of the week to get myself right enough to have a half normal exsistance and leave the house when I am able I shouldnt have to justify myself for having an illness this isnt my choice

    ReplyDelete
  15. The government got the welfare reform bill through with no safeguards built in to it and with very much regret people have died
    Some may say that their was the appeal process built in which is true but the government forgot that their would be many who mentally so stressed by it that they would prefer to commit suicide instead

    I believe the government DID know of the risk but continued anyhow and on that basis they put the lives of the vulnerable at risk which ultimately killed those sacceptable to stress and that is classed as a form of manslaughter

    the government has failed in it's duty to protect the lives of those sick and disabled and it is this that needs addressing in a court of law just as it would be if a member of the public was killed in any type of accident in the workplace or malpractice in a hospital etc

    ReplyDelete
  16. As for Harrington he should have known better with regards all of the safeguards that would be built in to the welfare reform bill

    i know them so there would be no reason for him not to have known them and this to needs addressing as to why his part in the welfare reform bill was so lacking from a so called intelligent man

    ReplyDelete
  17. As i expected he has resigned as the enormity of what he has done has sunk in and the death toll was not foreseeable in his eyes ? well it was in my eyes and my mp will tell you so

    Well at least that's a start but in no way does that get him off the hook he presided over a welfare reform bill and forgot the most basic of details to offer protection to those that may be under a lot of stress in the process

    Trying to find help at the CAB was never a option for some many people were told they were fit for work when they were not and in a moment of madness took their own lives which is unforgivable and the government just on this issue alone should be prosecuted for showing complete disregard to those that are sick and disabled

    Harrington along with all of those involved in the welfare reform bill should and i do believe will be prosecuted in a court of law in due course so that justice can be served and that the family's of those that have died get to understand on why they died and why sufficient safe guards were not built in and that history never repeats itself

    It seams that the people of the uk along with the press and bbc have turned a blind eye to those that have tragically died so far in the welfare reform process and that is the most tragic thing for me to have witnessed it has been a most wicked thing i have had to endure that my fellow sick and disabled people have taken their own lives because of such a badly executed policy and just like in Germany in the war years it will take the uk a long time to recover

    The death toll over the past 2 years of those going through the system in where they have been told they were fit for work when they were not and those who committed suicide through the stress of it all has been as i have said the most shocking experience i have had to endue in my life time and i just hope and pray that all of those involve in whatever way however small end up in prison so that the families get to see justice and that their healing process can take place

    As for us here and now the enormity will start to sink in and that in itself will burden us for the rest of our lives as we have had to witness the destruction of others that were vulnerable and not being able to help despite all of our best efforts we failed and failed very badly

    Sue in particular will no doubt be for the rest of her life wondering did i do enough "sue you did wonderful"
    i believe we all did in our own way but were let down by those we voted for and that to me is unforgivable

    ReplyDelete
  18. on a positive note the vacant job left by Harrington should be filled by sue along with any outside independent advice from someone like myself who has a history of being independent in all matters and areas of life

    ReplyDelete
  19. I wrote a comment on the 30th July as the state I was in to go to my 1st appointment I spent most of the appointment in tears my whole body was shaking and my mind blanking unable to answer or remember things asked by the lady doing the interveiw she has said that I have been put into the wrong catogory but there is nothing she can do about that now she was quite a nice person and very understanding she has said that she will do some of the interveiws over the phone for me I have to go some where else next cant tell you who they are cause quite honestly didnt manage to take it in although she did say roughly where the office is just waiting for the letter to arrive from them .

    ReplyDelete
  20. Hi. Im from Northern Ireland and after your sincere plea I wanted to help but to my disdain (from mainland predjudice?), I was not included in this survey.
    Only residents of the United Kingdom mainland were invited to voice themselves. I know about devolution and all that, but reallY, if you dont live here, you really have no idea how little prejudices mount up and make us frustrated (to say the least). Can I maybe suggest the biggest insult? Team GB. Now, think about it. It wasnt team UK. Mainland only, please!

    ReplyDelete