Monday, 4 April 2011

Incapacity and DLA in the news

I watched the BBC report (breakfast TV) on the intended re-assessment of 1.5 million claimants, whilst I agree there should be a periodic reassessment, speaking from experience I can tell you that the reassessment is not only dependant on the views of the particular person chosen to reassess, usually a 'Health Professional?' but that, that person, whilst qualified medically, has no experience of the needs of a person with the disability, if they happen to catch you (I use that term loosely as a prearranged appointment is made by post) on a good day (Bear in mind that you are advised to fill in your claim pack, stating how the disability affects you on a bad day) no account is taken as to how your bad days affect you, they fill in the report according to their observations on that day.
The new claim pack (revamped in 2010) asks what you can do, not what you can't!
Of course there is a question that you will be asked  (although they tend to apologise for asking)
'Do you consider that you have a learning difficulty, disability?'

           Now I have come up with a plan today that I intend to send to Mr Camoron himself. I will approach him with this idea, not only to cut down the need for Health professionals visits and save on extortionate time and travel expenses but in the spirit of the new forms, What can you do, not what you can't? I am fully qualified to assess a persons disability based on experience and I'm over 50. I suggest that the vast majority of disabled people in this country are also far more qualified to assess the capacity of a person to work, assuming there are jobs and bosses willing to take a risk of employing someone, who is likely to have been out of employment for years, to retrain and will probably need help with access, unspecified amounts of time off, allowing for bad days and medication etc, doctor, specialist visits, disabled people who will of course need to be paid for their absence according to employment law.

Of course there are those that will attempt to claim and indeed have fraudulently claimed over the years and throughout the present system and made the system unfair on those that are entitled to these benefits the system needs changing. But it does need to take account of the majority of truly honest disabled people who would like nothing more than to work. Let the disabled decide who is and who is not disabled, face to face personal assessments, I believe we could save this country a fortune, finding gainful employment for disabled of all ages including the over 50's not to mention savings on postal charges and the reams of wasted paper that could possibly help protect us from global warming.

            Of course there are those who would be unable to assess others, If you answered yes to learning difficulty, you shouldn't have done, because you understood the question and you are qualified to assess, however if your carer answered for you then you are not, but the chances are you won't have filled in the claim pack either or understood the questions on it and you certainly wouldn't have any capacity to appeal against the decision made on the basis of the 'Health Professional's' report which again speaking from experience is another story altogether.

         I will let you know what the right honourable David Camoron says and maybe I will be your assessor for your claim for DLA and incapacity benefit, at least you will get a fair deal from me. If you think the same and or would like someone like me and you to assess your needs, say so, but beware I am no pushover although I can be pushed over, balance isn't what it used to be, Thanks Jan! :))  

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