An independent review of the Work Capability Assessment - year four /
Litchfield, Paul,Dr.
Great Britain.Department for Work and Pensions.
London : Stationery Office,
c2013.
The Work Capability Assessment (WCA) is designed to determine eligibility for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). It is a functional assessment based on the premise that eligibility should not be determined by the description of a person's disability or health condition but rather on how their ability to function is affected. Earlier Independent Reviews carried out by Professor Malcolm Harrington concluded that the WCA is conceptually right but that more needed to be done to improve the system. As the fourth of five Independent Reviews and the first carried out by Dr Paul Litchfield, this Review provides an opportunity to reflect on the implementation of recommendations from previous years and to assess their impact. In conducting this Review, it has become apparent that the length and complexity of the process contributes to dissatisfaction and negative perceptions surrounding the assessment. People need to feel that they are being treated fairly when dealing with an organisation and it is their perception that drives attitudes and behaviours more than any objective assessment of what has happened. This Review therefore makes a number of recommendations which aim to simplify the process and improve the way people feel they are treated. Another area of particular focus in this Review has been mental health. Recommendations are made that seek to build on the foundation of Mental Function Champions and improve knowledge of mental health more broadly for Decision Makers and Healthcare Professionals (HCPs).
Dated December 2013.
The Work Capability Assessment (WCA) is designed to determine eligibility for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). It is a functional assessment based on the premise that eligibility should not be determined by the description of a person's disability or health condition but rather on how their ability to function is affected. Earlier Independent Reviews carried out by Professor Malcolm Harrington concluded that the WCA is conceptually right but that more needed to be done to improve the system. As the fourth of five Independent Reviews and the first carried out by Dr Paul Litchfield, this Review provides an opportunity to reflect on the implementation of recommendations from previous years and to assess their impact. In conducting this Review, it has become apparent that the length and complexity of the process contributes to dissatisfaction and negative perceptions surrounding the assessment. People need to feel that they are being treated fairly when dealing with an organisation and it is their perception that drives attitudes and behaviours more than any objective assessment of what has happened. This Review therefore makes a number of recommendations which aim to simplify the process and improve the way people feel they are treated. Another area of particular focus in this Review has been mental health. Recommendations are made that seek to build on the foundation of Mental Function Champions and improve knowledge of mental health more broadly for Decision Makers and Healthcare Professionals (HCPs).