Police in Scotland are assessing whether to launch a criminal investigation into two former DWP ministers’ handling of so-called disability fit-to-work tests.
Disabled activist John McArdle of the Black Triangle campaign lodged a complaint with police in March against Iain Duncan Smith and Chris Grayling, according to the Disability News Service news agency.
He told police in Edinburgh that the two ministers had ignored a coronor’s concerns about the safety of the tests, which are used to judge whether a disabled person receives benefits.
He also produced evidence of suicides he said were related to fitness-to-work tests.
Mr McArdle says the ministers may be guilty of “willful neglect of duty by a public official”, which is a criminal offence.
According to the Crown Prosecution Service, willful neglect “can be the result of a positive act or a failure to act”.
“There must also be an element of knowledge or at least recklessness about the way in which the duty is carried out or neglected,” the CPS explains.
“The test is a subjective one and the public officer must be aware that his/her behaviour is capable of being misconduct.”
1/16 above pic: “One case where the claimant’s wife went into premature labour and had to go to hospital. This caused the claimant to miss an appointment. No leeway given” see more shocking pics: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/iain-duncan-smith-police-assessing-possible-investigation-into-dwp-ministers-over-fit-to-work-tests-a7020471.html#gallery
- A spokesperson for Police Scotland told the Disability News Service: “Police in Edinburgh received a report of misconduct in public office on 23 March 2016.
“The individual who made the complaint has been spoken to and we are awaiting further information to assess this matter and establish what actions are required.”
SNP MP Tommy Sheppard has reportedly written to the chief constable of Police Scotland asking to be kept informed of any investigation.
Campaigners have long accused the DWP’s fit-to-work tests of causing deaths and have pointed to a number of suicides that took place in light of sanctions.The Department for Work and Pensions said it would not comment on a police matter.
“It is important we make sure that people are receiving the right support, and they are not simply written off to a life on benefits,” a spokesperson said.
“The Work Capability Assessment has been improved dramatically since 2008 following a number of reviews, including five independent ones.”
- Read more:
DWP drew up plans to charge disabled people for fit-to-work appeals, internal documents reveal
DWP could be forced to publish secret details of benefit claimant suicides
THE PRICE OF WAGING WAR ON THE SICK AND DISABLED
This was written by the excellent website ‘ Benefits and Work‘
More Department of Work and Pensions staff take time off sick because of depression and anxiety than for any other reason.
In this they are different from other government departments, where minor illnesses such as colds and back pain are the main reasons for staff absences.
Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the PCS says that the level of mental health issues amongst DWP workers “highlights the huge pressures on staff who are forced to carry out the Government’s cruel policies that have turned jobcentres from places of help and support into ones of conflict and suspicion.”
“DWP staff know that punishing and vilifying sick, disabled and unemployed people is not only morally wrong, it is counterproductive.”
Benefits and Work would like to issue an invitation to DWP staff who are being made ill by their work: talk to us.
There has been a notable lack of leaks from the DWP.
There have been very few whistle-blowers [why? perhaps because of the shocking consequences such is happening right now and for the past years to ex-Child Protection Officer and Level 3 Social Worker Carol Woods: https://butlincat.wordpress.com/2016/05/09/carol-woods-illegal-tracking-of-her-motor-vehicle-090516-archive/ …ed.].
And even fewer people prepared to leak any of the huge number of documents that the DWP fight to keep hidden from public sight, like the plan to charge for appeal tribunals below.
So, if you are morally repulsed by what you have ended up doing for a living – do something about it and drop us an email at info@benefitsandwork.co.uk
We will treat all contacts with complete confidentiality.
source: https://welfaretales.wordpress.com/2016/05/04/the-price-of-waging-war-on-the-sick-and-disabled/
above: “Bournemouth Echo” 08/05/16
/ Will Frampton /
Staff were not “aware of their responsibilities” in passing on concerns about vulnerable children and adults who might be suffering abuse.
Also, the report said the practice was “unable to identify patients experiencing poor mental health or those with dementia”.
Under ‘special measures’ the CQC will conduct a follow up inspection in six months. If no improvement is made the commission can cancel the surgery’s registration.
Ruth Rankine, chief inspector of general practice, said: “During our inspection we saw that staff were caring and treated patients with compassion, dignity and respect. However, we also found that care and treatment was not always delivered in line with best practice.
“We have found significant areas of concern, which is why we are placing the practice into special measures – so opening the way for the practice to receive support from NHS England among others.”
Surveys showed the practice was in line with national averages for patient satisfaction.
However working age patients expressed dissatisfaction about inflexibility in its appointment system.
Other issues identified by the CQC were a lack of “timely” action to identify abnormal results after investigations, a shortfall in infection control procedures and a failure to show staff were approved to give vaccines.
NORTHBOURNE Surgery declined to comment about the report when visited by the Daily Echo.
However, it has published a statement for patients on its website in which it claimed the failings had not lead to “reported incidents of harm”.
The statement said:
“We would like to apologise to patients for any anxiety that the results of the inspection could cause and would like to reassure them that that the issues identified by the CQC have not led to any reported incidents of harm.
“We have already been working with local commissioners and national NHS organisations along with local providers to ensure that those issues that were identified by the CQC which led to the overall rating will be improved on and look forward to demonstrating these improvements to the CQC during their return visit later this year.”
MUST SEE LINKS!
“Revealed: DWP’s secret, ‘financially devastating’ proposals for benefits appeals” + “Terminally ill Northampton woman has appeal over disability benefits refused” + MORE :
https://butlincat.wordpress.com/2016/04/23/must-see-links-revealed-dwps-secret-financially-devastating-proposals-for-benefits-appeals-terminally-ill-northampton-woman-has-appeal-over-disability-benefits-re/
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