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Home→Blog→UK GPs Conference has Voted unanimously for an end to the DWP/AtoS Work Capability Assessment régime “with immediate effect”

UK GPs Conference has Voted unanimously for an end to the DWP/AtoS Work Capability Assessment régime “with immediate effect”

Black Triangle Campaign

The United Kingdom Local Medical Committees Conference of the British Medical Association has voted today to carry the following motion:

22nd May 2012 12.10 pm

103 HAMPSHIRE AND ISLE OF WIGHT & 103a SCOTTISH CONFERENCE OF LMCs

That conference, in respect of work capability assessments (WCA) as performed by ATOS Healthcare, believes that the:

(i) inadequate computer based assessments that are used have little regard to the nature or complexity of the needs of long term sick and disabled persons

(ii) WCA should end with immediate effect and be replaced with a rigorous and safe system that does not cause avoidable harm to some of the weakest and most vulnerable in society.

The motion was carried UNANIMOUSLY

Black Triangle Campaign statement here  

Comments
  • DAVID A SHAW May 23, 2012 at 12:28 pm

    Yes , this is the beginning of the end, as the scum in charge of the nation have nowhere to go on this one. What you going to do, ignore every medical professional then ? I feel a national strike would be good to get this lot of Bastards out.

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    • paul spriggs May 23, 2012 at 1:39 pm

      Its just a shame that this wont make a blind bit of difference. When did the govt ever give a flying F### what people think? Over a million protested against Iraq war but they went ahead anyway.

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      • dave May 23, 2012 at 2:47 pm

        you said it, what you are really saying with that statement is that the UK is a fascist state, and you would be absolutely spot on…..! it is!!!

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  • Annie Bishop May 23, 2012 at 12:35 pm

    Whooo hoooo

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  • Sarah Campbell May 23, 2012 at 12:46 pm

    What does this mean exactly? The Welfare Reform thing was pushed through into Law no matter what anybody said – They did it anyways – The NHS thing is being pushed through no matter what anybody says – It is like no matter who says what in any way shape or form – Camerons lot ignore it and push through everythign no matter how many people who are truly disabled it hurts, no amtter how many lives are lost – So… What will this actually achieve?

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    • JJ May 23, 2012 at 1:31 pm

      The Government cannot COMPEL Health Care Professionals to act unethically in breach of their respective codes of practice. What we are campaigning for is a BOYCOTT by HCPs of this evil assessment régime.

      We will not rest until NONE of our HCPs will touch the DWP/AtoS WCA – or PIP with a bargepole.

      Patients – US – are being severely harmed and their lives devastated on a daily basis by this hateful system.

      We intend to withdraw co-operation. This complicity of the HCPs is ending as I write.

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  • Yvette Broadhurst May 23, 2012 at 12:58 pm

    EXCELLENT RESULT !

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  • Linda Burnip May 23, 2012 at 1:08 pm

    http://www.dpac.uk.net

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    • Linda Burnip May 23, 2012 at 1:09 pm

      where’s me message gone though? Brilliant news and we need to follow up BMJ and RCN again.

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  • Kate May 23, 2012 at 1:09 pm

    Am so thrilled! But will the government listen? Let’s face it, they’ve ignored GPs all the time during their protestations during health & social care bill

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    • JJ May 23, 2012 at 1:30 pm

      The Government cannot COMPEL Health Care Professionals to act unethically in breach of their respective codes of practice. What we are campaigning for is a BOYCOTT by HCPs of this evil assessment régime.

      We will not rest until NONE of our HCPs will touch the DWP/AtoS WCA – or PIP with a bargepole.

      Patients – US – are being severely harmed and their lives devastated on a daily basis by this hateful system.

      We intend to withdraw co-operation. This complicity of the HCPs is ending as I write.

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  • Ricardo May 23, 2012 at 1:13 pm

    Well done to those GP’s as we all know that the WCA is unfair to many people. Just so that I get my facts correct, was this voted on by gp’s from all over the country or just Hampshire/Scottish gp’s? It would be interesting to hear how many gp’s voted as obviously the vote will have more weight if a large number of them voted.

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    • JJ May 23, 2012 at 1:25 pm

      The motion originated with Black Triangle’s Dr. Stephen Carty who put it forward to the Lothian Local Medical Committee who then put it to the Scottish LMCs Conference in Clydebank two months ago where it was carried (almost) unanimously. It was then put forward to today’s UK LMCs Conference in Liverpool both by the Scottish Conference and Hampshire & Isle of Wight LMC.

      It was voted on by GPs representing all the LMCs in the United Kingdom and carried unanimously.

      The voice of Britain’s doctors has spoken. It is time to end the DWP/AtoS Work Capability Assessment régime “with immediate effect”

      Black Triangle

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      • Ricardo May 23, 2012 at 1:44 pm

        Cheers for the reply JJ. That is good to know as it adds more weight to the argument. Hopefully we will see a similar motion on the PIP assessments.

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        • JJ May 23, 2012 at 2:04 pm

          We tried to get the PIP assessments in as a part (iii) to the motion but I’m afraid we just missed the deadline 🙁

          Rest totally assured that we will get PIP voted on the same way. The doctors are very angry at the way we are being treated. There was applause when the motion was passed.

          We’re on to it!

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          • Findlow May 23, 2012 at 4:24 pm

            Thank you so very much Black Triangle Campaign for your wonderful and persistent efforts. THANK YOU!

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          • Paul Smith May 23, 2012 at 5:06 pm

            Well done JJ, really well done…

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  • Dawn Willis May 23, 2012 at 1:15 pm

    Bravo campaigners… a huge step forward.

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  • owen meharry May 23, 2012 at 1:22 pm

    fantastic and not before time too

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  • Shirley Chapman May 23, 2012 at 1:26 pm

    Fantastic news !

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  • Rogr May 23, 2012 at 1:27 pm

    What fantastic news, I expect Channel Four would cover it but I can’t recall their Facebook / Twitter address to let them know. Does anyone else remember?

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  • madamedemerteuil1791 May 23, 2012 at 1:49 pm

    Well done GPs. At least we can still believe in the majority within you. However, I have little hope that this excellent result will have any influence on the government. Look at the recent local election results: they left our government cold. We have no reason to believe this GP vote will have any more success of getting heard. WCA and the despicable ATOS (with its inappropriate musketeer name) are here to stay: all for one and nothing for all.

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  • Linda Ashford May 23, 2012 at 2:24 pm

    This needs a massive “Repeal the Bill’ campaign, the GP’s and healthworkers could lead this one and the country would follow……. best news in ages. If everyone joined together to take collective action on this bill, then I do believe that some of the other damaging legislation could also be repealed. But people have to be prepared to take a stand, this was unanimous – and represents exactly that. The thing about taking everything away is it leaves people with nothing to lose, and it is then that they find the courage to act.

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  • Leon Carter May 23, 2012 at 2:29 pm

    Lets also not forget this will make anyone’s case who intend going to court a lot stronger as will a judicial review of the WRB. This is good news as we now know that we have the medical profession on our side which was a bit of a grey area from practice to practice. I will now be writing to my GP to make him aware of this important vote and request thet he now supports me and the many others at his practice.

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  • James Moore May 23, 2012 at 2:40 pm

    A step in the right direction as this is very good in the eyes of the law and only makes the government loose all credibility

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  • dave May 23, 2012 at 2:45 pm

    the government will indeed stick two fingers up to the medical assossiation, this is nothing next to what they have planned for us next year when they assess evryone on DLA for PIP, this is sient fasiscm people wake up, we are free ONLY to do what the government says, the banks and corportions that own and run our government will never back down!!

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  • Gary Mason May 23, 2012 at 3:05 pm

    Never in the history of political and commercial conflict has so much been taken from so many by so few!

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  • tony May 23, 2012 at 3:32 pm

    at least most doctors are against this abuse,its the atos doctors that must be challenged im going to report my last examiner to the gmc for not taking my medical report into consideration, we should all do this .
    doctors take an oath to care for the sick and this violates this oath in so many ways, you have nothing to lose by doing this , we can only take so much from this organisation thats paid well to abuse the sick.

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  • Maggie Cox May 23, 2012 at 3:37 pm

    Great news:) So pleased to see that our GPs are making a stand on this issue, after all it calls in to question their clinical expertise. Well done all GPs who voted for this. Many thanks.

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  • unq quinlivan May 23, 2012 at 4:12 pm

    hi great news wondering about n.ireland and our gps will they be voting on this important issue !!!

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  • Andrew Healey May 23, 2012 at 4:38 pm

    Excellent News now all it needs is for any of our H.C.Ps newly qualified who continue to work for ATOS for the over inflated salaries and bonuses, to be struck off for not providing the duty of care… Brilliant news

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  • Findlow May 23, 2012 at 4:47 pm

    Well done GP’s – now all other medics must speak up. Look how crassly stupid the idiots in charge of DWP are (as if you needed reminding..) From benefitsandwork:

    The DWP do not believe, however, that anyone will suffer as a result of the significant cut in income which many sick and disabled people will suffer, arguing on page 10 of the document that they may even become healthier:

    “. . . evidence is limited as to whether a change in income has an effect on health . . . It is possible that the policy could have positive impacts on health if it leads to more disabled people moving into work.”

    This is from DWP impact statement on the introduction of PIP. Cruel, lacking any intelligence or humanity. And the DWP KNOW about all the deaths and suicides so far.

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  • jeffrey davies May 23, 2012 at 4:50 pm

    someone sees some sence but will the torys id rather think not they not for turning and this all started with labour so they got nothing to crow about jeff3

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  • Findlow May 23, 2012 at 4:56 pm

    Chris Grayling: The most recent interaction between the Department and Atos Healthcare regarding CFS/ME was in March 2012. The Department provided comments to Atos on a distance learning module (learning set) on fatigue that has been developed as part of the Atos Continuing Medical Education Programme for health care professionals for 2011-12.

    Grayling in answer to Parliamentary question from Kerry McCartney MP.

    http://www.actionforme.org.uk/get-informed/news/policy-and-campaigns/grayling-answers-pq-on-atos-and-me

    For God’s sake – ATOS indoctrinating HCP’s in the name of “Medical Education”.

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  • heather fowkes May 23, 2012 at 9:23 pm

    well this is good news but where does that leave me? sick for 7 yrs with ms/me illness and neurological pain mobility poor .only to score 0 on the said assessment form ,and my payment stopt may 19th and may 22nd i recieved my p45 in post ….told appeal or go on job seekers …well i dont lie about being ill dont want to be ill but this health problem has totally been disregarded ,i have appealed but i find this very daunting and stressful have a letter saying the appeal could take a while ….oh hum so do i stop on the scrap heap or what ? no idea what my next move should be …….any advice welcome i know my own body and no way am i fit to be employed its a joke

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    • Bev Albiston June 8, 2012 at 5:08 pm

      Heather, I too am a long term sick and disabled person. I failed the ATOS medical, scoring 0 points. Today I went to court and won my appeal against that decision. It was decided that I score the necessary 15 points just on my ‘toilet’ problems alone, therefore they didn’t even have to consider my malnutrition, mobility and mental health problems. It has taken 12 months since the ATOS medical, and has probably cost thousands of pounds in tax payers money too. My best advice to you is to do what I did and go to your local Citizens Advise Bureau where you will get help with your appeal forms. Get as much medical evidence to support your case as you can and ask family and friends to write witness statements which show how your condition affects your ability to work. It’s a long drawn out process but stick with it and don’t give up hope. An ATOS employed nurse may be able to tick boxes and make you feel like a worthless scrounging liar but at the end of the day, medical facts cannot be argued against. Good luck, I hope it all goes well for you.

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  • paul barnard May 24, 2012 at 10:48 am

    i think it is a massive encouragement that these guys(BMA) have stood up like this, when other doctors are being disciplined for “anti nazi” attitudes. it will be educational for how the fascist coalition and their inhuman greedy corporate cartel try to discredit this. they seem to think that they are above the law and can get away with murder-literally.watch this space…

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  • Sarah Balfour May 28, 2012 at 3:11 pm

    I’m high-functioning autistic. People simply don’t get the struggle I have on a daily basis to cope with what ‘neurotypical’ folk take for granted. I have zero support, and it’s taken me 2 YEARS of fighting just to have HALF of my DLA reinstated!

    I don’t want to belittle the struggles of those with physical disabilities, but because I can hold a conversation (to a degree) and have been to uni, people believe I can cope (including my own family). I’ve given up fighting. My mother actually said “I don’t think you should be telling people you’re autistic, Sarah”, as if it was something of which *I* should be ashamed (just because they are). Why should I be…?!

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  • cheryl December 31, 2012 at 12:22 am

    I asked my doctor and cpn when are you all going to hold up your medical qualifacations to the government and say we are the qualified ones. they told me WE ARE TO AFRAID OF LOOSING OUR JOBS well i dont want to loose my life, but have no money no food and an uncaering country i am disabled and been fighting 11 months now i have legs i use a stick but can hardly walk because of prolapsed discs none existing discs and main nerve being crushed plus mental health and other things and still they want me in work i have a patch which lasts 4 days shoving 35 micro grams of morphine into me an hour but still Atos say im fit for work cant look after my self let alone work i sleep for 2 hours out of 24 hours and am only eating a meal a day on a good week and the following week lucky if i get 4 meals in the week, and they expect me to work sorry id end up in hospital or dead

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