Mansel Aylward
By HAMISH RUTHERFORD Last updated 05:00 11/01/2013
Work tests concern disability organisation
Disability services group CCS says it has “grave concerns” about plans to introduce work ability assessments, influenced by controversial tests conducted in Britain.
From July, the invalid’s benefit, paid to about 85,000 New Zealanders, will be replaced by the supported living payment, as part of wide-ranging welfare changes.
Social Development Minister Paula Bennett has said this would mean little change, although in a speech to health professionals late last year she signalled a new assessment regime which “echoes” the British process.
Measuring the extent to which disabled can work, the British tests have prompted a debate in the British Parliament, as well as protests targeting the Paralympics where Atos, the private company doing the tests, was a sponsor.
CCS Disability Action chief executive David Matthews cited research showing the British Government had spent £42.2 million (NZ$80.5m) on appeals against the tests, about 40 per cent of which overturned Atos’ findings.
The tests were developed partially on the work of disability expert Professor Sir Mansel Aylward, who has visited New Zealand to advise on health reform, meeting Mrs Bennett.
Mr Matthews said most Government policy focused on how society builds barriers for the disabled, whereas a key part of Prof Aylward’s work focused on the extent to which a disabled person could overcome barriers.
“The whole philosophy and approach to disability in New Zealand is based on the social model . . . which looks at the barriers to employing people, rather than what’s wrong with the individual,” he said. “We have grave concerns about basing welfare changes in New Zealand on such a flawed approach.”
A work ability test would be an extra requirement for the disabled.
Mrs Bennett’s spokeswoman said details of the assessments were being considered by a select committee and had not been finalised.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/8165236/Work-tests-concern-disability-organisation
See also:
Proposed work tests are concerning
MORE: https://blacktrianglecampaign.org/?s=Mansel+Aylward&x=0&y=0
13 Responses
it seems they want us all gone world wide unum atos the rich cant think of giving a bit away they want it all jeff3
A Disability expert that has never lived with a disability in his life.
He’s fortunate to have become an old man in good health. Although I would say that is to our misfortune. How many deaths have his theories caused?
If he wanted to be an expert why did he not become a scientist and use his “expertise” to actually find a cure for the many diseases that causes us to become disabled.
It would have been infinitely preferable and spared us the idle movement of his gums mouthing pychobabble.
These people have been so successful that the article mentions the disability social model!
There is only one kind of disability model the proven medical option, bio pyscho social model has no scientific proof and is akin to mumbo jumbo and to see supposedly intelligent people believing and propogating these myths is quite astonishing.
But as the commenter above notes there’s money to be made.
Where there’s muck there’s brass is I believe an old Yorkshire saying.
In this case when the eminent professor suffers from verbal diorrhoea he makes lots of easy money.
I feel sorry for the unsuspecting New Zealanders about to be hit with this nonsense that seems like it’s taking over the world.
Well said! Solidarity, Jay!
I think what he does is baffel his peers with bullshit and whereas we can see right through it these elitists are either too thick to see it for themselves or agree because it suites their adgenda they wanted it to.Whichever way, they concider the electate or sheeple as they call the public, too stupid to figure it out because they treat the rest of us with arrogance and contemp.Unfortunately there are voters who cannot see the bigger picture and how bit by bit their rights and freedoms are being dedstroyed in an underhanded ,stealthy manor because they belive the propaganda as it is presented to them.
I wonder how many more Commonwealth countries that pay sickness or disability benefit this unfit draconian testing will be introduced into.Smacks a bit of orders being carried out that were given by someone who has some kind of authority beyond normal Government channels.That would also explain why there appears to be no real opposition to the anti-human rights treatment from any of the elected representatives and how the propaganda has more or less been presented virtualy un apposed.
Excellent argument
Yes, we should all have gone to Inheritors.com for a ‘Life Plan,’ before the conception!
A spin Dr! Expertise is in spin, this rubbish is left over from the hippie new age claptrap, positive thinking garbage, grow rich while you sleep gibberish , think yourself thin nonsense it’s only one step away from witchcraft, ie recite a spell every morning and you’ll win the lottery and your arms and legs will grow back, hogwash!
We need need to turn away from the main parties as one is a carbon copy of the other, I think these sound not bad , until a viable alternative shows up.
http://www.socialist-labour-party.org.uk/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lz15INZ01XI
they did not even look at his back atall i would have asked what qualifications she had for the work under taken .. jeff ..
OMG..I can’t believe what I just watched!!
Is it any fucking wonder that certain sections of society see us all as workshy scroungers when the DWP/Government put such obviously biased shit as this out?
poor basterds,that all i can say .. jeff .. i hope they chuck this plonker out of the country.
Sign this petition for the urgent resignation of cameron and osborne:
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/33327