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mind.uk

Mind’s Work on the WCA. Tom Pollard Senior Policy and Campaigns Officer. mind.org.uk. Mind is the leading mental health charity in England and Wales We have been campaigning for better mental health for all, for over 60 years

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mind.uk

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  1. Mind’s Work on the WCA Tom Pollard Senior Policy and Campaigns Officer mind.org.uk

  2. Mind is the leading mental health charity in England and Wales We have been campaigning for better mental health for all, for over 60 years We have a network of 160 independent local Minds providing local services Our vision: we won’t give up until everyone experiencing a mental health problem gets both support and respect

  3. Our approach -Engaging with Independent Review -Proposing descriptors and the EBR -Supporting a legal challenge -Looking for fundamental reform

  4. The Independent Review • The review has called for: • Improved communications • Greater role for Decision Maker • More additional evidence • Mental Function Champions • Audio recording • Reviewing the descriptors

  5. The Independent Review • However: • We’re not seeing evidence of real improvements • Welfare rights advisers are saying the same thing • And we still want to see: • Expert assessors for mental health • Evidence collected in every case • Less frequent reassessment • Atos properly held to account

  6. Descriptors: ‘Evidence Based Review’ • Professor Harrington asked us to work with Mencap and NAS to ‘suggest improvements to the current descriptors • Our proposals looked to expand the current descriptors to take better account of fluctuation and variability • The DWP claimed our proposals were too radical and not backed up by sufficient evidence • Harrington pressed DWP to test proposals to establish evidence base for current and new descriptors • Testing process set to start in January 2013

  7. Supporting a legal challenge • Two individuals are taking a Judicial Review about the WCA • The case is arguing that, because of particular problems faced by people with mental health problems, learning disabilities and autism, there should be a reasonable adjustment to ensure additional evidence is collected • Mind, Rethink Mental Illness and NAS agree that this adjustment would make the process fairer and more accurate for people we represent • We will be providing evidence to the court to demonstrate that this is currently a problem

  8. Looking for fundamental reform • A more holistic assessment of someone’s condition, circumstances and barriers which helps inform the type of support they should have access to • A shift in focus from conditionality and sanctions to genuinely personalised and understanding back-to-work support for people with mental health problems • A system which supports individual ambitions and aspirations and recognises that ‘good work’ is good for mental health rather than just any work

  9. To find out more: mind.org.uk/campaigns for more information on our work on benefits mind.org.uk for general information Contact: t.pollard@mind.org.uk 0208 215 2275

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