DIAL UK News
DIAL UK Launches Campaign to end injustice in Medical Assessments for Disabled People
Publication date: 27/11/2001
‘A Bitter Pill’ – a campaign calling for the end to injustices within the system of medical assessments for disabled people claiming benefits – was launched on Tuesday 27 November 2001 by DIAL UK, the national disability charity.
Over 2 million disabled people a year undergo medical checks to decide upon their entitlement to disability benefits. Evidence collected by DIAL UK shows that a large number of disabled people are being denied these essential benefits because of the poor quality of these assessments.
DIAL UK is asking for immediate improvements to: the way Medical Services doctors conduct assessments; training of Medical Services doctors; information given to claimants about their rights and what to expect at assessments. The campaign also recommends that Schlumberger SEMA, the company that provides Medical Services under contract to the government, make changes to their complaints and monitoring systems in order to provide a better quality, more accountable service. In addition, the campaign calls upon the government to undertake a comprehensive review of the work of Medical Services and the decision to outsource this work to a profit making company.
‘A Bitter Pill’ is being supported by Lord Ashley of Stoke, Chairman of the Parliamentary All Party Disability Group.
Lord Ashley said “This is a very important campaign which deserves widespread support. Disabled people seeking benefits are entitled to far better provision than they have had so far and the campaign can help to eliminate many injustices.”
The campaign is also being supported by:
RNID
MIND
Action for Blind People
RADAR
Disability Alliance
