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A Million People on Incapacity Benefit to be Forced Back to Work

Ed | 25.01.2006 07:34 | Health | London | World

DWP Secretary John Hutton has announced plans to force 1 M diabled people and long-term chronically ill into work. Those who refuse work-focused interviews and other "rehabilitation" will have the benefit docked. He will aslo put spies in GP surgeries - this has already begun!

There is a protest today against Dr Simon Wessely, one of the main people behind the "no one is really chronically ill it's just in their minds" school of thought.

DWP Secretary Jon Hutton has announced that he will force a million long-term chronically ill people who are on Incapacity Benefit back into work.

He has already got a pilot programme going in some parts of the country with spies in GP surgeries. The aim is to discover which GPs are signing the most sick notes and which patients can be forced into his programme.

People who refuse to attend his work-focused interview will have over £10 docked. If they don't turn up for the next one the amount doubles. They could lose all their benefit if they wont comply.

On TV Hutton said he will use "healthcare measures" to get people back into work. What healthcare measures? If it was possible to rehabilitate these people, surely the NHS would have done it already?

There is a protest rally today (25 -1-06) against Simon Wessely, who is one of the main doctors involved in denying chronic illness, saying it's all in your head, etc. He prescribes brainwashing therapy called Cognitve Behavioural therapy for people who can't walk etc to mak ethem think it's all in their head. He tells people with ME that there's nothing wrong with them and tells the public that Gulf War Illness doesn't exist. Brilliant way to end the debate over depleted uranium...

Details of the protest are here:

 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/01/331967.html

Ed

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  1. Wessely lecture "cancelled"? — Suzy