eBay

al**bear · ‎26-03-2014

The way a woman was assessed for benefits led to her suicide less than a month later, according to a mental health watchdog.

The woman had a history of depression and was on significant medication, but scored zero points in a Work Capability Assessment (WCA), carried out by Atos.

A Mental Welfare Commission report said it could see no other factor "in her decision to end her life."

The Department for Work and Pensions said correct procedures were followed.

The woman, who is identified only as Miss DE, was in her early 50s and had been out of work for just under two years due to stress-related depression when she was assessed for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-26740651

lhasa.two · ‎26-03-2014

Very sad and yet another demonstration of how depression can be missed/misunderstood even by a doctor conducting the test.

From that link:

"Miss DE did not receive a self-assessment questionnaire and no evidence was requested from her psychiatrist or GP."

An absolute disgrace...

rose2008-2008 · ‎26-03-2014

Depression is terrible and is a dark lonely place. I think the closure in the 80s of special wards and hospitals where people were given a room or bed and taken in until better has a lot to answer for things happening. I know not everyone is seriously mentally ill and depression can be mild or serious but it has to be taken more into account when considering housing,community healthcare and benefits!. .

spawnjohnuk · ‎26-03-2014

Atos isnt to blame as it says it followed correct procedure, ?

I wonder if anyone working for them feels anything,

I have a friend who has been told by dwp to apply for 32 jobs a week and when she did that told its 64 and when she did that told the jobs they have applied for were not the type of work they would be accepted for (as my friend is a panel beater of which there were 3 vacancies in the country,but she was told at first she must apply for anything) and now she has been sanctioned and recieves no money at all ,and to add insult the person who used this excuse to sanction her was smirking as they told her she will get nothing.

Long term scrounger that she is, started work when she left school 20 years ago and was made redundant 2 months ago and is now very depressed and as you can imagine suicidal.

soo what the hell is Atos targeting over 50's for whom have been out of work for 2 yrs and the dwp stopping money off people on the whim of an employee for...well because they are easy targets and that's the procedure.

Justifying there own jobs from the gov through all the civil servants and private cash in companies that are taking as much as possible from the tax pot that pays them.

A disgrace indeed,but apathetic britain cares not a jot .