Atos, the company awarded work capability assessments has terminated its contract early and agreed financial settlement with the DWP. If you were on benefits due to long-term illness, you had to have your back to work assessment by this company.
For Deaf people, Atos created additional barriers to these work assessments, as they did for disabled people.
Before you could even get an assessment you had to phone a number to book an appointment. There were no alternative means of communication. Not even through a dusty old textphone.
It’s medical assessors, not trained doctors, were known for testing Deafness by asking people to turn around and shouting at them to see if they were Deaf.
Interpreters used for these appointments were rarely qualified or registered.
An outsourcing nightmare bites the dust. If only the same would happen with the MoJ contract for interpreting.
If only government contracts had stipulated within them the needs for equality over profit.
If only contracts would be monitored to check that what big companies say they will do, actually happens.
If only.
Oh joy! And thanks for passing on this info which has brought a smile to my face. I am so glad that the contract has ended. The assessment for Deaf people were truly dreadful and I hope that the DWP will now conduct assessments by a more equality-aware provider.
The MOJ have now commissioned a private company to assess the quality of the MOJ Framework Agreement. Let’s hope that contract is also revoked. I’ve given a very detailed response and I hope that lots of other people will too.
Have a nice weekend everyone