Welfare Reform Bill

Part of the debate – in a Public Bill Committee at 12:00 pm on 22 March 2011.

Alert me about debates like this

Vicki Nash: Absolutely. You would want to make an assessment over a period of time, particularly for people with mental health problems, some of which can involve real highs and lows. For someone with a bipolar disorder the highs and lows are extreme, so it is important not to base an assessment just on a snapshot of how someone  reacted on a particular day. That is part of the problem that we have had with the WCA that has gone on for a while, as have fears about the changes to DLA.

On the point about whether the GP is the best-placed person to make such a decision, in principle that seems a sensible approach to take, but we know that GPs are inherently not very good at spotting the signs and symptoms of mental health problems and that they do not feel confident about how to support someone with mental health problems. There are some exceptions to the rule, but generally there is a real lack of understanding about mental health. Obviously, that does not just have an impact on the welfare and benefit side, and the changes proposed in the health and social care systems at the moment are of significant concern. How do we ensure that GPs have expertise in commissioning services that are appropriate for such people and supporting them if they are trying to get back into work?