The timing of a piece in the Mail Online is surely not a coincidence. We learn that "An initiative to improve the health of the long-term unemployed is to be launched by Emma Harrison, founder of the A4e welfare-to-work organisation, and John Bird, who set up the Big Issue. The joint venture will establish 'wellness centres' staffed with GPs throughout the 250 A4e branches." In case we weren't aware of next Tuesday's TV programme, the piece goes on:
"Harrison, who will star in the Channel 4 programme Who Knows Best: Getting A Job on Tuesday, said: 'There is a correlation between poor health and people in the subsistence culture, the dispossessed and longterm unemployed.'" The timing, however, is a minor issue. What is much more important is this incursion into yet another aspect of people's lives. Everyone has access to a GP, and currently has the freedom to choose when and whether to consult one and seek medical advice. A4e now plan to erode that freedom.
I've said this before. Companies such as A4e and Serco remind me of the fictional OCP (Omni Consumer Products) from the Robocop movies which has fingers in various pies including law enforcement.
ReplyDeleteIn the first Robocop film, the OCP vice president says "good business is where you find it". Perhaps A4e shoud have this as its motto rather than "improving peoples lives" as it increasingly seems there is no area of business that is out of bounds to them!
Whats the catch is it the whole new welfare reforms being smuggled through little mentioned about the consulting white paper but this headline grabber pr.
ReplyDeleteDoes this mean people shall be forced to take treatment whether or not it is right FOR THEM. I.E A cancer sufferer whose perhaps terminal shall they be made to continue on a tratment even though it is futile or face loosing their benefits. I thought they had already got something like this lets see what payments we can stop today ATOS
I see this as more likely to affect people who are on FND or the Work Programme and who may be pushed into consulting a doctor for conditions such as depression or smoking which they actually don't want treatment for. A client could be labelled as a medical case against their will, and refusal to comply with this could lead to accusations of non-co-operation.
ReplyDeleteExactly, Historian, clients having to obtain "treatment" for supposed "conditions" as part of the "programme". This is a very sinister development indeed. What next, compulsory detention, forced medication?
ReplyDeleteSo now they will be wanting access to client's medical records.. More data for A4e to use, abuse, and lose.
ReplyDeleteThey cannot access your medical records unless you give your permission. Needless to say, you must not under any circumstances give permission.
ReplyDeleteI refused to sign a form giving Ingeus permission to contact the employer - if I get a job whilst on FND. I've told you this in case you thought I was just another armchair blog warrior i.e. all talk and no action!
Unless you have opted out of the NHS computerised database, all your personal medical details will stored electronically. Even if you have opted out, there will be a log of your summary care record retained. This data will be available to anyone connecting to the "system" with or without your consent - See: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1267892/Putting-health-records-national-NHS-database-save-lives-deeply-disturbing-questions-remain.html
ReplyDeleteAs well as Ms Harrisons TV progs, we have had a pretty poor phone in on BBC Radio 5 Live this morning. The topic was about decision to crack down on benefit cheats by David Cameron. As usual, there was the anecdotal evidence from listeners such as "I know a neighbour who is supposedly sick but working" and so on and so on.
ReplyDeleteWhat made me despair was the presenter who seemed to encourage such calls by saying something like "phone in and tell us what's happening on your street. Do you know any one commiting benefit fraud?" Phone us on XXXX and tell us."
It seems that attacking those out of work is the new black as it were!
Agreed, imatt, there's a real campaign on at the moment to vilify benefit claimants. Just read the news feeds from the Express (don't buy the paper!) and you'll see that the words "benefits" and "scroungers" go naturally together. It's tragic when even the BBC joins in.
ReplyDeleteI think that these 'programme centres' are bad for many peoples health.
ReplyDeleteGo in sane, leave insane!
I used to work for them.... The stories I could tell: Maybe I should: However, one thing is clear: A4e are only interested in one thing and that is, quite simply, profit from people's misery
ReplyDelete