Meacher steps up the fight

SUPPORT . . . Michael Meacher with Rethink Mental Illness activist Dick Acworth

THE government minister in charge of overseeing work fitness assessments has agreed to look at a “robust” alternative after lobbying from Oldham MP Michael Meacher.

The Oldham West and Royton MP joined a delegation which met employment minister Mark Hoban, to raise concerns about the controversial health assessments carried out by Atos.

The Work Capability Assessments (WCA) has come under widespread criticism for being undertaken by people not medically trained.

Mr Meacher said: “At the end of the 45-minute meeting Mr Hoban was asked to agree to another early meeting if the disability community could come together to produce an alternative to the WCA.

“He argued that it would have to be very robust in terms of performance, but he certainly didn’t reject the idea out of hand.”

The Labour MP has repeatedly called for the assessments to be scrapped or drastically changed.

Mr Meacher added: “He was told there must be mental-health champions in every centre and that every assessment should be recorded.”

Earlier this year ministers were ordered to revamp the “appalling” work test after it was found 41 per cent of claimants may have been wrongly passed fit to work. Mr Meacher launched his campaign against Atos following the death of his constituent Colin Traynor, who suffered from epilepsy but was deemed fit to work and had his benefits cut.

Charity Rethink Mental Illness is running its own campaign to stop the WCA until the test is improved and was delighted with Mr Meacher’s intervention.

Its “I Agree With Dick” campaign is led by activist and retired vicar Dick Acworth whose son has bipolar disorder and was wrongly found fit for work.

He said: “I was very glad to talk directly to Michael Meacher about this flawed system.”