The Atos Monologues.
1.
LET’S GET TO WORKIain Duncan Smith(soothing/placatory)
The previous government has made some inroads into welfare reform byintroducing reviews of people on incapacity benefit. It was a start to employ AtosHealth Care to undertake these assessments. But there is more work to be done.The proportion of people parked on inactive benefits has almost tripled in thepast 30 years to 41% of the inactive working age population.That is a tragedy. We must be here to help people improve their lives – not justpark them on long-term benefits.To address this, we will re-assess all current claimants of Incapacity Benefit ontheir readiness to work.If people genuinely cannot work, then we will make surethey get the unconditional support they need. At the same time, we will also make sure the system is fair by ensuring thatreceipt of benefits for those able to work is conditional on their willingness towork.So to be fair to the taxpayer, we will cut payments if they don’t do the rightthing.However, those assessed as immediately capable of work will be moved on toJobseeker’s Allowance straight away. At the same time, those who have the potential to return to work will receive theenhanced support they need through the new Employment and Support Allowance and the Work Programme.
DWP Spokesperson(bland officialese tones)Press Release – 11
th
October 2010
The first big phase of the Government’s radical welfare reform programme startstoday, as long-term incapacity benefit claimants in Burnley and Aberdeen will bethe first across the country to be reassessed for their ability to work.
The reassessment is designed to end the one-size-fits all approach to those withhealth conditions and disabilities which has led to 2.1 million people beingtrapped on benefits.With so many people abandoned on long-term sickness benefits, Ministers aredetermined to reform the welfare system and help those who have beenpreviously written off get back to work and regain their independence.Incapacity benefit claimants in Burnley and Aberdeen will have a Work Capability Assessment (WCA), which determines what a person can do, not simply whatthey cannot.Ministers are clear that the most severely disabled and people who are terminallyill will not be expected to look for work and will get extra help throughEmployment and Support Allowance (ESA).However, those people who are reassessed and found fit for work will move ontoJobseekers Allowance and will be expected to look for work like other jobseekers. Those who could work but need extra help and support to becomework ready will move onto Employment and Support Allowance and receivetailored support to get back to work.Minister for Employment Chris Grayling said:"It’s unacceptable that so many people have been written off to a lifetime onbenefits and today marks the start of the journey back to work for thousands whohave been cast aside."We know that many of the people trapped on incapacity benefits could and dowant to work, but the current system doesn’t allow them to."That’s why we’ll be reassessing everyone claiming incapacity benefits, startingin Burnley and Aberdeen today and the rest of the country from spring next year."Everyone who can work will get the help and support they need to get a job.Those found too sick or disabled to work won’t be expected to and will continueto receive help and support to lead fulfilling lives
Atos Website(upbeat, positive)London, 16 November 2010:
Atos Origin today announced that Atos Healthcare, its business division and thenumber one occupational health provider in the UK, has been awarded a three
year contract extension worth over £300 million by the Department for Work andPensions (DWP).Under this contract extension Atos Healthcare will continue to deliver medicaladvice and assessment services to support the UK Government’s welfare reformagenda to help people to move into and progress in work, while supporting themost vulnerable.Keith Wilman, CEO for Atos Origin
said: “We have a successful and longstandingrelationship with the Department for Work and Pensions and are committed tosupporting the Government’s welfare reform agenda to help those who are ableget back to work and regain their independence.” Atos Origin is an international company with an annual turnover of 5.1 billionEuros and 49,000 staff. Its business division, Atos Healthcare, is the number oneoccupational health provider in the UK. With over 3,000 staff, of whom aroundtwo-thirds are medical professionals, it is focussed on providing disabilityassessments and occupational healthcare services. Atos Origin is registered inthe Paris Eurolist Market and operates under the names Atos Origin, AtosWordline and Atos Consulting. For more information, visitwww.atoshealthcare.com
2. EASY ACCESSAtos Spokesperson(bright and breezy)
Frequently Asked Questions - Number One. Are some assessment centres above ground level and what is the policy for customers who are unable to use stairs?
All the assessment centre locations that we use are accessible for customerswho have difficulty or are unable to manage stairs. The majority of the centresare government owned, often co-located with Jobcentres. If an assessmentcentre is not on the ground floor and a customer cannot use the stairs in theevent of an emergency, we will consider an alternative venue or a home visit.
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