Amelia Gentleman Would Like To Sit In On Your Work Capability Assessment
Guardian journalist Amelia Gentleman wrote in the comments here yesterday:
I’d absolutely like to sit in on anyone’s WCA.
Email me direct if there’s anyone who would like to invite me! amelia.gentleman@guardian.co.uk
She was responding to someone who has questions about how ATOS carry out assessments and suggested a fly-on-the-wall investigation.
Personally, I have grown up strongly disliking being watched by student therapists during physio sessions. I would not like the idea of medical students being present while I was having a doctor’s appointment or any kind of operation. I see these as very private situations where you and trained professionals of your choice discuss your personal and private medical history.
I understand that some may see the WCA as slightly different, since you don’t actually know or choose the ‘professsionals’ who carry these out. I’m not on employment support benefits, so won’t need a WCA any time soon, but from what I’ve heard about them, they still discuss and assess your condition in a way that I would see as very personal and private. So if I was to need a WCA, I wouldn’t want anyone at mine who didn’t have to be there.
However, if you feel differently and have a WCA coming up, please drop Amelia an email. And if you have feelings to share about trainee professionals sitting in on your medical appointments, those are very welcome in the comments below.
Same Difference 