Damned if you do. Damned if you don't

Regular readers of this blog will know all about the UNUM Provident Centre for Psychosocial and Disability Research based at Cardiff University. It’s Director, Professor Mansel Aylward, is the former Chief Medical Adviser at the DWP, who moved to the UNUM Provident bankrolled Centre several years ago.

The UNUM Centre has been one of the leading forces in trying to make it harder for people to be signed off sick by their GPs. Staff from UNUM were also prominent in the design of the current Personal Capability Assessment and also the new, much harsher Work Capability Assessment. Professor Aylward is, in addition, involved in research for the DWP and for Dame Carol Black, proponent of the replacement of sick-notes with ‘well-notes’.

All the more surprising, is that the centre is carrying out research in to ‘presenteeism’ for the Welsh Assembly. Presenteeism, apparently, is the culture of working ridiculously long hours and not taking time off when sick. According to Professor Aylward, presenteeism costs the country ten times more than sickness absence.

The learned Professor, who has spent many years telling people that the best cure for illness is work, now claims that:

“The problems come from people who are ill, those who are not up to the mark, who are continuing to work.”

Presumably there is no possibility that the reason why people are chained to their desks till they drop is that their GP has been persuaded by DWP funded research that being signed off sick is bad for their patients’ health.

icWales have an account of this puzzling situation here:

http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/04/24/presenteeism-culture-of-long-hours-sweeps-welsh-offices-91466-20810883/

So, it would now appear that if you are sick, you should go to work. On the other hand, if you are sick, you should stay at home.

This is clearly a ridiculous situation and further exposes the questionable methods used at the DWP to determine a Claimant's entitlement to Benefit.

Incidentally, has Prof. Aylward presented his proposals yet for the reconfiguration of Health Service provision in Rhondda Cynon Taf? I can't find it and it was due at the end of April. The worthy Prof. is probably about to run out of fingers for his many pies.

Your pal.

johnny.

Who's fingered all the pies?

What's he on about now, I hear you ask.

I have previously posted on the amount of 'pies' that our own Prof. Mansel Aylward has his fingers in. They range from the DWP, Medical Services, UNUM Insurance, you know, the ones described as "outlaws", The Shaw Trust, The Welsh Centre for Health, one of Rhodri's 'bonfire of the Quangos', and now the Venture Capitalist company ARKAGA.

Prof. Aylward, it seems, is a Director/Board Member of this company that prides itself on its ability to engage in 'leveraged buy out investments'. Their particular chosen area of investment is in Private Health Care and Management. A quick look at their site http://www.arkagafund.com/ will explain more fully.

Interestingly enough, on their link labelled 'people', this appears to have been changed in the last couple of weeks. Previously they have trumpeted the fact that Prof. Aylward was one of their 'people' but now it has changed to a redacted version which identifies no-one. Spooky eh! They probably prefer anonymity.

This obviously deepens the mystery of why Mansel Aylward was specifically chosen by Edwina Hart AM, our Health Minister,to be the appropriate person to undertake the Health Care reconfiguration in the Rhondda Cynon Taf Area, given his apparent lack of experience of Public Health Care provision yet his massive experience and knowledge of the private Health Care and Insurance Industries

It may be noted from ARKAGA's site that they currently have investments in such companies as:

ELISION HEALTH Ltd.
HEALTHSKILLS Ltd.
TELEMEDIC SYSTEMS Ltd.
PEARL MEDICAL Ltd.

I would ask my reader to remember these names as I have every confidence that we will be hearing more of these, possibly in the field of 'preferred bidders'. You heard it here first.

I enclose a link to an interesting article by Johnathan Rutherford http://departmentofworkandpensions.blogspot.com/2007/12/jonathan-rutherford-writes-on-link.html which clearly explains these questionable links between Government and the Private Sector.

Obviously, it may be assumed that our Health Minister, Edwina Hart AM, is fully aware of these connections and associations with the private health and medical insurance industries. I have yet to hear a single word from her or her acolyte Huw Lewis AM, which mentions anything to do with Mansel Aylward's deep involvement with the private sector, apart from their claim that he is a person of 'stature and integrity'. This 'stature and integrity' clearly relates his roles within the private sector and has little relevance to Public Health Care. Nevertheless, Prof. Aylward is deemed to be the appropriate person for the job. I wonder, why?

Could it be that there is a hidden agenda of Private Health Care provision in Edwina Hart's use of Aylward's 'skills'? If so, why no mention of it?

I make these observations for the benefit of those in the RCT area as they appear to be the 'guinea pigs' in what I see as an erosion of The NHS as we know and love it and the making available of enormous opportunities for the private sector to cash in on Public Health Care provision.

Incidentally. Mansel's report to Edwina Hart is a little overdue as it was promised to be presented by the end of April. I haven't been able to locate it so far. Has it been presented yet? I'd be grateful if my reader can inform me.

Your pal.

johnny.

Why don't they tell the whole truth?

Last night's BBC Wales programme, Week in Week Out, brought no real surprises to me.

It may as well have been produced by the DWP. It probably was but I didn't actually see them on the credits. The programme was simply an advertisement for the UNUM/Aylward/Wessley and now, Matthews school of medical thought, regarding disability rehabilitation and was intended to convey the veiled threat from the DWP that the disabled have to live under.

Previous posts, all evidence based, show that this "thinking" is NOT in the "mainstream of medical thinking" but that they claim to influence Government thinking. No mention of this by the BBC. I wondered why.

Clearly, Government thinking is devoted to further disenfranchisement of legitimate claimants by a reduction or removal of their benefits irrespective of any job provision.

The sight of the Texan Dr. Merrill Matthews striding through the Merthyr in his black cowboy boots made me wonder why he didn't have his black cowboy hat on as well. As an associate of the "outlaws" UNUM and their employees he was somewhat under dressed. Curiously, the BBC cameraman did at least three close-ups of the boots. Was there a subliminal message in there somewhere?

Why did they have to mention his black belt in Tae Kwon Do? What's that got to do with this matter? Incidentally, I've got a black pair of braces in origami but I don't go on about it.

The BBC/DWP then carefully selected their interviewees in order to support their clear intention of getting the UNUM/DWP message across. They could have interviewed me. I would certainly have livened up the show and provided a little balance.

The 'website designer' with a previously broken elbow who was portrayed as a businessman, presumably entirely self supporting on the basis of nine websites. Yeah right.

The amputee who appeared to be coping with his disability quite well by keeping himself occupied was asked why he had no job. There are no jobs but Dr. Matthews just skimped over this. I was a little disturbed to note that Dr. Matthews failed to mention the man's remaining leg, which was showing clear clinical signs of a circulatory problem and had a large dressing on it. I wondered why.

The other interviewees were not portrayed in a positive light at all and appeared to be victims of socio/economic problems that would obviously cause anxiety or depression in the strongest willed of us.

Of course, there are many disabled people who would dearly love to get a job that they were capable of but, unfortunately, the programme gave absolutely no hope of that, just a threat of a reduction in Benefits.

The double industrial accident chap from Llanelli put it in a nutshell when he said, "Everything is put in its place to stop me getting a job".

Dr. Matthews said:

"In the US we cut people's cash benefits in the 1990s and told them they were going back to work.
"They are some of the most successful policies we've ever introduced. In some states, money from benefit claimants was taken and used instead to create jobs in local companies, boosting employment opportunities."

The only "success" that these policies had was to disenfranchise legitimate benefit claimants on the basis of "medical thinking" that is NOT of the mainstream.

The scenes of Prof. Mansel Aylward in his training suite were most enlightening. I wonder why there was no mention of the FULL title of his BioPsychoSocial School, i.e. THE UNUM SCHOOL.........Maybe they just forgot?

I must say that Mansel wasn't looking a picture of health himself, since I met him last. Rather overweight, heavy jowled and a little pasty. Hardly a good advertisement as the Director of the Welsh Centre for Health. I do hope that he's not suffering from a disability. He'll have dreadful job getting his benefits.

Incidentally, at our last meeting, he went to some pains to state, before a very credible witness with a good memory, that he never engaged in physical activity himself, just mental activity. Maybe he should read his own books, or could it just be a case of: "do as I say, not what I do"? Perhaps he has a Black Belt in Legitimate Claims Denial?

Clearly, to me at least, this was a New Labour/BBC production designed solely to justify and usher in the new regime which will result in untold misery and poverty for thousands of legitimate claimants.

After the programme, I emailed Week in Week Out with a cordial invitation to call in here and see the real story. I wonder if they'll respond? If they do, I will be quite prepared to show them more than enough documentary evidence to support a further edition of WiWO showing the truth of what underlies this particular edition.

There are so many unasked and unanswered questions.

Your pal.

johnny

Peter Hain's parting shot!

Readers of my previous postings, regarding the questionable association of the DWP and the American "outlaw" insurance company UNUM, may be aware of the awkward question that I have persistently asked, as yet avoided and unanswered.

Q.........Please provide your observations on Governmental association with UNUM insurance, who have been described as an "outlaw company who have acted in an illegal fashion for many years" and who "operate claims denial factories".

Peter Hain was asked this question just before Christmas by one of our NONE of THESE TURKEYS supporters, with little expectation of a response.

Surprise, surprise! He has responded thus:

"It would not be appropriate for me to comment on what has been said about UNUM's operation, either in Great Britain or overseas".

I wonder why? Is it a secret?

The question was not about what was SAID but about their record in the USA of being fined many millions of Dollars as a result of their illegal denial of legitimate claims.

UNUM have two main products and two main goals.

Products:

1. Disability and ill health Insurance.

2. Medical treatment insurance.

Goals:

1. To eradicate Social Welfare (The Welfare State). This makes the need for their disability and illness insurance product clearer in the marketplace.

2. To eradicate the NHS as we know it . This makes the need for their medical insurance product clearer in the marketplace.

The following statement by UNUM's Chairman in 2001 confirms this:


Chairman, Ward E Graffam recognised the ‘exciting developments’ in Britain: ‘The impending changes to the State ill-health benefits system will create unique sales opportunities across the entire disability market and we will be launching a concerted effort to harness the potential in these.’

Despite UNUM's clear influence in government, Hain deems it "inappropriate to comment".

Again, I wonder why? What had he to hide?....................as if I didn't know!!!

As a result of UNUM's business aspirations in the UK, it seems highly suspicious to me that politicians seem to reluctant to answer this particularly awkward question.

Come on Huw Lewis AM, I asked YOU politely, at least do me the courtesy of a response or has the cat got your tongue?

I refer to Huw in particular as he is the AM that endorses UNUM's local agent, Prof. Mansel Aylward as the fit and proper person to reconfigure Welsh NHS services. He describes Aylward as a person of "stature and integrity" despite Aylward's employment by an "OUTLAW" company.

Rhodri was asked the question before Christmas and promised a response, he's still dithering and I'm still waiting. A little reminder is due.

How's about someone asking Edwina Hart AM, Health Minister for a response. We need to know.

I would earnestly ask my reader to ask the same awkward question at every opportunity. I certainly intend to.

This matter will eventually affect ALL of the population of the UK, including YOU!

Beware, UNUM have you in their sights, whether you like it or not.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

Your publicly pensioned pal.

johnny.

Now it's 'official'. The UNUM cat's out of the bag.

Readers tuning in to the BBC's Ten o-clock News last night will have seen the initial report on the questionable activities of UNUM (Provident or not), previously posted here. This initial report was produced by Mark Daley, who readers may remember for his 'Secret Policeman' expose of institutional racism in the Police Force, and his recent expose of Government failure to monitor and keep track of the many paedophiles who had gone missing.

Mark's initial report described UNUM's claims denial activities in the USA and the UK and used the same earlier posted quote from John Garamendi, the previous California Insurance Commissioner, who has described UNUM as an "outlaw company" who have acted in an "unlawful fashion" for many years.

In rebuttal of Mark's comments, UNUM put up Dr. Peter Dewis, UNUM customer relations, who tried to negate UNUM's past unlawful activities on the basis that it was all "part of history", and that they had moved on. It should be noted that he was displaying a marked perspirational discomfiture at the time. Probably the spot-light.

Unfortunately, Peter Dewis failed to mention the tens of thousands of legitimate claimants who had been disenfranchised as a result of UNUM's failure to pay out on their claims. many of whom have been unable to 'move on' as they have either died, waiting for payment, or have simply given up in despair, presumably, themselves, becoming part of UNUM's history.

Incidentally, Peter Dewis previously worked for sixteen years at the DWP as a close colleague of our local UNUM agent Prof. Mansel Aylward, and was instrumental in facilitating the introduction of the UNUM method of claims denial at the DWP.

The report also noted the clear and close involvement that UNUM has with the DWP. This involvement has previously been denied at Ministerial level and this leaves me a little perplexed. Could it be that they would wish to keep it a secret?

Edwina Hart AM, Assembly Health Minister, appears to have selected Prof. Aylward as her preferred person of 'stature and integrity', to oversee the NHS reconfiguration, on the basis of his CV, yet he has neither expertise in, nor experience of, NHS reform. In fact I would be surprised if she could find anyone around here with experience of any fully successful NHS reconfiguration.

One thing that he has expertise and experience of, is saving his masters a lot of money by reduction of service, or failure to provide, without any consideration for the consequences endured by the disenfranchised.

Maybe this is the quality that Edwina Hart seeks.

My previously posted 'alternative' CV for Mansel Aylward has been described by Huw Lewis AM as "defamation", yet Huw offers no response and refuses to address the matter.

As Huw has made the following statement in the Assembly:

"Might we consider that Professor Aylward could move on, after this work, to oversee the overall reconfiguration of services throughout the whole trust area?"

Bearing in mind this BBC report, I think that Huw owes the public a statement on the oft asked, but never answered question:

" Please provide your observations on governmental association with a company that has been described as an "outlaw company", that has operated in an "unlawful fashion" for years".

If any of Huw's pals read this posting, please ask him to drop by and make some sort of response. My reader awaits.

Better still, how about a statement in the Assembly giving a straight answer to the above question. His public awaits.

Your post-provident pal.

johnny.

SiCKO - Coming soon to an NHS near you?

Friday saw the release of Michael Moore's latest film, appropriately called SiCKO.

This latest offering from the maker of 'Bowling for Columbine' and 'Fahrenheit 9/11' now exposes the USA's totally-for-profit healthcare system. See for yourself, it's an eye-opener.

There are currently 50 million Americans who have no health insurance and consequently, if they develop a serious illness, they suffer and die untreated.

This system is totally controlled by numerous insurance companies who are motivated entirely by their quest for profits.

Could it be mere coincidence that the current proposal by the Assembly's Health Minister, Edwina Hart, to use the services of the UNUM Provident, that well known and controversial American insurance company, 'local agent', Prof. Mansel Aylward, as the overseer of Local Health Care reconfiguration?

In fact, Huw Lewis was so overly impressed by Prof. Aylward's 'official' CV that he went on to ask:

"Might we consider that Professor Aylward could move on, after this work, to oversee the overall reconfiguration of services throughout the whole trust area?"

Huw has attempted to dismiss my previously posted 'unofficial' CV of Aylward's activities as 'defamatory', but offers no response or rebuttal to my statements.

A three year investigation into UNUM Provident's activities in the USA has resulted in the following conclusions:

"The investigation concluded that the Company was engaged in widespread violations of state insurance regulations and in fraudulent denial practices. Those included using phony medical reports, policy misrepresentations, low-balling tactics and biased investigations as pretexts for cutting off legitimate claims of disabled, and often destitute, policyholders."

Given Aylward's previous history in the world of claims denials and the use of highly questionable medical reports in the DWP, and his intimate involvement with UNUM Provident, I regretfully foresee a radical change in services that will be made on mainly fiscal considerations.

He has successfully inculcated UNUM Provident's highly questionable methodology of claims denial into the DWP, with the result that many legitimate claimants have been wrongfully denied benefit, and I see no reason why Aylward's involvement in this proposed reconfiguration will bring anything of benefit to the public at large. Money talks.

Readers may have noted that there has been an increase in BUPA's advertising of late. Maybe they know something that we don't.

It is generally acknowledged that the UK is about ten years behind the USA. I would venture to suggest that the gap is closing.

Your patiently patient pal.

johnny.