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.