Channel 4 Dispatches Investigation.

The request was partially successful.

Dear Department for Work and Pensions,

The recently broadcast Dispatches Investigation aired on channel 4, showed video with synced audio of a Health Professional named by channel 4's Dispatches programme as Alan, who stated that he sometimes carried out large parts of the face to face medical assessments before the appointment and also saying he once completed one on a one-legged man before he even met him. Alan no longer works for Capita because they were appalled by his disrespectful comments and actions.

1. Please tell me how many Medical Assessments did this Health Professional named as Alan by Channel 4's Dispatches programme, carry out during his time with Capitia on behalf of the DWP?

2. Of all the Medical Assessments this Health Professional named as Alan by Channel 4's Dispatches programme, carried out during his time with Capitia on behalf of the DWP how many of them have now been looked at again in light of what he said to the undercover reporter.

3. Are ALL the Medical Assessments carried out by the Health Professional named as Alan by Channel 4's Dispatches programme, now to be looked at again afresh in light of what he said to the undercover reporter.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispa...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-...

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/ch...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/hom...

Yours faithfully,

Thelma Jennings,

DWP freedom-of-information-requests, Department for Work and Pensions

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Anthony Collins left an annotation ()

Alan Barham
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-barham-...
Alan Barham
Managing director of first Aid + Training ltd. Free lance paramedic

Thelma Jennings

Dear DWP freedom-of-information-requests,

Response to my request is a very delayed indeed. You should have responded by 16 May 2016.

Please give this matter your immediate attention.

Yours sincerely,

Thelma Jennings

DWP Health Services Correspondence, Department for Work and Pensions

1 Attachment

Dear Thelma Jennings,
 
Please see our response to your recent Freedom of Information request.
 
Yours sincerely
 
Correspondence Team |Business Management Team | Health Services
Directorate | Finance Group | Department for Work and Pensions | Green
Zone 2nd Floor, West Wing, Phase 2 | Peel Park | Brunel Way | Blackpool |
FY4 5ES |
 
 
 

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J Roberts left an annotation ()

"Discredited assessor

14. I will deal in some detail with points arising from the discrediting of assessor Alan Barham. My comments may be of use in other cases where a report of his was before the First-tier Tribunal.

15. Alan Barham was discredited by the Channel 4 "Dispatches” programme, following undercover reporting. The criticism of Mr Barham, based on what he himself had reportedly said, included that he had finished an assessment before he walked through the door (see for example the extract at Annex 1 to this decision, taken from https://www.channel4.com/press/news/grea...

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk...

Extract from Annex 1:

"Alan: The money? It was ridiculous. I was getting around 20 grand a month, most months. They’d pay around £80 an assessment for the first 8 assessments, then they paid £160 an assessment for 8-14, then they paid£300 per assessment for 14-21.

Noel: So I imagine they’re all banging them out very quickly then?

Alan: Oh yeah, we was flying through them, because of that money. That’s 20 grand a month.

CM v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions[2020] UKUT 259 (AAC)

J Roberts left an annotation ()

Capita again:

'Too many people in Northern Ireland have had claims for their Personal Independence Payment (PIP) "unfairly rejected", an investigation has found.

The damning report conducted by the Public Services Ombudsman Margaret Kelly was published on Thursday.

It found that applicants were kept "in the dark" by the Department for Communities and Capita, which carries out PIP assessments.'

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ire...