Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to support people with acoustic neuroma during the benefits assessment process.

All Healthcare Professionals carrying out assessments are medically qualified and highly-trained practitioners in their own field and must have at least two years' experience following registration. They are subject to a rigorous recruitment process followed by a comprehensive training programme in disability assessment. The assessment is not a medical assessment requiring the Healthcare Professional to diagnose a condition and recommend treatment options. The focus is on ensuring Healthcare Professionals are experts in disability analysis, drawing on evidence supplied by the claimant and their GP or specialist clinical team, with knowledge of the likely functional effects of a wide range of health conditions.

While preparing to undertake an assessment, Healthcare Professionals can access a wide range of clinical resources to research any conditions presented. This includes evidence based protocols, e-learning modules or case studies as well as keeping knowledge up to date through Continuous Professional Development.