Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what (a) qualifications and (b) training courses are required to be undertaken to become an Assessor for Work Capability Assessments.

All Healthcare Professionals (HCP) must have the following qualifications and experience:

• they are an Occupational Therapist, Nurse (level 1), Physiotherapist or Doctor
• they are fully registered with the relevant regulatory body (doctors must have a licence to practice)
• the licensing body has not placed restrictions on the healthcare professional’s registration (unless they relate to disability), in individual cases this may be waivered subject to agreement with the department
• they have at least 1 years’ post full registration experience (General Medical Council, Nursing and Midwifery Council, Health and Care Professions Council or European Economic Area equivalent) or for non-European Union graduates 1 years’ post full registration experience unless otherwise agreed on an individual basis by the department.

HCPs undergo training in Disability Assessment Medicine which includes three distinct areas:

• Generic training - principles of disability analysis, professional standards (including manner and behaviour) and multi-cultural awareness
• Training to undertake benefit-specific assessments - modular training with competency testing at each stage and an approval process
• Scrutiny / file work training - providing advice to the decision maker, theory, and casework exercises, followed by supported individual casework.

The training also includes theory training in a classroom setting, supervised practical training, and a demonstration of understanding as assessed by quality audit.

Before HCPs can carry out assessments, they must go through a formal approval process to ensure they meet the department’s requirements in relation to experience, skills, and competence. Failure to demonstrate that they have reached the necessary standards, or to co-operate with feedback and/or retraining, will result in approval being refused.