Social Security Benefits: Scotland
(asked on 16th December 2016) - View Source
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of assessment reports conducted by contractors for Scottish claimants of (a) employment and support allowance and (b) personal independence payments were carried out by a qualified doctor in each of the last four quarters for which information is available.
All healthcare professionals undertaking assessments on behalf of the Department are registered practitioners (occupational therapists, nurses, doctors, physiotherapists and paramedics) who have met requirements around training, post-qualification experience and competence.
The number of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) face to face assessments completed by healthcare professionals in Scotland was:
Quarter | Total Assessments | By Doctors |
December 2015 to February 2016 | 13,242 | 2,051 (15.48%) |
March 2016 to May 2016 | 14,299 | 2,064 (14.43%) |
June 2016 to August 2016 | 15,479 | 2,039 (13.17%) |
September 2016 to November 2016 | 16,397 | 2,539 (15.48%) |
(Source: Data provided by CHDA)
None of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments in Scotland were completed by a qualified doctor. The Department does not require or specify that PIP assessments are carried out by doctors.