Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the availability of doctor's appointments for employment and support allowance assessments in (a) the UK, (b) Wales and (c) Caerphilly County Borough area.

Claimants attending Employment and Support Allowance assessments are seen by a Healthcare Professional who may be a fully qualified occupational therapist, physiotherapist, nurse, or doctor. Certain medical conditions however, have been designated as requiring a doctor’s assessment, for example: stroke, head-injury, multiple-sclerosis, motor neurone disease, Parkinson’s disease, muscular dystrophy and, spina bifida.

The Centre for Health and Disability Assessments is able to provide doctors to assess designated doctor-only cases in all parts of the country.