Oh Dear, Oh Dear
The launch of the new Health and Work Service as announced through the national media doesn’t seem to have been received well by the general public if the comments on the BBC website are anything to go by. Click here
Even readers of The Telegraph are very dismissive. Click here
The biggest issue seems to be people associating it with the Atos contract for assessing disability. The potential benefits are lost in a sea of Atos loathing and mistrust. There is also a surprising but clear lack of understanding as to how Occupational Health works – whose fault is that?
I have no idea which private company will win the tender to supply the service but wonder just how many people will voluntarily accept being referred to Atos if it wins the contract. The government’s PR job on this is big enough already and it hasn’t got off to a great start.