Minister forced to climb down

Iain Duncan Smith,

Ian Duncan Smith, Minister for Work and Pensions, has been forced to give in to campaigneers such as Macmillan.

Now, those undergoing cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy or raqdiuotherapy, will no lomger be expected to look for work during treatment.

Whereas before their benefits were taken away.

What made IDS climb down?

Could it have been public outcry, headed by Charities such as Macmillan?  If so, well done everyone who wrote to their MP. Lobbied etc.  Patient Power really does work!

MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT RESPONSE

Following a Government consultation, Work Capability Assessment: Accounting for the effects of cancer treatment, that closed in March, the Department of Work and Pensions has released its formal response,  Mike Hobday, Director of Policy of Macmillan Cancer Support, says:

“We welcome the Government’s announcement that more cancer patients will avoid having to face stressful medical assessments or back to work interviews while experiencing the effects of gruelling treatments.

“Macmillan campaigned vigorously for greater protection for cancer patients who are too sick to work.  We are delighted the Government has listened.

“As the response makes clear there is still work to be done to ensure these commitments become a reality.  We look forward to continuing to work with the Government to implement these important changes.”

Give us work

The ironic thing is that msnycancer survivors would like to work from home during treatmernt.  Type of work that would be pasrticularly suited would be anything needing IT skills.

However, when the NHS set up the  pathetic National Cancer Surviors Initiative http://www.ncsi.org.uk, the NHS said they couldn’t get cancer patients to set it up (even though Macmillan  didn’t support using those cancer survivors with IT experiencet;  it might have ensured the website was more interesting and relevant to what cancer survivors WANT AND   NEED).

Excuse given?  It was showing  ‘discrimination’ to use cancer survivors, but if NHS and Macmillan read the Act, they will see reverse discrimination IS allowed.

Article author:  Verite Reily Collins   verite@vgreenbee.net