General Election in the UK- will it change Anything?

[SilverbladeTE]

Elections should be abolished. People should be drafted into politics...

I agree and have said for some years now that we need "Democracy by Lottery"

 

[shahida]

As has already been mentioned- im just terrified of the 12 billion in welfare cuts- no doubt the ESA is being redesigned to get people off regardless of ill health. The nightmare is only just beginning. What on earth are PWME and others to do if told fit to work when very ill?

 

[ukxmrv]

I think that a group met with Andy Burnham as part of the APPG on ME once. From memory he said that he had a young relative with ME or CFS.

Will try and find the report and add a link here.

Yvette Cooper said she had ME or CFS. Another report I read said she had Hughes Syndrome?

 

[deleder2k]

As has already been mentioned- im just terrified of the 12 billion in welfare cuts- no doubt the ESA is being redesigned to get people off regardless of ill health. The nightmare is only just beginning. What on earth are PWME and others to do if told fit to work when very ill?

I don't know much about your situation on the other side of the North Sea, but if you are told you are fit to work, then the problem is your GP, specialist or how the NHS is dealing with ME - not politicians cutting welfare benefits for those who are fit to work?

If one is in the category fit to work and one is actually ill then that's a big problem. I think that anyone that is really not fit to work should be under that category. Cutting benefits for people that is ABLE to work is another issue.

In Norway ME is more and more being accepted as a serious illness, and I don't think many are having trouble getting their GP or specialist to say they are unfit to work. I hope that you could get ME diagnostic centres at hospitals like we have here in Norway. If one has a diagnosis from a hospital you are usually OK with respect to the Norwegian Welfare Department.

 

[eafw]

but if you are told you are fit to work, then the problem is your GP

The NHS does not decide whether someone is "fit for work" in terms of benefits. The assessment is made by a private, for-profit company, who are paid large sums from taxpayer money with the brief to deny a basic standard of living to as many ill and disabled people as they can get away with.

It is a completely political decision.

 

[deleder2k]

The NHS does not decide whether someone is "fit for work" in terms of benefits. The assessment is made by a private, for-profit company, who are paid large sums from taxpayer money with the brief to deny a basic standard of living to as many ill and disabled people as they can get away with.

It is a completely political decision.

That is absolutely dreadful. People that actually understand medicine and have spent their life getting an MD degree should decide who's able to work or not - not some stupid bureaucrat.

 

[Countrygirl]

As has already been mentioned- im just terrified of the 12 billion in welfare cuts- no doubt the ESA is being redesigned to get people off regardless of ill health. The nightmare is only just beginning. What on earth are PWME and others to do if told fit to work when very ill?

That is absolutely dreadful. People that actually understand medicine and have spent their life getting an MD degree should decide who's able to work or not - not some stupid bureaucrat.

For the record, as stated elsewhere on the forum, I was phoned by an assessor for the DWP who told me that she was very upset to be ordered to remove benefit from people who had a diagnosis of ME. She told me that she knew that they were very ill..............this, she said was obvious to her.......................but if she wanted to keep her job she was ordered by her superiors to cancel their benefit.

 

[eafw]

That is absolutely dreadful. People that actually understand medicine and have spent their life getting an MD degree should decide who's able to work or not - not some stupid bureaucrat.

GPs will write "sick notes" for people who are employed but have a short-term illness, and generally the employer rather than the governement will pay "sick pay", depending on the contact, and assuming the person will recover and return to work. People on zero-hours or similar won't get anything.

GPs and the NHS will sometimes give supporting evidence (in the form of a brief letter) to the government assesors, but they don't like to get involved with benefits claims really.

 

[deleder2k]

We also have government assesors for disability payments in Norway, but they mostly listen to GPs and doctors specialised in this horrible disease. Receiving a permanent disability/early pension is however quite hard, but I am not sure if that is a bad thing or not. One would have to be sick with ME usually for a period of 4+ years before one can take an early pension. That entitles you to support for the rest of your life. Hopefully I won't need that.

 

[shahida]

That is absolutely dreadful. People that actually understand medicine and have spent their life getting an MD degree should decide who's able to work or not - not some stupid bureaucrat.

The assessment of whether you're fit for work was done by Atos , now will be b

That is absolutely dreadful. People that actually understand medicine and have spent their life getting an MD degree should decide who's able to work or not - not some stupid bureaucrat.

It’s the politicians who set the criteria- for eg. in 2013 a new criteria was introduced that people can only score points on EITHER the ‘physical’ or the ‘mental /cognitive’ but if you have ME you should be assessed on both because it affects both. Ie. so you wont score and wont get as many points( 15 are needed to pass), making it more likely you’ll fail and hey presto , are ‘fit for work- go get a job you lazy scum’. No doubt more changes like this will be in the offing. The conservative party are the worst in this regard- you’re either a skiver or a striver. Things can only get worse and a diagnosis in itself is not enough- sounds like Norway is a more compassionate place in some regards.

 

[deleder2k]

The assessment of whether you're fit for work was done by Atos , now will be b

It’s the politicians who set the criteria- for eg. in 2013 a new criteria was introduced that people can only score points on EITHER the ‘physical’ or the ‘mental /cognitive’ but if you have ME you should be assessed on both because it affects both. Ie. so you wont score and wont get as many points( 15 are needed to pass), making it more likely you’ll fail and hey presto , are ‘fit for work- go get a job you lazy scum’. No doubt more changes like this will be in the offing. The conservative party are the worst in this regard- you’re either a skiver or a striver. Things can only get worse and a diagnosis in itself is not enough- sounds like Norway is a more compassionate place in some regards.

That sounds strange. So to pass it you have to have ME AND be mentally ill?
If they rule out a mental disease why on earth would that matter? Then it the only thing that should be taken into account is your physical state.

 

[shahida]

That sounds strange. So to pass it you have to have ME AND be mentally ill?
If they rule out a mental disease why on earth would that matter? Then it the only thing that should be taken into account is your physical state.

Sorry I havn’t explained it-there’s a form with questions split into PHYSICAL factors eg.being able to walk etc) and MENTAL (BUT this also includes cognitive functioning eg. concentration problems not just mental). You need to score 15 points to pass and be declared unfit for work. So they’re saying you can only fill one section in- but ‘ mental’ also refers to bad brain functioning – after all if you cant think properly how can you work- mine’s dreadful and I can only concentrate in very small bursts in between many hours of lying down, which is hardly conducive to work. It’s an attempt to cut the no’s of eligibility regardless of health needs. So this situation will only get worse especially as there is general public support for cutting welfare- the softest option. if you want a quick perusal of the form do an internet search for : ESA 50 UK and it should come up.

 

[Esther12]

It's a bit amusing and a bit depressing to see delender2k struggle to comprehend how dire the system in the UK is.

 

[eafw]

It's a bit amusing and a bit depressing to see delender2k struggle to comprehend how dire the system in the UK is.

It's like an "imagine an alien from outerspace" thought experiment.

Alien says : "you voted for what ... ???"

 

[L'engle]

So sorry for everyone who lives in the UK. It was grim watching those numbers add up.

 

[SilverbladeTE]

this sums it up

 

[Wildcat]

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Silverblade's post looks dramatic, but is no exaggeration

UK Welfare Reform Deaths ~ Updated List ~ October 21st 2014

Updated tragic list of Tory welfare reform related deaths of UK’s sick and/or disabled people. This is the tip of the iceberg :

http://blacktrianglecampaign.org/2014/10/21/uk-welfare-reform-deaths-updated-list-october-21st-2014/

This is a shocking, heartrending, but accurate picture of what's turning into a culling of the sick and disabled population of the UK. This list is difficult to read.


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The failure to investigate or prosecute high level child abuse involving current and former parliamentarians is also a massive scandal in Britain:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...-dossier-handed-to-scotland-yard-9938374.html

"...The dossier, which has been compiled by Labour MP John Mann, contains a total list of 22 high-profile figures deemed “worthy of investigation,” following the detailed examination of hundreds of pieces of evidence presented to him by members of the public, The Sunday Times reports.

Mr Mann told the newspaper the dossier names 12 former ministers, several of whom he believes were “definitely child abusers” and at least two of which are alleged to have assaulted boys at the Dolphin Square “abuse parties”.

He believes that the evidence presented against half of those on the list is “very compelling” and that some could “definitely be prosecuted”."…..

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'Cut welfare, shrink the state, scrap the Human Rights Act: welcome to Cameron's Britain'
http://www.independent.co.uk/
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[deleder2k]

Doesn't sound good! You are all welcome on the other side of the North Sea! Polar Bears, social benefits, -30 celsius degrees, 8 quid for a pint and soon maybe Rituximab for PWME! I will host a welcome party with pizza and a vasodilator to improve blood flow (alcohol) if anyone swaps their passport out.

EDIT:

The Independent was ahead of me: How to leave the United Kingdom

 

[SOC]

Spare us the American 'freedom' to die in the gutter as no-one lifts a finger.

Ummm..... who exactly is figuratively dying in the gutter in the ME world? Are UK patients getting even minimal medical treatment for ME/CFS? At least here in the US we have the vast majority of the ME/CFS specialists using conventional medical treatment (not CBT, GET, and antidepressants) to treat ME/CFS... and most of those specialists and treatments are covered by insurance. So it looks to me like you guys are the ones dying in the gutter with your supposedly superior system, not us.

Let's all just admit that both systems have major flaws, and both have a few benefits the other doesn't. I'm the first one to agree that our medical system needs a major overhaul, but I sure as hell don't want what the UK has if I, 1) am going to run the risk of being involuntarily committed to a mental health facility "for my own good" just because I have severe ME/CFS, and 2) have to give up the treatment that has taken me from bedbound to working and taking care of all my own ADLs.

Maybe we should put our heads together and try to figure out a medical system that incorporates the best of both worlds and tosses on the garbage heap the problems that are making PWME miserable above and beyond the misery of the illness itself? Do you suppose anyone would listen to us?

 

[Valentijn]

The recent Dutch elections were pretty similar. Conservatives (VVD) are still the biggest party, though they lost some seats and at least don't have a majority of seats. The labor party (PvDA) which had been supporting the VVD was hit very hard, since they had turned against their own traditional support base in the process. An intellectualist party (D66) made pretty big gains, but is still a pretty small party. And the xenophobia/hatred party (PVV) started fairly small and got smaller. Most of the small and local parties gained a bit due to labor supporters jumping ship.

So here there was some progress here at least, and the labor party seems to have finally learned an extremely important lesson and is now telling the conservatives where to shove some of their proposals. I think a lot of the difference may be cultural and/or educational. In the US and UK, it seems like a great many people are happy to believe in various fairy tales: trickle-down economics, the just-world hypothesis, or that repressing and marginalizing the poor won't eventually have consequences. In the Netherlands, virtually no-one seems to be impressed by supposed cost-cutting (preventive health-care, contraception) which will have far greater costs later, and there's little or no rejection of the notion that anyone can end up having financial problems for a variety of valid reasons.

And I got to go vote for the first time as a non-citizen resident ... for the local water board