Questions to the DWP under FOI - dated 19th July.
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/mandatory_psychological_treatmen#incoming-680971
Mandatory psychological treatment, by the DWP, on a mandatory benefit sanctions involuntary no choice basis.
Frank Zola made this Freedom of Information request to
Department for Work and Pensions
Dear Department for Work and Pensions,
The DWP is considering spending £21 million (£21,000,000) of public
funds to provide digital CBT (Online Supported Cognitive
Behavioural Therapy), as part of this process of
providing psychological CBT 'treatment', you require services to be
in line with:
"National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) approved
treatment"
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov....
You are also "at an early stage" [1] of planning to "co-locate
Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) therapists in
over 350 Jobcentres" [2] and require IAPT "therapist" to hold
specific "qualifications" to "practice within IAPT services" [3].
Recently you stated that all IAPT and CBT would be "entirely
voluntary"[4], implying that no benefit sanctions could be imposed
for declining to engage with IAPT and CBT facilitated via the DWP.
Taking all of the above in account, can you confirm that, in
relation to neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) delivered by DWP
contractors, that:
1. Benefit Sanctions: - Anyone referred to the mandatory NLP
'treatment' schemes you deliver through suppliers like of 'Start
Smiling Again'* and 'Vedas Recruitment & Training Ltd' are NOT
voluntary, as declining to engage in the NLP 'treatment' integrated
into these schemes can mean benefit sanctions, with losses of up to
3 years for Jobseeker's Allowance?
*£48,000 for 'Start Smiling Again' NLP - South West Wales - Stress
Management Programme
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov....
**£165,000 for 'Vedas Recruitment & Training Ltd' NLP - Entrenched
Worklesness Provision
http://data.gov.uk/data/contracts-finder...
2. Qualifications: DWP do not require DWP contractors using NLP to
have any recognised qualifications?
3. Treatment: NLP is not a 'treatment' approved by any Public
Authority?
4. CNHC: DWP do not require DWP contractors using NLP to register
with the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC), a
body "set up with government support" [5], that regulates members
of the British Association of Therapeutic Hypnotists & NLP
practitioners (BAThH) [6] and The British Institute of Hypnotherapy
& NLP?
5. Consent: DWP do not require DWP contractors using NLP on it's
back-to-work schemes, to obtain fully informed freely given
(voluntary) consent from participants before
subjecting them to direct and indirect forms of NLP?
Reference: Getting consent
CNHC: Code of conduct, ethics and performance
" Clients’ consent must be voluntary. That is, they must not be
under any form of pressure or undue influence..." [8]
6. Conscientious Objection : As the DWP does not appear to obtain
consent, before subjecting it's 'customers' to NLP by it's
contractors/suppliers, can you confirm that any customer would be
free to lodge a formal complaint against the DWP against it's
arbitrary use of NLP as well as submitting a formal Conscientious
Objection now or at the point of referral to any DWP contractor
that ues NLP that is not on an "entirely voluntary" basis?
7. Professional Indemnity: The DWP does not require each
practitioner of NLP, be delivered through a DWP contract, to have
Professional Indemnity insurance?
8. Insurance: The DWP does it's contractors that use NLP, to hold
insurance that indemnifies them against any DWP customer who wishes
to make a claim against the DWP and the contractor for use of NLP
on a mandatory benefit sanctions involuntary no choice basis?
9. Psychological treatment: As NLP is a psychological intervention
(treatment), please disclose details of the insurance the DWP holds
or relies upon should a DWP customer wish to make a claim against
it, on the basis that the DWP has subjected them to a form of
psychological intervention (treatment), on a mandatory benefit
sanctions involuntary no choice basis?
10: Evidence: The DWP holds no evaluation or evidence on the
effectiveness of NLP with it's 'customers'?
Yours faithfully,
Frank Zola
Footnotes
[1] 'CMHT/ IAPT'
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/c...
[2] Budget 2015
1.236
Budget 2015 also announces a package of measures to improve
employment outcomes
for people with mental health conditions. Starting from early 2016,
the government will provide online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
(CBT) to 40,000 Employment and
Support Allowance and Jobseeker’s Allowance claimants and
individuals being
supported by Fit for Work. From summer 2015, the government will
also begin to
co-locate Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT)
therapists in over 350
Jobcentres, to provide integrated employment and mental health
support to claimants with
common mental health conditions
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/sy...
[3] 'CMHT/ IAPT'
The following qualifications are required to practice within IAPT
services:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/c...
[4] 'Sanctions: CBT and IAPT'
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/s...
[5] Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC)
http://www.cnhc.org.uk/
[6] British Association of Therapeutic Hypnotists & NLP
practitioners (BAThH)
http://www.bathh.co.uk/about_bathh
[7] The British Institute of Hypnotherapy & NLP
http://www.britishinstituteofhypnotherap...
[8] CNHC: Code of conduct, ethics and performance
http://www.cnhc.org.uk/assets/pdf/1-058....