Quote:
Originally Posted by Angua
There is a huge link between money worries and MH issues that the DWP have no care for. Each little bit of pressure to fill in forms & have assessments by people with zero knowledge of how MH affects people, adds to their reduced engagement with those who can help.
DWP are not set up to be proactive and find it easier to do nothing & say no to payments. Rather than look at the evidence of how their systems are adding to the problem, instead of solving it.
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An excellent summary of the DWP since David Camerons introduction of a 'stricter benefit regime'.
When I worked in benefits processing, we would go and visit people who were struggling, particularly if they were known to have mental health issues. We even used legislation in place to award payments where they were unable to complete or sign a claim form.
It's not the case now, the DWP have been underpaying some pensioners for years. When they found that some were entitled to as much as £100,000 back pay, they started saying that they would only go back for 12 month's (this is being challenged).
Remember, this is an insurance scheme that they & their partners have paid into to help with their old age.
If anyone knows of a pensioner who may be affected, please read this thread for more information. The longer this is left, the more likely they will be to lose money:
https://www.cableforum.uk/board/show...php?t=33709864
After pressure, the DWP will now check
some claims, but others will simply miss out on something that would make them more comfortable in their twilight years. You can bet your life that if the pensioners had been overpaid they wouldn't only go back for 12 months.
---------- Post added at 20:57 ---------- Previous post was at 20:51 ----------
Quote:
Originally Posted by GrimUpNorth
For many years I felt there was a senior management culture where I work of if you couldn't see it then it wasn't happening. So if I severed my arm they'd do their best to make sure it couldn't happen again but if my mental health was being impacted by work procedures the council would do nothing to change the procedures even when they knew there was a problem.
Things started to change when someone in a different department who has complex mental health issues barged in to a senior management meeting and blocked the door and made them listen (wish I could have heard her as she was in a manic phase at the time and while it's not funny, she's the first to admit she could do stand up during that phase of her illness). The next day she tried to self harm but it went too far and she almost took her own life. Finally the penny dropped and things started to change.
There's 5 of us in my little team, but we're part of a bigger group of about 50. Over this past year I've had quite a few calls from people who are not having a great time and often it's just knowing there's someone there who will just listen and can help you if you really need it. I make sure I speak to everyone in my team at least weekly and they know if they need to they can call for a chat (or a scream!) any hour of the day or night.
I could go on as it's something I really do believe in but you can find out lots more here and I would urge anybody to encourage their employer/organisation to make sure they look after their people's mental health. |
You're 100% right in that mental health/disability isn't taken as seriously as physical problems that people can see. I have experienced this personally, even by people who like to virtue signal their liberal values.
Good on you for becoming a Mental Health First Aider to help others, I respect you for doing your bit to help others..