Yeah, it's pretty clear that Harrington was shooed away for foolishly taking the government at their word that they genuinely wanted to change things. I think we can take his criticism of the whole business in good faith - it's pretty clear that there was never any intention of changing the WCA so it genuinely worked for claimants.
As I've made clear in my comments here, and to the DWP, I believe that the WCA is a very blunt tool for assessing fitness for work and it must be replaced by something more acceptable and accurate that also assesses both fluctuation and severity.
However, it has to be acknowledged from the quarterly DWP statistics (that I read as part of our homework) that there has been a very significant DECREASE over the past 7 years in the percentage of people being judged fit for work and an equally significant INCREASE in the numbers being placed in the support group - and this is mirrored by feedback to The MEA.
The reasons are complex and partly relate to some of the changes that have been brought about by Malcolm Harrington and reports from the FCG etc. They are also due to the introduction of the key terms 'reliably, repeatedly, safely and in a timely manner' - something that has helped a considerable number of people with ME/CFS to obtain ESA, as I know from assisting with a large number of these applications and disputes over the past 7 years.
From my website report on the meeting:
I would also draw attention to the latest quarterly statistics on ESA produced by the DWP:
www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/352885/esa_wca_summary_Sep14_final.pdf
In particular, the most striking change that has been taking place between 2008 and 2013 (provisional figures) is in the numbers of people being found:
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FIT FOR WORK: 2008 = 64%; 2013 = 27%
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UNFIT FOR WORK AND PLACED IN THE WRAG: 2008 = 24%; 2013 = 15%
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UNFIT FOR WORK AND PLACED IN THE SUPPORT GROUP: 2008 =12%; 2013 = 58%
So there has clearly been some effect as a result of the changes that have been made and the work that both Dr Litchfield and the Fluctuating Conditions Group and Mental Health Groups have been doing – especially the emphasis on the need for claimants to be able to do descriptor tasks reliably, repeatedly, safely and in a timely manner. Anecdotal feedback to The MEA also indicates that there ARE more people being placed in the support group and that less people are having to go to appeal.
But many people with ME/CFS, who have a genuine claim to this benefit, are still having to go to appeal in order to obtain ESA.