Source · Select Committees · Work and Pensions Committee
Recommendation 8
8
Accepted
Introduce requirement for Chief Medical Adviser to assess health impact of all significant DWP policies.
Recommendation
We recommend that as a part of a systems-based approach to safeguarding, the Department introduce an explicit requirement that all significant new policies and policy changes, including those that fall outside the disability service area, are assessed by the Chief Medical Advisor’s team to understand their potential health impact on claimants. This should be accompanied by an appropriate expansion in resources for the team if needed. In light of the Government’s commitment to improve safeguarding practices, to accompany the safe implementation of health and disability benefit reforms, we suggest it would be appropriate for the Department to consider reinvesting a portion of the estimated savings to fund this work. (Recommendation, Paragraph 39)
Government response summary AI-generated
The government did not commit to the Chief Medical Advisor's team assessing all new policies for health impacts. Instead, it described existing ongoing efforts to improve accessibility, tailor services, and capture customer needs through updated processes and surveys.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government · verbatim extract
Accepted
The Government also recognises the value of such assessments being undertaken jointly, with the Chief Medical Advisor working alongside policy officials to determine the relevance and appropriateness of input, in order to support the effective and efficient functioning of Government. Policy development does not include a single piece of advice from the Chief Medical Advisor. Their team works in collaboration with policy colleagues to provide advice. Therefore, a single document does not exist. Changes set out in the Pathways to Work Green Paper and any assessments made on these by the Chief Medical Advisor and their team alongside policy colleagues remain as advice provided to the Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions, and the Government does not intend to publish this advice.
Read the full response on Parliament ↗