In 2015, we (British Psychological Society) issued our Call to Action and Briefing Paper on Work Capability Assessment Reform. This was the start of a prolonged campaign to push for end to end reform and better use of psychological evidence to develop appropriate assessments and training for job coaches, as well as greater recognition that returning to work or gaining employment is not always an appropriate end goal for individuals with mental health conditions and disabilities.Clearly a one size fits all approach is not fit for purpose.
This also resulted in a considerable amount of joint activity with the other main psychological therapy organisations (the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, the UK Council for Psychotherapists, and the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapists and the British Psychoanalytic Council) aimed at raising our concerns with the Joint DHSC/DWP Work and Health Unit about the potential co-location of psychological therapy services in job centres and the inclusion of psychology therapy within mandatory requirements for receipt of benefits.
