Like number 84 here I’m feel somewhat ground down and as though my life isn’t really my own. Sorry I broke my6 promise to blog everyday but, bi-polar got the better of me and rendered me not-very-useful at all. What I wanted to tell you is several things that have lead me to feel as though more action is needed. Firstly (well chronologically) is how MP’s refer to us people that don’t currently have jobs. Like the other 2 out of 3 adult ticcers that are not currently working this comment that popped out of an MP’s thought stream and into the Twittersphere was rather like a kick in the teeth. Yes, kick a girl when she’s down, I resent being referred to as “unemployable dross”, particularly after this MP was supposedly on our side. I hope he remembers that statistic, 2 out of 3 adults with TS are currently not in employment, as it is that doesn’t feel good add in the difficulties caused by TS and the co-morbidities and a pretty big dose of discrimination that makes you feel well, not very happy at all.unemploymentmovement.com/fo...
This guy isn’t the only MP who needs to watch what they say, the minister for disabled people (ha-ha, you’re kidding me) refers to us stock!!! (Or rather it was the author of a document about Access to Work) Just like number 84 we’re sentient beings and we deserve much more than that. Here’s the document, it’s the table on page 8. statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/w...
This is just the start of it there’s trouble going on in the world of the Work Capability Assessment. Strangely (??!!) in the world of social media many people are having problems sharing this important and yet frightening information. There’s firstly this. I would sincerely hope that any of our TS specialists reading this would have a look at this too. kittysjones.wordpress.com/2... This video illustrates this legislation.
youtube.com/watch?v=nWtxhA7... Also if like the cute bear you’re currently not taking any TS meds (I’m not at the moment, currently my bi-polar is the most problematic so therefore common sense would state that is the condition that needs the immediate care, which is the situation) Unlike the cute bear I appear to be a whirling mass of obscenities and tics, this appearance is what the ATOS assessor sees as my main barrier to employment, however those who look after me, my CPN (community psychiatric nurse), psychiatrist and TS consultant know that bi-polar is my biggest barrier and that due to anti-psychotics being the mainstay of TS treatment (My BP is rather low so therefore I’d be likely to keel over on clondine) and could somewhat tip the balance, Aripiprozole did this and it’s not a place anyone would want me to go let alone me. So reading into these changes this means that I would be assessed as “Work ready” and placed in the “Work related activity group” (WRAG) or I’d be deemed fit for work and be on my way to the job centre. I’m not whingeing, I’m just using myself as an example as I know there are people out there who are worse off than me and this would have an enormous impact on them. Take Steve Topley for example, unfortunately I haven’t been able to find out much more about the circumstances, but Steve was arrested and is now in Nottingham prison as a result of a “threatening comment” he made during his WCA freestevetopley.wordpress.com/ This indeed is worrying as the behavior of us ticcers can often be interpreted as being “threatening” some of the questions that you are asked are personal and seem irrelevant and would test the patience of a saint. Please let people know what’s going on, we have to try our best to stop what’s going on and ensure that the systems that are in place to ensure people get the support they need is fair and humane. The treatment that some are getting is not much better than the treatment that number 84 is getting this needs to change.
