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Half of disability assessment bodies will be from the NHS

BMJ 2013; 346 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.f1143 (Published 19 February 2013) Cite this as: BMJ 2013;346:f1143
  1. Adrian O’Dowd
  1. 1London

Half of the 14 partner bodies that have been subcontracted to carry out new disability assessment work led by a private company are NHS organisations.

Atos Healthcare, the company which the government contracted to do assessments for a new disability benefit, published a list this week of the 14 “supply chain partners” that it has made agreements with to do most of the frontline work.

Observers, however, are puzzled as to why public sector providers have gone through a private sector intermediary to do work for the public sector.

Last year, the Department for Work and Pensions awarded a five year contract to Atos, worth £400m (€464m; $620m), to deliver assessments for a new disability benefit …

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