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Disability assessment doctors come under GMC scrutiny

BMJ 2011; 343 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.d5284 (Published 17 August 2011) Cite this as: BMJ 2011;343:d5284
  1. Adrian O’Dowd
  1. 1London

Seven doctors working for a company hired by the government to assess people for eligibility for disability benefit are being investigated by the General Medical Council, it has emerged.

Doctors working for Atos Healthcare, the UK company paid by the Department for Work and Pensions to carry out work capability assessments on people claiming incapacity benefit, are being investigated by the GMC over complaints about their conduct.

Although the GMC will not give precise details, it has confirmed to the BMJ that 30 complaints made against doctors employed by Atos were investigated in 2010. Fourteen more cases concerning doctors working for Atos were opened in 2011.

Of all these cases 10 are still active and involve seven doctors, some of whom have …

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