Cancer patients to undergo benefit checks

[Frank Sidney]

They're as low as a snakes belly. This government that is. They're proposing chemotherapy patients have to undergo checks to make sure they can't work.

 

Does that seem fair to you?

 

Even if it does is this the time to bring in such rules with mass unemployment. If they get kicked off the sick they'll more than likely be signing on anyway.

 

http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Aboutus/News/Latest_News/DWPproposestoforcechemotherapypatientstoundergostressfulbenefitchecks.aspx

 

http://tompride.wordpress.com/2011/12/03/the-government-has-finally-done-something-so-outrageous-even-i-cant-be-bothered-to-satirise-it/

[quisquose]

I've not read the links, but I didn't miss a single day off work when I had chemotherapy and radiotherapy. I did take some time off, and used holiday, but despite feeling a bit carp on occasion, carried on working regardless.

 

So sure, I wouldn't be surprised if some patients used their illness to avoid work irrespective of whether that illness was a cold or cancer.

[Frank Sidney]

I've not read the links, but I didn't miss a single day off work when I had chemotherapy and radiotherapy. I did take some time off, and used holiday, but despite feeling a bit carp on occasion, carried on working regardless.

 

So sure, I wouldn't be surprised if some patients used their illness to avoid work irrespective of whether that illness was a cold or cancer.

 

That's fair enough that was you're choice. So long as others have the choice, that's fine. They want to take away the choice though..

[quisquose]

That's fair enough that was you're choice. So long as others have the choice, that's fine. They want to take away the choice though..

 

I was diagnosed with the "Big C" and if I had chosen to use that as an excuse to avoid work there is absolutely nobody who would have questioned that due to the fear that still surrounds the word, despite the fact that not all cancers are the same.

 

In a way, your OP backs this up.

 

I obviously needed time off to go and get treatment, and on the occasions that I felt carp I still wanted to work, others might need to be off work permanently if their illness is more serious or terminal, but there will be a lot of patients in-between. There is no standard form of cancer.

 

I can fully understand that some people might want to chose to use their illness as an excuse to avoid work, claim benefits, seek sympathy ... usually it will be reasonable but sometimes it will not.

[Conrod]

That's fair enough that was you're choice. So long as others have the choice, that's fine. They want to take away the choice though..

It shouldn't be a choice. If the person is fit for work, as quisquose seems to have been, they shouldn't have the 'choice' to go off sick.

Cancer can be terrible but not all people undergoing cancer treatment are rendered too ill to work, by a long way.

[Frank Sidney]

I was diagnosed with the "Big C" and if I had chosen to use that as an excuse to avoid work there is absolutely nobody who would have questioned that due to the fear that still surrounds the word, despite the fact that not all cancers are the same.

 

In a way, your OP backs this up.

 

I obviously needed time off to go and get treatment, and on the occasions that I felt carp I still wanted to work, others might need to be off work permanently if their illness is more serious or terminal, but there will be a lot of patients in-between. There is no standard form of cancer.

 

I can fully understand that some people might want to chose to use their illness as an excuse to avoid work, claim benefits, seek sympathy ... usually it will be reasonable but sometimes it will not.

 

Its a pity there's no Blue Peter badge for such dedication, because you would surely get one..

[Frank Sidney]

It shouldn't be a choice. If the person is fit for work, as quisquose seems to have been, they shouldn't have the 'choice' to go off sick.

Cancer can be terrible but not all people undergoing cancer treatment are rendered too ill to work, by a long way.

So, you're a bigger expert in the effect of cancer than MacMillan, now there's a thing..

 

Do you not trust their judgement in the matter?...

[Suffragette1]

It shouldn't be a choice. If the person is fit for work, as quisquose seems to have been, they shouldn't have the 'choice' to go off sick.

Cancer can be terrible but not all people undergoing cancer treatment are rendered too ill to work, by a long way.

 

Perhaps not, however, I am not sure that quisquose is the norm, in this respect. I don't know a single person who has had cancer treatment who was not totally wiped out by chemotherapy. Furthermore, it's not just the physical effects of the treatments and the disease itself, it has an enormous emotional and psychological impact which alone may affect someone's ability to do their job. Then there are the effects of surgery, which can take weeks to recover from.

[Frank Sidney]

Perhaps not, however, I am not sure that quisquose is the norm, in this respect. I don't know a single person who has had cancer treatment who was not totally wiped out by chemotherapy. Furthermore, it's not just the physical effects of the treatments and the disease itself, it has an enormous emotional and psychological impact which alone may affect someone's ability to do their job. Then there are the effects of surgery, which can take weeks to recover from.

 

This is the main point. Some people can cope with the stress more readily than others. And importantly this will be difficult to assess...

 

I don't think the government intends to send scaffolders climbing the side of buildings when undergoing treatment either...It'll effect white collar workers the most I think..

[Conrod]

Perhaps not, however, I am not sure that quisquose is the norm, in this respect. I don't know a single person who has had cancer treatment who was not totally wiped out by chemotherapy. Furthermore, it's not just the physical effects of the treatments and the disease itself, it has an enormous emotional and psychological impact which alone may affect someone's ability to do their job. Then there are the effects of surgery, which can take weeks to recover from.

Which is fine - in such cases, they would I'm sure be assessed as unfit for work.

I've known people who fall into that category, and I expect most do, but I've also known several who have worked through it and felt better for doing so.