December 2013
What: The review by Dr Paul Litchfield, chief medical officer for BT Group, is the fourth since the coalition came to power in 2010. Litchfield concludes in his review that only 34 of the 49 recommendations made by Harrington over his three reviews have so far been implemented in full by the government. Litchfield concludes that the WCA system is still “enormously complex” and marred by “impenetrable” language. He focuses in his review on how claimants are treated, the length and complexity of the process, and the treatment of people with mental health conditions.
Why significant: There is no mention of peer reviews or of the PFD report sent to DWP by a coroner in 2010 following the suicide of Stephen Carré. In fact, the words “death” or “suicide” do not appear in the report.