17 June 2005
The DWP have refused our Freedom of Information request for a copy of the Logic Integrated Medical Assessment software used to carry out medicals for incapacity benefits. As expected it's a refusal on the grounds that "the software only functions as an interactive process and is designed to run on networked server based PCs not standalone PCs".
Computerised medicals began to be introduced in 2003 and are now used widely around the UK as a method of assessing claimants capacity for work under the Personal Capability Assessment (PCA). You can read more about this multiple choice, striving to be idiot proof, system in our July 2003 article :'Mouse driven' incapacity medicals breach human rights?
We're not about to give up on our attempts to get hold of this software and any suggestions from forum users will be carefully considered. One possible approach may be to ask for bits of the software. For example, there may be text or other files that set out the questions and possible responses for each section of the PCA. But, as regular visitors will have long since surmised, I know nothing about software applications. So if there's anyone out there who could help me frame questions in a technically literate way then please do get in touch.
