Preventable harm: creating a mental health crisis
| Pages | 224-230 |
| Date | 05 December 2019 |
| Published date | 05 December 2019 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JPMH-07-2019-0070 |
| Author | Mo Stewart |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Public mental health |
Preventable harm: creating a mental
health crisis
Mo Stewart
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to examine the preventable harm created bythe adoption of austerity
measures in 2010, added to the welfare reforms introduced in 2008 which, collectively, have negative
implications for population mental health in the UK.
Design/methodology/approach –A critical reflection of published research papers and key policy
documents in this area.
Findings –Negative mental health consequences of the combined impact of welfare reforms and
austerity measures in th e UK since 2010 are identif ied when relating to disab ility benefit assessm ents,
and to the increased punitive c onditionality applie d to disability benefit cla imants, as those in greatest
need now live in fear of making a c laim for financial suppo rt from the state or of losing be nefits to which
they are entitled.
Research limitations/implications –This paper identifies the creation of preventable harm by social policy
reforms, commonly known as “welfare reforms”. The implications for social scientists are the disregard of
academic peer-reviewed social policy research by policymakers, and the adoption of critically challenged
policy-based research as used to justify political objectives.
Practical implications –The negative mental health impact of UK government social policy reforms has
been identified and highlights the human consequences of the adoption of the biopsychosocial model
of assessment.
Social implications –Reducing the numbers of sick and disabled people claiming long-term disability
benefit has increased the numbers claiming unemployment benefit, with no notable increase in the numbers
of disabled people in paid employment and with many service users in greatest need living in fear of the next
enforced disability assessment.
Originality/value –This paper demonstrates the preventable harm created by the use of a flawed disability
assessment model, together with the adoption of punitive conditionality and the increased suicides linked to
UK welfare reforms which are influenced by American social policies.
Keywords Welfare reform, Preventable harm
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
The prevalent intimidation of chronically ill and disabled people by the Department for Work and
Pensions (DWP) is a public health concern, not least because of the relationship between
physical and mental health and the fact that deteriorating mental health can accelerate a
deterioration in physical health (Doherty and Gaughran, 2014).
This intimidation by the DWP (Garthwaite, 2011) has historic relevance, and was very carefully
planned. Since the adoption of neoliberal politics (Birch, 2017), every UK government has
worked towards the eventual demolition of the welfare state (Stewart, 2016, p. 5). Included in this
ultimate goal is the future adoption of private healthcare insurance to replace social security
funding for long-term sickness and disability benefit, as first suggested in 1982 by the
Conservative Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher (Travis, 2016). In 1994, the John Major
Conservative government invited the American corporate healthcare insurance giant
UnumProvident Insurance to advise on future UK welfare claims management. By 1995,
Unum adviser John LoCascio co-authored an academic paper with the UK government’s
Received 1 July 2019
Revised 1 July 2019
Accepted 1 July 2019
Mo Stewart is Independent
Disability Studies Researcher
based at Wisbech,
Cambridgeshire, UK.
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JOURNAL OF PUBLIC MENTAL HEALTH
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VOL. 18 NO. 4 2019, pp. 224-230, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1746-5729 DOI 10.1108/JPMH-07-2019-0070
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