Access to Work…or Delayed Access to Work?
Dan Williams
Workplace Assessments for Employees living with sight or hearing loss or other disabilities. Staff training
The government’s Access to Work scheme has been a lifesaver for thousands of people with hearing or sight loss. It has enabled them to enter or remain in the workforce or become self-employed and earn an independent income whilst boosting self-esteem and mental health but unfortunately, it now involves lengthy delays.
?Access to Work DWP cutbacks
?Ironically, in part because of its popularity, it is bulging under a strain with which it can barely cope and financial cutbacks are also causing a dent in availability. Reduced resources from the DWP have put the system under significant pressure and the wait for assessments can be many months.
?The mounting pressures on the government scheme, long delays in assessments and getting equipment and workplace adjustments in place, mean many new and existing employees remain inactive or face extended accessibility challenges, leading to job loss in some cases.
?Support workers are also experiencing lengthy delays in receiving their pay which can lead to these valuable individuals seeking more secure employment.
A quicker solution
?It doesn’t have to be a long drawn-out and complicated process as there is a simple solution. There are excellent companies such as Visualise Training and Consultancy that can provide a specialist workplace assessment followed by a comprehensive recommendations report in a matter of days.
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?Private assessments are open to all
?A private assessment doesn’t involve a huge outlay and employers will not be subject to days of disruption as it is carried out by an experienced professional who is familiar with disability issues. Furthermore, the process will be pleasant and non-confrontational when listening to concerns and addressing them.
?Access to Work is one way to improve accessibility and inclusion for employees with hearing or sight loss, but if the wait is too long, you may wish to consider a private workplace assessment which can be completed in days, rather than months.
Find out more
?To find out more or make a referral, visit https://visualisetrainingandconsultancy.com/workplace-assessments?
or email [email protected]
MSc at University of Birmingham
1 年Personally I had already had a word place assessment payed by my company when applied to access to work and I waited seven months until reviewing may case and agreeing for the requested equipment (applied in June 2022 and completed the process in January 2023)
20yrs specialising in neurodiversity in the workplace. |Founder NWN Neurodiversity Workplace Assessor training L4 | Neurodiversity Aware?| Neuroinclusive Practice?| XL-Strategy?
1 年Access to Work is a great scheme however, as you say Dan, it is under pressure at the moment and it has been for some time - resulting in long delays. So often when people reach out for support they have 'put it off' only doing so as a last resort. If these individuals are struggling at the time of making their application, the added delay (on top of the actual application process which can be quite challenging in itself for some people) can impact on well-being as well as their physical and mental health. It's encouraging to see an increasing number of informed employers taking a proactive approach and seeking alternative provision with support organisations such as yourselves at Visualise. Keep up the great work you are doing Dan.
Open to work in Healthcare, Insurance or Occupational Health
1 年We need to do better! It’s not good enough having to wait months for such a service!
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1 年Thought provoking Dan Williams