DWP update on 'accuracy' rules over new audio recordings at health assessments

The Department for Work and Pensions has issued an update on the rules around newly approved audio recordings at health assessments for claimants. The DWP announced in June this year that from June 29 all telephone and face to face appointments would be audio-recorded. Officials said this would be done to keep an accurate record of a person’s assessment. Now questions have been asked about how these recordings will be used where the DWP makes a mistake.

The matter came to light after Lib Dem MP Chris Coghlan asked the DWP “whether a procedure exists for correcting, amending or annotating a health assessment report where an audio recording shows that it does not accurately reflect what occurred, separate from any mandatory reconsideration or appeal of the benefit decision.” Government rules issued when audio recordings were announced in June say that a claimant is entitled to ask for a copy of a recording.

They can do this during the assessment or by calling a number detailed on the appointment letter. Now the DWP has issued a Parliamentary update in response to the MP’s query. In a response issued on Monday, Sir Stephen Timms, minister of state at the DWP, said: “ Telephone and face-to-face health assessments are audio recorded as standard, unless the claimant chooses to opt out. The recording provides an accurate record of the assessment.

“The assessment report completed by the assessment supplier’s health professional provides advice to the department and is considered alongside any supporting evidence when determining a claimant’s entitlement to benefit by DWP. Suppliers have established processes for investigating complaints, including the facility to listen to audio recordings if available. “If concerns are identified regarding the quality or accuracy of an assessment report, the assessment supplier will investigate the matter and, where deficiencies are found, apologise and advise DWP if the issue may have had an impact on the advice provided or on the entitlement decision.”

The government guidance says that the department will usually keep recordings for two years. After that point, they say they will be ‘securely deleted’. They may be kept longer in cases such as when there is a dispute. The DWP says recordings are “only used when needed” and their officials stress that recordings are kept secure in line with data protection laws. People can be sent a text message when the recording is ready and they can then download them.

However, if this is not an option, you can submit a Right of Access request, or instead write to the DWP. You are able to download the recording more than once but only within 24 hours of the initial download. If the link does not work or has expired, you need to request a new one by calling the number on the appointment letter. For more information on requesting an audio recording, visit the dedicated government web page on the topic here .