Request

‘I would like to make a request for information please:

1, Please provide details of how you determine who is eligible as 60% disablement to be awarded the Vaccine Damage Payment? I.e What constitutes as 60% or more disablement?

2, Please can you provide answers to the following points?

a) Is there a point scoring system?

b) Do you make home visits?

c) Do you just use medical notes to determine degree of disability?

d) Do you consult with the applicant to learn of their abilities, can and can’t dos in general life?

e) Are your assessors medically trained/qualified to enable them to determine what constitutes the degree of disability? If so at what degree are they qualified?

f) Do you contact the applicants medical professionals for further information?

g) How will you determine degrees of disability and or on a permanent basis for newly identified illnesses from the COVID-19 vaccine such as Vaccine Induced Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia (VITT) and where will you get this information from?’

Response

Question 1

Vaccine Damage Payments Act (VDPA) states that a person shall be deemed severely disabled if the disablement is assessed as 60% or more. Assessment of the level of disablement is carried out in accordance with Section 103 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 - Disablement Benefit legislation. Medical Services also refer to the IIDB Handbook Volumes 1 and 2 and the War Pensions Scheduled Assessments Manual for general guidance on the assessment of the level of disablement. Question 2a

There is not a point scoring system, claims are assessed on a case by case basis, according to the criteria for the scheme.

Question 2b

Medical assessments are not conducted face to face.

Question 2c

All claims are medically assessed, by a third party of experienced medical assessors using the full medical history that we gather by contacting clinicians that are provided to us on the claim form and any information submitted by the claimant in support of their claim. Where necessary, we request additional supporting evidence from the relevant contacts.

Question 2d

Claimants can submit self-reported information to support their claim. This information is considered alongside medical records.

Question 2e

All medical assessors are registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) with a licence to practice. NHSBSA do not hold information on the individual qualifications of the medical assessors.

Question 2f

Where appropriate, further information may be requested from the claimant, or the relevant clinician who holds their medical information.

Question 2g

Assessment of the level of disablement is carried out in accordance with Section 103 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 - Disablement Benefit legislation. Medical records are assessed by professionals with a license to practice.

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