Guidance

Access to Work holistic assessments live running memo 2

Updated 12 November 2024

To: Access to Work holistic assessments providers

From: Access to Work Live Running Policy Team

Subject: Revisions to the Access to Work Holistic Assessments Provider Guidance for contracts starting on 5 June 2023

Action: For information

Timing: Immediate

Background

This memo informs you of amendments that have been made to the Access to Work Holistic Assessment Provider Guidance:

• chapter 2, Paragraphs 2.09 and 2.10
• chapter 5, Paragraphs 5.20 and 5.28 bullet point 5
• chapter 7, Paragraph 7.02 and 7.12 to 7.19

Summary and action

You and your supply chain partners should familiarise yourself with the amendments to the Provider Guidance as soon as possible.

Chapter 2 paragraphs 2.09 and 2.10 have been updated to clarify the process to follow when a Provider’s employee is referred to them.

The updated paragraphs are:

2.09. Provider employee referrals will be managed by the alternative Provider to maintain confidentiality. Providers should not process their own employees’ referrals to AtW HA.

2.10. In the event that a Providers employee is referred to them it will be picked up by the AtW Case Manager and a re-referral will be necessary.

Chapter 5 paragraph 5.20 last bullet point has been updated to provide additional instructions Regarding DNS and Paragraph 5.28 (bullet point 5) to include the codes to use to ensure the MI is completed correctly.

The updated paragraphs are:

5.20. There are 3 options after you acknowledge a referral on PRaP.

These are:

• a start when a suitable appointment with the customer has been made
• cancel the referral – there are 2 options for cancelling:
  • did not attend (DNA) when you cannot contact a customer within two (2) working days of receipt of a referral
  • did not start (DNS) when the customer doesn’t want to participate any longer and/or is unable to agree a start. (This could be, for example, when a customer’s original availability has changed, and they cannot undertake an assessment during the timeframe they were previously available.)

Please see Annex D MMIR template for more information regarding DNS and KPIs.

5.28. (bullet point 5) for ‘Working Pattern’ insert the Primary Health Condition Code. To ensure the MI is completed correctly you must use the below codes:

1. Muscular Skeletal

2. Difficulty in Hearing

3. Difficulty in Seeing

4. Learning Difficulty

5. Progressive Illness

6. Dyslexia

7. Mental Health

8. Other

Chapter 7.02 has been updated to clarify the customer’s complaint procedure and paragraphs 7.12 to 1.19 have been added to clarify and strengthen the references to the Independent Case Examiner (ICE).

The updated paragraphs are:

7.02. A signature or an email response from the customer confirming they understand and agree with the complaint’s procedure is acceptable evidence of the customer’s agreement to proceed.

7.12. ICE has three stages of complaint examination:

• Stage 1: Resolution

• Stage 2: Settlement; and

• Stage 3: Investigation report

7.13. These stages will apply to any complaints made about you. At every stage, you, the provider, will have the opportunity to give your version of events and offer any supporting evidence. More information about each stage can be found in Chapter 2 of the Generic Provider Guidance Grievance and Complaints Procedure – Treating Participants Fairly.

7.14. All draft ICE investigation reports include findings and recommendations. If any aspect of a draft ICE report is disputed, the grounds for the challenge need to be raised by your complaints lead/senior manager. Disputes should be addressed to the ICE Adjudication Manager, who will review the response and establish the nature and extent of the dispute.

7.15. Any challenges to an ICE report must be clearly articulated. This part of the process is only concerned with factual inaccuracies contained in the draft report or misinterpretation of case events, procedures, or policy. ICE will not revise a report based on a difference of opinion, such as the level of redress recommended. It is for the ICE to determine the findings and any appropriate remedy based on the case evidence presented.

7.16. In some instances, an informal discussion between yourselves and the ICE Adjudication Manager may resolve any concerns or misunderstanding around the content of the draft ICE report and remove the need to trigger the formal escalation process.

7.17. Your response will be shared and discussed with the ICE, who will provide a view. If the ICE agrees, the report will be amended, and a revised copy shared for comment. If the ICE does not fully agree, the formal escalation process will commence.

7.18. The formal escalation route is in two stages, firstly the ICE Adjudication Manager will reply to you within 10 working days of receipt of the challenge, providing their view and if appropriate, a copy of the revised draft report, allowing 10 working days to respond. If agreement is reached, the escalation will be closed.

7.19. Stage two of the process will be instigated if the ICE is not persuaded by the response to the stage one escalation, or your dispute of the draft report remains unresolved, the ICE Head of Office will write to your director to seek agreement on a way forward.

Further Information

All enquiries on this memo should be raised with your Performance Manager in the first instance. They will endeavour to provide you with an answer as soon as possible.

Queries relating to the Provider Guidance should be directed to the Access to Work Provider Guidance Policy inbox: atwproviderguidance.policy@dwp.gov.uk

If your enquiry is of a commercial nature, please use the messaging facility on Jaggaer.