Benefit `bludgers' tag dismissed as unfair

By Katherine Hoby
Sickness beneficiaries in the Western Bay get a combined total of $250,000 every week but GPs say they are being unfairly labelled as "bludgers".
Latest figures from the Ministry of Social Development, released to the Bay of Plenty Times under the Official Information Act, show there were almost 1500 people on the sickness benefit in the Western Bay at the end of March.
Of these, a dozen people were convicted of sickness benefit fraud in the 18 months to February 2006.
Fifth Ave GP John Gemming said there were very few patients taking advantage of the system, and most people he saw on sickness benefits would prefer to be working.
"There are huge numbers of those people who would love to get into work," he said.
"I don't think there are many bludgers and people who say there are, or that those on benefits are bludgers, just don't know all the facts."
He said some people appeared fit and well to look at but might have trouble operating in a group situation, or under scrutiny.
"Perhaps there are some people who are fit when you look from the outside but there could be all sorts of things happening in people's lives they don't know about," he said. "Rather than labelling them as bludgers, we need answers as to how to provide a work environment where they'll be happy to go."
Getting back to work after living on a sickness benefit could be an added stress or challenge for some.
The Bay had 1469 working-age people on a sickness benefit as of March this year, accounting for combined weekly payments of $255,488. The number of sickness beneficiaries has dropped about 500 since December 2004.
A beneficiary aged over 25 with no income and no dependents receives $173.92 per week.
Chairman of the New Zealand Rural GP Network and a GP in lower Northland Tim Malloy agreed the bludger label was "unfair".
"The stigma it once represented is entirely inappropriate," he said.
"Sickness is an unfortunate word with certain implications and it's not a choice made willingly."
Dr Malloy said every GP would know of "a small subset" of beneficiaries seeking it solely for gain.
"For the majority who have major disorders and handicaps most of us can't see or even know about, if we could change the perception that would be a wonderful thing."
Dr Malloy said the average beneficiary was not left with much after they paid rent and bills each week.
"Frankly, I think the idea these folk are somehow bludging is totally inappropriate. I would challenge anyone earning a wage to live off a sickness benefit."
One of his patients had chronic diarrhoea up to three or four times a day and sometimes also had "accidents".
"Try working with that," Dr Malloy said.
Regional Commissioner for Social Development Carl Crafar said a relatively recent change to sickness benefits meant medical professionals could seek a second doctor's opinion on eligibility for the benefit.
"What was recognised was on occasion we needed a second opinion and that can now happen from the word go," he said.
"We want to make sure exactly the right people are getting benefits and getting what they need."
Mr Crafar said beneficiary numbers in the Bay were reducing, "but slowly".
He spent $2 million on pre-employment and post-placement for the region last year.
Ministry of Social Development chief executive Peter Hughes highlighted initiatives trialled since 2005, including employment programmes and support services tailored to individuals.
Mr Hughes said it was unusual for a client to be in receipt of sickness benefit for extended periods , with only 4 per cent of clients in Tauranga/Mount Maunganui receiving sickness benefits for longer than six years.
In the release of figures, he described the 10 longest serving beneficiaries as "unusual and in most instances extremely unfortunate" cases.Last year, the Government launched Providing Access to Health Solutions (PATHS) to assist sickness beneficiaries back to the workforce.
The scheme was trialled in five regions, including the Western Bay, and was so successful it will be rolled out nationwide.