ACT stands by claims that doctors are issuing false benefit certificates
ACT has proposed making it mandatory for all health and disability benefits to be issued independently by a pool of designated doctors approved by the Ministry of Social Development (MSD). The party has also maintained its claim that some doctors are wrongly certifying people as unfit for work, a claim a leading GP has described as "political rhetoric".
People on the Jobseeker health and disability benefit need a work capacity medical certificate from their doctor, which records whether they are able to work. They must reapply every 26 weeks.
ACT leader David Seymour said at the New Zealand Herald Powerbrokers debate that he knew people were obtaining false medical certificates for benefits. Asked by RNZ for his evidence, Mr Seymour said it was people telling him it had happened.
Dr Luke Bradford, president of the Royal College of GPs, described Mr Seymour's claims that doctors are erroneously certifying people as unfit for work as political rhetoric. In an interview with RNZ Checkpoint, Dr Bradford said the vast majority of sickness benefit sign-offs were for people who were genuinely unwell.
Dr Bradford said doctors who are unsure about a person's fitness to work can tick a box on the form to request a second opinion from an MSD pool of doctors. RNZ Checkpoint reported that ACT had doubled down on its claims.
MSD requires a medical certificate to be completed and signed by a registered medical or nurse practitioner. The certificate used to assess eligibility for the sickness benefit is intended to give Work and Income information about a person's medical eligibility.
ACT has previously said doctors must confirm to Work and Income whether a beneficiary has the capacity to work. A separate bill gives MSD greater power to use approved doctors for benefit checks. It also gives MSD greater power to require beneficiaries to undergo medical examinations at any time where eligibility or work capacity is unclear.
