11 March 2004 - The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (IIAC) Stress as a Prescribed Disease and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council, the independent body which advises the Secretary of State for Social Security on the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) scheme, (today) announced the publication of its Position paper on ‘Stress as a Prescribed Disease and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder’.
1 Content of the Position paper
The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (IIAC) has undertaken an investigation to review whether, and under what conditions, it might be possible to extend the schedule of prescription under the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 to include adverse health outcomes ascribed to stressful exposures at work as a Prescribed Disease.
Also, the review focused on Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in relation to the Accident Provisions: of particular importance was clarification of the nature of stressful events capable of causing PTSD.
To avoid confusion, a clear distinction is drawn in this position paper between stressful exposures or circumstances (stressors) and stress-related outcomes and illnesses.
2 Conclusions
Prescription
For the reasons set out in this paper, IIAC is not able at present to identify circumstances in which it recommends extending the schedule of prescription to include adverse health outcomes ascribed to stress at work. However, it recognises fully the importance of mental health problems as a source of morbidity nationally, and will continue to keep the topic under review.
PTSD
For PTSD to be diagnosed as the pathological change arising from an accident, it is the view of IIAC, based on evidence received, that the relevant incident should be a traumatic, single event that is, or could be reasonably perceived to be, severely life-threatening or with the potential to cause serious injury to the individual or others present at the time. It should be an event outside the realms of normal human experience. PTSD should only be diagnosed for the purposes of IIDB when it results from an incident of this nature.
3 The full text of the Council’s Report will appear on the Council’s web site www.iiac.org.uk
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