A lot of the conflict between the sick and the government is simply about how someone measures employability, but both sides are simply arguing over at what point a person can be described as physically, emotionally or otherwise unfit to work based on medical model ideologically, despite how hard both parties may protest.

I would like to argue that employability can be measured through people’s attitude and their environment rather their impairments or conditions, and further to this, employability is a moment by moment measurement rather than anything absolute. So this firstly means that it is people’s own desire to work and the way their environment enables work that is going to decide their employability. And secondly, any measurement of employability is only valid for that moment in time especially since sickness is a journey rather than anything absolute.

I fear Society and the sick movement is a long way off accepting this more social model definition of employability which means many disabled people are going to be continued to be written off as unemployable. 

If you like what I say, have a look at my site at www.simonstevens.com or follow me on twitter, @simonstevens74, or even leave me feedback on +44 (0)121 364 1974 or email simon@simonstevens.com