| answer text |
<p>The number of face to face assessments carried out at (a) Elvet House Assessment
Centre in Durham, (b) Park Tower Assessment Centre in Hartlepool and (c) The Bridges
Assessment Centre in Sunderland since 17 May 2021, is shown in the table below;</p><p>
</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Assessment Centre</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Number
of face to face assessments </strong> <strong>completed since 17 May 2021 to 15 June
2021</strong> <strong> </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Elvet House, Durham</p></td><td><p>52</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Park
Tower, Hartlepool</p></td><td><p>24</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>The Bridges, Sunderland</p></td><td><p>58</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p
/><p>The department has worked with providers to put a range of measures in place
to control and manage Covid-19 risk in assessment centres in line with Government
Guidance, so that assessments can take place safely. These measures include, changes
to assessment booking procedures to stagger appointment times and limit the number
of people in an assessment centre at any one time and additional touchpoint cleaning
within assessment rooms following each assessment. These procedures have an effect
on the number of face to face assessments providers can conduct daily, whilst maintaining
compliance with Covid-19 health and safety measures.</p><p> </p><p>At present, face
to face assessments are only being carried out for claimants we have been unable to
assess by other means. We continue to conduct paper-based assessments, telephone assessments
and some video assessments where suitable.</p>
|
|
