Women's health and the welfare state: reform of discriminatory assessment criteria

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a distressing
psychological condition affecting 1 in 20 women (and individuals
assigned female at birth). It is a serious disorder, where 1 in 3
attempt suicide. Women with severe PMDD struggle to access
support via the Adult Disability Payment (ADP) scheme. The
Scottish Government acknowledge that ADP requires reform. It does
not fairly assess ‘fluctuating conditions’ such as PMDD. This
project will gather insight from stakeholders to inform future
ADP criteria. Focus groups will gather insight from (i) women
with PMDD, and (ii) professional stakeholders involved in the ADP
process. Their input will identify barriers to accessing support
and recommendations for change. Findings will feed into larger
funding bids which may impact ADP criteria in other areas of the
UK. The long-term impact of this project will be greater support
for women living with severe ‘fluctuating conditions’ such as
PMDD.