Disability charity says Labour plan must not become punitive measure exacerbating ‘culture of mistrust and fear’

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Employment advisers are to be stationed in NHS hospitals under plans from Labour to push people on long-term sickness leave back into work, as one disability charity warned the proposal must not become a “punitive” measure.

Wes Streeting, the health secretary, and Liz Kendall, the work and pensions secretary, are understood to want to expand a model in use at the Maudsley psychiatric hospital in south London, which deploys employment support such as job-seeking, CV writing and interview training.