It is too difficult for ill people to claim benefits

Recently I was diagnosed as having breast cancer and had to have a mastectomy and sentinel lymph node biopsy and needed chemotherapy, trastuzumab (Herceptin), and radiotherapy to give myself the best possible chance of long term cure. [...]I was expected to ring an 0845 telephone number, which is charged at a non-geographical rate, at my own expense; wait for 30 minutes for the phone to be answered; and complete a 40 minute telephone interview with someone in a call centre. The author has completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form at www.icmje.org/coi_disclosure.pdf (available on request from the corresponding author) and declares: no support from any organisation for the submitted work; no financial relationships with any organisations that might have an interest in the submitted work in the previous three years; no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.