Atos Medicals - Questions, Answers and Support

[Minnie_the_Minx]

If only it were a "tough medical test", then more people would qualify. As it is, it's an arbitrary one-size-fits-all quasi-medical assessment of capability sometimes carried out by a doctor, but more often than not by a "healthcare professional" with little or no competence in disability/long-term ill-health.

But on the other hand, if the medical that isn't a medical were such a tough test, then how come there's so many people still on sick benefits. Could it possible be that they are actually sick and not defrauding the system?!

and don't get me started on the Mail story

From next week, people who apply for DLA of up to £120 a week are in for a shock: they will be forced to take medical tests to weed out fraudulent claims instead of just filling in a form and getting it for life.

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Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2301735/I-bogus-disabled--DO-better-Ex-TV-host-new-Work-Minister-UKs-THREE-MILLION-claiming-disability-benefit.html#ixzz2P8NZe297 ​

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[Frances Lengel]

[quote="kittyP, post: 12102820, member: 19418]<snip>

Are their any stats for people that are in that position?
People that have had their benefits stopped/stopped claiming them but are not working (including JSA or not).[/quote]

No, there won't be - But if there are IDS will claim them as a success coz they're not "parked" on benefits.

 

[toggle]

If he were an MP, you can bet on it. You only need look at the snidery the media floated Brown and other bachelors' way in the '70s, '80s and '90s to realise that.

from what i can recall, that was attacking, a lot of insinuation that labour was gay controlled. this isn't having a go. it's supportive of her and her policies. they just want to talk about her personal life in a way they wouldn't do so about a man they liked as a politician.

 

[equationgirl]

Fuck's sale it's not like the forms are a single piece of paper either, how many hours does it take the average claimant (or person on behalf of claimant) to complete? It's not the most helpful or straightforward of forms and if people want to get money, there's a lot easier ways to do it.

 

[Frances Lengel]

Fuck's sale it's not like the forms are a single piece of paper either, how many hours does it take the average claimant (or person on behalf of claimant) to complete? It's not the most helpful or straightforward of forms and if people want to get money, there's a lot easier ways to do it.

That sums it up - A DLA form, you've gotta be messing? Most people do need a rep to fill it in for them. And you're right, easy money's a lot easier to come by than benefits.

 

[Libertad]

I finished my DLA form last week. Two weeks, three hours each afternoon, two of us doing it. All written up with extra pages, just waiting for the specialist's letter.

Towards the end just sticking it on the table to work on it was making me feel physically sick.

 

[equationgirl]

I finished my DLA form last week. Two weeks, three hours each afternoon, two of us doing it. All written up with extra pages, just waiting for the specialist's letter.

Towards the end just sticking it on the table to work on it was making me feel physically sick.

So somewhere between 40 and 50 hours, plus all the increased stress of the process? Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

 

[Frances Lengel]

I finished my DLA form last week. Two weeks, three hours each afternoon, two of us doing it. All written up with extra pages, just waiting for the specialist's letter.

Towards the end just sticking it on the table to work on it was making me feel physically sick.

That's how it's been for me with JSA, never mind rendering that scaffolding dangerous, fuckin rendering that claimant nauseous.

 

[Libertad]

Thanks e-girl. Wondering whether to staple the "extra space" sheets to each relevant page or all at the end? Any ideas?

 

[Frances Lengel]

Thanks e-girl. Wondering whether to staple the "extra space" sheets to each relevant page or all at the end? Any ideas?

All at the end - But with clear indicators pointing to each bit.

 

[Libertad]

All at the end - But with clear indicators pointing to each bit.

Got it. Name and NI number, oughta include a feicin DNA sample an'all.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

So somewhere between 40 and 50 hours, plus all the increased stress of the process? Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

I'd say more than that. I reckon I was at mine almost every day for a month and I had three people on here helping me!

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Thanks e-girl. Wondering whether to staple the "extra space" sheets to each relevant page or all at the end? Any ideas?

Have you got any little coloured tabs?

I wrote in each box See Flag 1, See Flag 2 etc.

Then I attached all the typed sheets at the end labelled Flag 1 etc.

I typed on each sheet, what the answer related to like this (whilst putting in the header, claimant's name and NI Number:


FLAG 1

ABOUT YOUR ILLNESSES AND DISABILITIES

MEDICAL – GENERAL

Then tagged it with a coloured tag Flag 1

I also attached an Index page to the front



INDEX OF ATTACHMENTS

FLAG 1 - About Your Illnesses of Disabilities
(Medical – General)

FLAG 2 - Details of Tablets, Medication or Special Treatment
(Current Medications)

FLAG 3 - Does Anyone Else Provide you With Care, Support
or Treatment?
(List of Consultants/Doctors)

FLAG 4 - Hospital or Clinic Treatment
(Hospital Admissions in the Last Year)

etc.

If typewritten pages went to more than 1 page, I numbered them, and put the relevant flag in the footer as well, just in case everything ever fell to pieces

 

[Quartz]

I finished my DLA form last week. Two weeks, three hours each afternoon, two of us doing it. All written up with extra pages, just waiting for the specialist's letter.

Fingers thoroughly crossed for you.

 

[equationgirl]

Another poster recommended putting your NI number at the top of each page so if any pages do get detached, they can be forwarded to the person dealing with your case at the DWP.

Also get copies of ALL materials used in the application, including letters from third parties and any additional material supplied.

 

[Libertad]

Scanning tomorrow.

 

[Quartz]

Another poster recommended putting your NI number at the top of each page so if any pages do get detached, they can be forwarded to the person dealing with your case at the DWP.

Top and bottom. With your name, date, the relevant form number, any reference numbers, and page number. Two lines should do it. You never know which way a document is going to be incorrectly placed on the photocopier or scanner.

 

[equationgirl]

Top and bottom. With your name, date, the relevant form number, any reference numbers, and page number. Two lines should do it. You never know which way a document is going to be incorrectly placed on the photocopier or scanner.

NOt that we're saying that mistakes are rife at the DWP, oh no

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Another poster recommended putting your NI number at the top of each page so if any pages do get detached, they can be forwarded to the person dealing with your case at the DWP.

Also get copies of ALL materials used in the application, including letters from third parties and any additional material supplied.

Yep and I flagged all the doctor and consultants' letters and listed them on the Index sheet as well in case they claimed they hadn't been included

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Top and bottom. With your name, date, the relevant form number, any reference numbers, and page number. Two lines should do it. You never know which way a document is going to be incorrectly placed on the photocopier or scanner.

Good point, never occurred to me, and I should know better considering the amount of mass copying jobs I've had to do in offices

 

[equationgirl]

It's almost like the form and supporting materials should be in a book, with an index as prepared by a member of the Society of Indexers:
http://www.indexers.org.uk/index.php?id=164

I'm not entirely joking either.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

It's almost like the form and supporting materials should be in a book, with an index as prepared by a member of the Society of Indexers:
http://www.indexers.org.uk/index.php?id=164

I'm not entirely joking either.

Blimey, never knew such a job existed!

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

They didn't really choose though, did they? They chose NOT to put themselves through an extremely stressful experience despite knowing they would be financially much worse off. Hardly a choice when someone opts for being a lot poorer.

Sue Marsh on Sky today

 

[equationgirl]

Sue Marsh on Sky today

She cam across well, handed the Sky news presenter her clearly uninformed arse on a plate.

I get really sick of this crap, people saying '55% of people were found fit to work after assessment'. Really? And how many of those were found not fit to work after they appealed?

 

[toggle]

She cam across well, handed the Sky news presenter her clearly uninformed arse on a plate.

I get really sick of this crap, people saying '55% of people were found fit to work after assessment'. Really? And how many of those were found not fit to work after they appealed?

also ignoring that the majority of the people found fit for work will not be considered fit for work when they turn up at job interviews.

 

[equationgirl]

also ignoring that the majority of the people found fit for work will not be considered fit for work when they turn up at job interviews.

Exactly. Not to mention that any support offered by employers is the bare minimum 'reasonable adjustments' they can get away with by law and most certainly wouldn't extend to anyone requiring complex care in a work environment.

 

[kittyP]

She cam across well, handed the Sky news presenter her clearly uninformed arse on a plate.

I get really sick of this crap, people saying '55% of people were found fit to work after assessment'. Really? And how many of those were found not fit to work after they appealed?

I actually am quite surprised to say this but good on Sky News for letting her have that platform to say those things.
I think they would have had a good idea what she was going to say before it went live and handed her the government stats for her to argue her point against.
Good on sky news.

 

[Bakunin]

also ignoring that the majority of the people found fit for work will not be considered fit for work when they turn up at job interviews.

Or when they try to claim JSA because ATOS listed them as fit for work, only to be turned down for jobseeker's money because they're obviously, erm, unfit for work.

Thereby getting the sum total of nothing.

 

[kittyP]

Or when they try to claim JSA because ATOS listed them as fit for work, only to be turned down for jobseeker's money because they're obviously, erm, unfit for work.

Thereby getting the sum total of nothing.

This is what I will think will happen to me.
I am just hoping that we will still be able to claim housing benefit even if the ESA is stopped.

 

[ericjarvis]

So far as I can tell from the latest press release bollocks from ministers, you count as having been a "fraudulent claimant" if you reach retirement age before your assessment. The government stats are fine. It's the summarisations they publish widely that are complete toss. Last available set of actual stats, for instance, shows 65 thousand fewer IB/ESA claims over the last year. That's just plain incompatible with what ministers are saying.