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Atos Medicals - Questions, Answers and Support

cesare said:
I've accompanied a friend twice to an ATOS assessment and then to the first level appeal tribunal.

The first time my friend had an ATOS assessment she went unaccompanied, and was very unhappy with the assessor and how the assessment was carried out. She failed the assessment despite having a progressive condition +

We appealed ie asked them to review the decision. They rejected this and put her onto ESA which also needed an assessment. We appealed the IB review decision to the first level tribunal.

The next ATOS assessment we tried to do things overtly eg recording and taking photographs of the room where the assessment was held. The ATOS assessor went into meltdown and refused to carry on. She'd also gone into meltdown with the previous assessment she'd done. She was also very (unusually, I felt) threatened but at the same time subservient (lols) when I produced a business card to cut short time on introductions etc.

Once we'd been thrown out, I asked the receptionist for details of the complaints procedure which took ages for him to find. At the same time we made it clear that we weren't blaming him, he was just doing his job, ultra polite etc. He was very helpful by way of anecdotal information which wasn't job-costing stuff but helped reassure and made us feel a bit better. I made the point that any delay in the process was the result of how the assessor had behaved and nothing to do with my friend.

When the assessment was rearranged I accompanied my friend again. This time we decided to both record covertly whilst I would overtly take contemporaneous notes to supplement. It was all fine. But bear in mind that this was ESA and that she was already in the appeals process for IB. Anyway, long story short she passed the ESA one so we haven't (yet) needed our recordings and my notes.

The IB tribunal came up and we went prepared with all the documentation from my friend's first unsuccessful assessment and our subsequent request to review the decision with additional supporting medical information. The tribunal was very informal - a bit like the way that employment tribunals were *originally* set up, with the emphasis on informality and accessibility. There was a legally qualified judge and a medical person. No sign of the DWP - apparently they never turn up to these things. They asked me who I was but didn't enquire too closely. They asked my friend some questions - medical ones. She could have referred to all the notes because they were there in front of us but she just answered without doing any of that. The room was just a room with a big table and chairs, it didn't look or feel like a court room. They kept checking our understanding and if we wanted to say more. They emphasised that they were entirely separate from the DWP/ATOS process and were entirely objective. Afterwards we waited in the waiting room for a few minutes before being called back in and told that her appeal had had been successful and that the backdated money should arrive within a few weeks but they couldn't enforce that aspect (it did).

Always get someone to go with you to assessments and never be daunted from appealing. I know I've posted this before but new people join the thread and can't be expected to read every page.
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This is where I described it in more detail - possibly worth a bump for new posters joining the thread etc.
 
Celt said:
If I appeal I could loose my ESA entitlement, but I'm pretending that isn't so at the moment.
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How would you lose your ESA? As far as I understand your appeal (should you choose to do it) is to be placed in the support group rather than the work group. That appeal will either win or lose on it's own grounds - What it won't do is jepordise your entitlement to work group ESA - That's already been awarded and is a separate issue.
 
Frances Lengel said:
How would you lose your ESA? As far as I understand your appeal (should you choose to do it) is to be placed in the support group rather than the work group. That appeal will either win or lose on it's own grounds - What it won't do is jepordise your entitlement to work group ESA - That's already been awarded and is a separate issue.
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Ok - that was info from the Benefits Advice shop, i will query this will them. I need to go through the report from the medical and dispute the facts that are wrong, and there are several of them, they tell me that if any of the descriptors are worth 15 or over in itself - that means you make it to support group automatically. I think. I have been so scared of this, hence its taken me this long to go to the benefits advice :mad:
 
Celt said:
Ok - that was info from the Benefits Advice shop, i will query this will them. I need to go through the report from the medical and dispute the facts that are wrong, and there are several of them, they tell me that if any of the descriptors are worth 15 or over in itself - that means you make it to support group automatically. I think. I have been so scared of this, hence its taken me this long to go to the benefits advice :mad:
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Celt, basically that warning is a formula warning that you get repeated to you by the Benefits Agency/DWP if you appeal - it's their version of the mortgage-lender's warning that "property prices can go down as well as up", IYSWIM. In the case of benefits appeals, I don't know anyone who's actually let that warning deter them.
 
laptop said:
As I said a bit up-thread, I remember hearing reports of examiners replying "I'm not going to be recorded and I'm writing that you've refused to be interviewed."

But where?
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So you reply (while the dictaphone is still running) "So why did you agree to do my assessment when it clearly states on my ESA form that the assessment will be recorded? I'm quite happy for the assessment to continue and if you write that on my report you will be liable to charges of fraud by mis-representation." :)

Don't forget to keep a copy of the recording and transcribe it for any appeal or legal action. :)
 
My doctor is not helping things at the moment.
Because she forgot to do the letter, which I was supposed to pick up during our appointment on 14th June, I went and talked to the receptionist yesterday, who said she would do a note for my GP, and for me to ring back either today or tomorrow.
In Friday's appointment, my GP said she would make an urgent reminder to herself on her computer to do the letter, but I forgot to make an appointment as I was more anxious than I thought I was.
I rang the receptionist this afternoon, and she advised that my GP was out today, and not in tomorrow.
I am hoping to go camping for one night Thursday night/Friday morning and was planning to leave on Thurs afternoon. I only remembered to tell the receptionist this afternoon.
The receptionist went and had a look in the doctors pidgeon hole this afternoon, and told me that the message they had written to my GP, was still there, waiting to be done.
My doctors surgery is a mile away, an hour walk, which is too much for me atm cos I am really tired all the time.
The deadline is 28th June. CAB advised me to get it in by 21st June, but I said it wouldnt be enough time, and could I send it by 24th June instead?
I don't know how important my doctors letter is in avoiding getting a 'fit-to-work' decision, but as I want to be in the support group, would it matter if I sent my doctors letter in after the deadline. (will send form in on 24th june guaranteed next day delivery post)
I know the camping trip seems trivial, but I need some time away, and it is an opportunity to see friends I don't normally see as they are away, and I think it would do me good.

Whaddya think, will a late GP's letter fuck up any chance of being in the support group?

Thanks
 
spirals said:
I asked during every phone call I had with them (atleast 4) and they 'forgot' to pass that onto the place where I was interviewed so I would send them a letter asking for it to be recorded and perhaps even tell them you have recorded the call when/if you ask for it to be recorded!
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Hi am a bit confused, do you mean record the telephone call with Atos?
If so, how would I go about doing that?
Thanks
 
panpete said:
Hi am a bit confused, do you mean record the telephone call with Atos?
If so, how would I go about doing that?
Thanks
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You know that bit at the beginning of most calls where they say 'your calls may be recorded for training purposes.' Well once an ATOS member of staff had lied to me and been quite rude when I asked for his name and identifying number so I started to tell them at the beginning of any contact that I was recording the calls due to having cognitive/concentration issues. Funnily enough once I started doing this I had far less problems with ATOS call centre workers and they miraculously managed to pass on requests/give the correct information out.

I use an app on my phone but you could use a dictaphone too. You do need to tell people you are recording the calls though.
 
spirals said:
You know that bit at the beginning of most calls where they say 'your calls may be recorded for training purposes.' Well once an ATOS member of staff had lied to me and been quite rude when I asked for his name and identifying number so I started to tell them at the beginning of any contact that I was recording the calls due to having cognitive/concentration issues. Funnily enough once I started doing this I had far less problems with ATOS call centre workers and they miraculously managed to pass on requests/give the correct information out.

I use an app on my phone but you could use a dictaphone too. You do need to tell people you are recording the calls though.
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Many thanks. I will look for an android app for my phone.
BTW congratulations on getting the benefit you deserve and may you enjoy your hassle free life.
 
spirals said:
You do need to tell people you are recording the calls though.
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If you're recording it for your own use you don't need to tell them.

If you get hassle from them you can always tell them you're recording it at the end and then listen to them shitting themselves. :)


panpete you can get a telephone adapter for about £10 from Maplin that plugs into your phone line and can be plugged into your dictaphone.
 
WouldBe said:
The way those bastards treat us if you get hassle from them just tell them at the end of the call that you're recording it anyway even if you don't own a dictaphone. :D
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I have to admit I usually waited until they'd been unpleasant before I would say something like 'Oh I forgot to say at the start I'm recording the call, it's for my notes', then enjoyed listening to the panic :D

There was one person, David who was calling from Cardiff who actually called me a liar when I said I'd requested the interview to be recorded in a previous call. I told him that was unacceptable and asked for his identifying no as I was very unhappy with the way he spoke to me. He refused to give me it and told me that just say it was David from cardiff, that he was the only one there. I pointed out I'd lived in cardiff and knew many, many Davids as it was a very common name and I knew he had to give me his identifying code thingy on request so he hung up on me! Cheeky fecker!
 
kittyP said:
Still not heard anything from ATOS but my ESA didn't come through this week.
I have had a million appointments (obviously that is an exaggeration) this week and have been too stressed to cope with phoning them.
I am worried that ATOS have allegedly contacted me about an assessment, I have not received it and they have stopped my ESA :(
I know I have to phone them on Monday but just needed to vent.
This is all soooo fucking stressful!
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How'd it go?
 
WouldBe said:
The way those bastards treat us if you get hassle from them just tell them at the end of the call that you're recording it anyway even if you don't own a dictaphone. :D
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Surely all you need to do is remind them that their bosses are recording it? :)
 
Frances Lengel said:
How'd it go?
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They said they didn't know why it hadn't come through. Said they would call back and didn't.
Was out all day with stressful appointments yesterday so didn't get to call them back.
Same shit from them again today.
Jobcentre informed badgers that we have probably been receiving far too little ESA from the beginning. Great, yet another thing to spend months chasing and fighting for.
I've fucking had enough to be honest :mad:
 
kittyP said:
They said they didn't know why it hadn't come through. Said they would call back and didn't.
Was out all day with stressful appointments yesterday so didn't get to call them back.
Same shit from them again today.
Jobcentre informed badgers that we have probably been receiving far too little ESA from the beginning. Great, yet another thing to spend months chasing and fighting for.
I've fucking had enough to be honest :mad:
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Christ. So have you not been paid at all?
 
My first ESA payment is due tomorrow. I am a bit anxious. I had to say no to taking my granddaughter to sign class because if I don't get paid I need to be able to deal with it there and then, which I can't do if I'm watching her :(
 
geminisnake said:
My first ESA payment is due tomorrow. I am a bit anxious. I had to say no to taking my granddaughter to sign class because if I don't get paid I need to be able to deal with it there and then, which I can't do if I'm watching her :(
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Fingers crossed for you honey x
 
Oh shit, listen to this though - Ages ago, last september probably, I got a text of some mates who I used to be down with in the old estate where I moved away from to get away from everything. Can you help us with this ESA50 form? I was at it "I'm not sure" coz when it was PCA forms for IB, I used to fill them in for people for fun, I knew how to do them good style, but when ESA came in I stopped doing it coz I didn't want the burden of faliure on me shoulders, but on this occasion I went "Ok, but just for old times sake and I can garuantee fuck all, the rules have changed, all bets are off etc". They went "Ok, we still trust you, and we won't blame you etc"

Didn't hear from them in ages after that and I thought he might've failed the med and was blamin me, but nah, we're just crap at keepin in touch.

Anyway, his bird rang me the other day & he passed, mint.

Confidence back in me own abilities.

The only fucker is - I wrote pretty much the same on his form as mine & yet I had to go to appeal.

Still though, fuckin result.

Confidence back in my own abilities
 
Although a tory, my MP is on the case and has raised concerns in a letter to Lord 'unelected by anyone' Freud of why the 24 months stay of execution is not being adhered to by Atos Healthcare, by sending me an assessment form less than 12 months after the Tribunal Service awarded in my favour. Personally it stinks and some may believe it to be a corrupt practice to get some more of the taxpayers jolly?
 
Disabled man turned away from his incapacity medical assessment by Atos because a decision was made that his wheelchair was a "health and safety risk". So, no disability access at a medical centre that makes assessments on people who are disabled. Atos Healthcare are beginning to look like they couldn't run a whelk stall.

Source.
 
audiotech said:
Disabled man turned away from his incapacity medical assessment by Atos because a decision was made that his wheelchair was a "health and safety risk". So, no disability access at a medical centre that makes assessments on people who are disabled. Atos Healthcare are beginning to look like they couldn't run a whelk stall.

Source.
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FFS!
 
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