Atos Medicals - Questions, Answers and Support

[equationgirl]

Sorry, I can't do this on my own. Too much to do, and i am mentally exhausted and frightened its gonna make me lose my temper and bang my head againt the wall. I have to read this whole thread, only read 11 pages AND complete my form by Tuesday and it feels like its just not gonna happen cos i wanna go back to bed.

I've found the benefitsandwork booklet for mentally ill people but i don't understand it and have loads of questions and nobody to check what i put once its complete-already been to CAB.

Look, I think you've done enough for the form. Finish it and send it off recorded delivery - that way if they pretend they haven't got it, you have a way of proving they have.

Work through the thread in preparation for your assessment, if you get called for one.

 

[Quartz]

Look, I think you've done enough for the form. Finish it and send it off recorded delivery - that way if they pretend they haven't got it, you have a way of proving they have.

Just a nitpick, but Recorded Delivery doesn't stop the Post Office from losing it. To be absolutely sure you need to send it Registered Post. And be sure to take a photocopy of the completed form before you send it.

The very best of luck to you.

 

[panpete]

Hi and thanks

I decided to become a member of benefitsandwork as they have an ESA book with lots of helpful advice.
I am still only on question 14. I have not got enough info on my form or continuatoin sheet.

Most worrying, i cannot think of any examples of problems, cos my mind is blank.
I have only got two days to go and I am busy doing other stuff on those days, cos doing this does my head in.

Regarding post, is guaranteed next day delivery post the same as registered post?

ps I am not going to get time to read the atos theread, another 114 pages will keep me up till morning and I need my sleep.
I will search for the word "record" so i know what to do about ensureing my intervriew is recorded.

Thanks

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Hi and thanks

I decided to become a member of benefitsandwork as they have an ESA book with lots of helpful advice.
I am still only on question 14. I have not got enough info on my form or continuatoin sheet.

Most worrying, i cannot think of any examples of problems, cos my mind is blank.
I have only got two days to go and I am busy doing other stuff on those days, cos doing this does my head in.

Regarding post, is guaranteed next day delivery post the same as registered post?

ps I am not going to get time to read the atos theread, another 114 pages will keep me up till morning and I need my sleep.
I will search for the word "record" so i know what to do about ensureing my intervriew is recorded.

Thanks

Don't worry about using the form or continuation sheet. Just type info on a separate sheet, making sure you have your name and NI number on it, and maybe headings telling them what answer relates to which question etc.

Or you could do as equationgirl says, and send it off now.

Or is it worth asking for an extension? Not sure how they feel about giving extensions

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Anyone seen this? I never knew ATOS had a blog

http://blog.atoshealthcare.com/2012/12/recording-of-assessments-using-personal-equipment/

 

[existentialist]

Anyone seen this? I never knew ATOS had a blog

http://blog.atoshealthcare.com/2012/12/recording-of-assessments-using-personal-equipment/

We use specialist recording equipment that provides a high quality dual recording in a CD format. You are given a copy of the CD at the end of the assessment and a second copy is stored securely by Atos Healthcare.
If you wish to use your own equipment you must be able to provide a complete and identical copy of the recording to the healthcare professional at the end of the assessment. It should be in CD or audio cassette format only. Mobile phones are not suitable for this purpose.

In other words, "if you want to record your assessment because we can't, you're shit outta luck unless you happen to have a twin-deck CD recorder handy."

They must realise that the likelihood of most of their punters having such a piece of kit is well-nigh zero, but I guess it lets them off the hook if they can't arrange to record the assessment themselves.

This really is taking Kafaesqueness to new levels...

 

[ash]

I'm not sure registered and recorded exist anymore, special delivery guarantees as signature and is traceable

 

[Greebo]

I'm not sure registered and recorded exist anymore, special delivery guarantees as signature and is traceable

Signed for = recorded (orange sticker)

Special delivery = registered (silver sticker)

 

[geminisnake]

Most worrying, i cannot think of any examples of problems, cos my mind is blank.

Write that down. You are struggling to fill in the form due to high stress levels and you know you are missing vital bits of information from it because when you are stressed to the extreme your mind goes blank

 

[audiotech]

In other words, "if you want to record your assessment because we can't, you're shit outta luck unless you happen to have a twin-deck CD recorder handy."

They must realise that the likelihood of most of their punters having such a piece of kit is well-nigh zero, but I guess it lets them off the hook if they can't arrange to record the assessment themselves.

This really is taking Kafaesqueness to new levels...

Laptop with microphone to record into an audio editor then burn to CD at the end of the assessment. It can be done.

 

[ash]

Signed for = recorded (orange sticker)

Special delivery = registered (silver sticker)

I often send stuff for work and ask for special delivery(signed for next day) and that's a silver label - confused ??

 

[Greebo]

I often send stuff for work and ask for special delivery(signed for next day) and that's a silver label - confused ??

Both "signed for" and "special delivery" have to be signed for.

 

[toggle]

Hi and thanks

I decided to become a member of benefitsandwork as they have an ESA book with lots of helpful advice.
I am still only on question 14. I have not got enough info on my form or continuatoin sheet.

Most worrying, i cannot think of any examples of problems, cos my mind is blank.
I have only got two days to go and I am busy doing other stuff on those days, cos doing this does my head in.

Regarding post, is guaranteed next day delivery post the same as registered post?

ps I am not going to get time to read the atos theread, another 114 pages will keep me up till morning and I need my sleep.
I will search for the word "record" so i know what to do about ensureing my intervriew is recorded.

Thanks

read some of the posts you ahve written.

whjen you've been stressed, loads of examples there

 

[ash]

Both "signed for" and "special delivery" have to be signed for.

OK so special delivery is more secure then recorded? I think !

 

[panpete]

Don't worry about using the form or continuation sheet. Just type info on a separate sheet, making sure you have your name and NI number on it, and maybe headings telling them what answer relates to which question etc.

Or you could do as equationgirl says, and send it off now.

Or is it worth asking for an extension? Not sure how they feel about giving extensions

Thanks. Hi I thought of asking for a time delay to give me more time as four weeks is not enough, but my keyworker said that is not possible.

 

[existentialist]

Laptop with microphone to record into an audio editor then burn to CD at the end of the assessment. It can be done.

Will they consider it acceptable, though? My suspicion is that anything that isn't basically a big black box with a brand name on the front, that spits out two CDs at the end is going to give them all the excuse they need to say "nope, not buying it, sunshine".

After all, they're not interested in ensuring that valid recordings are made...

 

[audiotech]

Will they consider it acceptable, though? My suspicion is that anything that isn't basically a big black box with a brand name on the front, that spits out two CDs at the end is going to give them all the excuse they need to say "nope, not buying it, sunshine".

After all, they're not interested in ensuring that valid recordings are made...

It's what they've decided on and what they've said on the issue that matters and this crucial bit doesn't in anyway breach doing what I've suggested. There's nothing I've seen that mentions 'big black boxes with a brand name on it spitting out two CD's at the end' as a criteria, but I take your point and it would be wise to check first.

If you wish to use your own equipment you must be able to provide a complete and identical copy of the recording to the healthcare professional at the end of the assessment. It should be in CD or audio cassette format only.

 

[Celt]

I sent mine by special delivery, it costs a lot but you can track it to delivery.

Do take a copy of the form and any other papers you send.

I don't honestly think we ever feel as though the form has all the information we want to convey.

Your concerns about assessment and whether to record it or not, that isn't necessary at this time, say you want it recording but I wouldn't delay sending the form.

 

[existentialist]

It's what they've decided on and what they've said on the issue that matters and this crucial bit doesn't in anyway breach doing what I've suggested. There's nothing I've seen that mentions 'big black boxes with a brand name on it spitting out two CD's at the end' as a criteria, but I take your point and it would be wise to check first.

No, I agree. But I am sure you can imagine as well as I can the dark suspicions of one of their gloomy apparatchiks as you kick off the burning process for 2 CDs, rather than them emerging automagically and simultaneously from a big black box.

I'd love to see the experiment tried. It is interesting that the blog automatically insists that a smartphone will not be acceptable, for example: it should not be hard to interface a couple of CD writers to a smartphone, but they've already decided that's unacceptable. I suspect that is very indicative of the mindset we're dealing with here.

 

[audiotech]

Indeed, like most outfits they'll want to cover their back at all times to uphold their "corporate integrity" and the "customer" forfeits any rights as deemed by themselves, (the corporate body) and are always wrong, as to state otherwise would be admitting liability.

"Consumer rights"? Tell me about it. Short and sweet, to fight on your own mainly. There's the Human Rights Act to consider though, that's why the tories want rid of it, or do their damnedest to bypass it, as they are doing with the 'bedroom tax'. As already mentioned "Reasonable Adjustment" could be applied in some cases. The out of court settlement Atos agreed to with a man who had requested door to door access because of his medical condition is a case in point.

Edit: That reminds me Barclays Bank are on my list of to do's next week. I'd have more fight if I didn't feel as exhausted most of the time, but that may change soon, or not, we'll see.

 

[toggle]

No, I agree. But I am sure you can imagine as well as I can the dark suspicions of one of their gloomy apparatchiks as you kick off the burning process for 2 CDs, rather than them emerging automagically and simultaneously from a big black box.

I'd love to see the experiment tried. It is interesting that the blog automatically insists that a smartphone will not be acceptable, for example: it should not be hard to interface a couple of CD writers to a smartphone, but they've already decided that's unacceptable. I suspect that is very indicative of the mindset we're dealing with here.

somewhere out there, there's a blog post about the 'medical professionals' who are apparently stunned and disgusted that recording is possible. it's a direct attack on them apparently. questioning their ethics. it should not even be being discussed, let alone allowed. and encouragement needs to be given to those who refuse to allow themselves to be forced into doing recorded interviews.

someone find me that tiny violin.

 

[yardbird]

Re the posting:
I thought that in this case the main point of Registered Post was so that ATOS could not say they didn't receive it.
Truly not a lot of chance of the PO losing it.

 

[existentialist]

somewhere out there, there's a blog post about the 'medical professionals' who are apparently stunned and disgusted that recording is possible. it's a direct attack on them apparently. questioning their ethics. it should not even be being discussed, let alone allowed. and encouragement needs to be given to those who refuse to allow themselves to be forced into doing recorded interviews.

someone find me that tiny violin.

Tricky ethical dilemma. I react pretty badly to the inevitable "if you've got nothing to hide, you've got nothing to fear" schtick from the government, because I think there are issues of privacy. But this is about professional conduct: not privacy. These people are working under a government contract to provide a State service, and the idea that assessments are documented and recorded in an open and accessible way seems obvious to me...unless, of course, they, also recognise that there is something to hide.

I would love to see a really good, strong campaign encouraging assessees to ask for their assessments to be recorded, to ask for copies of those recordings, and explaining that they have a right to do so, and what the reasons for wishing to do so might be. We might complain about the way in which the media is leading people by the nose, but a lot of claimants themselves are unwittingly and involuntarily complicit in a system which seems increasingly to be calculated to disadvantage them at every turn.

 

[Greebo]

Re the posting:
I thought that in this case the main point of Registered Post was so that ATOS could not say they didn't receive it.<snip>

It is. The same goes for "signed for".

 

[Greebo]

<snip>I would love to see a really good, strong campaign encouraging assessees to ask for their assessments to be recorded, to ask for copies of those recordings, and explaining that they have a right to do so, and what the reasons for wishing to do so might be. We might complain about the way in which the media is leading people by the nose, but a lot of claimants themselves are complicit in a system which seems increasingly to be calculated to disadvantage them at every turn.

"Complicit" or merely too confused, exhausted, stressed, and busy just trying to get through the day with an exacerbated condition?

 

[existentialist]

"Complicit" or merely too confused, exhausted, stressed, and busy just trying to get through the day with an exacerbated condition?

Yes - I didn't mean to imply any judgement, so that was a poor choice of word. And I think the system is designed to minimise opposition by keeping claimants on the back foot, quite apart from what else is going on for them.

I've added "unwittingly and involuntarily" to the original post

 

[culder]

Panpete - just got an e-mail saying you'd sent a message to me, but when I clicked on it I couldn't see a 'reply' button, so ended up sending my reply as a profile message, which was limited to a small number of characters, therefore I had to send several messages to say everything. I'm sure there's a better way but I'm out of practice here. So I hope you've managed to get everything I said.

Hello to everyone else who remembers me. Sorry I've been away so long. I'm still not back to normal mentally after last year's ordeal, and I hardly ever switch the computer on these days, or if I do I don't check forums like I used to.

Good vibes to everyone

 

[Greebo]

<snip>Hello to everyone else who remembers me. Sorry I've been away so long. I'm still not back to normal mentally after last year's ordeal, and I hardly ever switch the computer on these days, or if I do I don't check forums like I used to.

Good vibes to everyone

culder, welcome back. Great to hear that you haven't fallen off the face of the earth.

 

[culder]

Hi Greebo! No, I'm still in the land of the living. Not at my best, but then I'm not sure which decade I last was, really! I'm badly out of date with this thread, unfortunately - I don't know what's happening with everyone, and it's an awful lot of reading to catch up on. Much applause to Panpete for reading the whole thing! Also thanks to Panpete for bringing me back. I'll try to keep up from now on.

 

[panpete]

Panpete - just got an e-mail saying you'd sent a message to me, but when I clicked on it I couldn't see a 'reply' button, so ended up sending my reply as a profile message, which was limited to a small number of characters, therefore I had to send several messages to say everything. I'm sure there's a better way but I'm out of practice here. So I hope you've managed to get everything I said.

Hello to everyone else who remembers me. Sorry I've been away so long. I'm still not back to normal mentally after last year's ordeal, and I hardly ever switch the computer on these days, or if I do I don't check forums like I used to.

Good vibes to everyone

Hi Culder did you get my reply?
You can send longer messages, just go to your inbox, and hit the 'start conversation' button.