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Atos Medicals - Questions, Answers and Support

Look just put zippy on ignore or don't respond. They post for the response by you!

Zippys' posts are designed to disrupt the thread/conversations going on, by being "controversial".

So... replying just encourages them to post more!

As Grand Master Flash said "Don't do it baby!"
 
regardless of it's accuracy and clinical relevancy ?
Yes. You're not welcome. This thread is about providing support to people going through the healthcare assessment process, which can be extremely stressful. No-one needs you adding to that stress.

Quite frankly, you've been so disruptive and nasty on numerous threads relating to disability that you will not get the chance to behave like that on this one.
 
Look just put zippy on ignore or don't respond. They post for the response by you!

Zippys' posts are designed to disrupt the thread/conversations going on, by being "controversial".

So... replying just encourages them to post more!

As Grand Master Flash said "Don't do it baby!"
This thread can be read by people who lurk as well as those who post. Nobody needs to see his posts, and if they're not challenged then he has the potential to cause a lot of stress to someone who is then deterred from posting for support.
 
This thread can be read by people who lurk as well as those who post. Nobody needs to see his posts, and if they're not challenged then he has the potential to cause a lot of stress to someone who is then deterred from posting for support.
This thread is also publicly readable. Something he posts could be the first impression somebody gets of urban (the more sheltered and supportive threads are locked away, for very good reasons).
 
Yes and yes so......

Rather than turn this into we spend the next 20 pages going oh zippy!

Somebody says how it is; we all like that post and we carry on as if that post never happened?
 
This thread can be read by people who lurk as well as those who post. Nobody needs to see his posts, and if they're not challenged then he has the potential to cause a lot of stress to someone who is then deterred from posting for support.
I read this thread for about a year before I joined urban - I read hundreds of pages, and it was invaluable in helping me support someone through the Atos process. Lets keep focused here and not allow derails.
 
I read this thread for about a year before I joined urban - I read hundreds of pages, and it was invaluable in helping me support someone through the Atos process. Lets keep focused here and not allow derails.

they like to divert things and make personal attacks rather than face that their own world view and opinions might be validly challenged
 
FTR I applied the same warning points that were applied yesterday by mango5, again. This has pushed zippyRN over the limit into a ban until the points expire. Which will be a month iirc as that's the default for warning points.
Thank you, it's appreciated. This support thread is too important to be wrecked.
 
Should letters be sent "signed for" or "registered"? I've confused myself now, but "registered" is £6.70 or something.
 
Should letters be sent "signed for" or "registered"? I've confused myself now, but "registered" is £6.70 or something.
I think its the same thing isn't it? I usually ask advise in the post office, it used to be a few pounds on top of the postage. You just need to be sure they have received it and can't claim they didn't get it. Make sure you have copies of everything you post just in case. Good luck.

prices here -- http://www.royalmail.com/price-finder
 
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I think its the same thing isn't it? I usually ask advise in the post office, it used to be a few pounds on top of the postage. You just need to be sure they have received it and can't claim they didn't get it. Make sure you have copies of everything you post just in case. Good luck.

prices here -- http://www.royalmail.com/price-finder

Ah, signed for is £1.73, :) I can pay that.
 
FTR I applied the same warning points that were applied yesterday by mango5, again. This has pushed zippyRN over the limit into a ban until the points expire. Which will be a month iirc as that's the default for warning points.

if it hasn't been done already, would you mind applying a thread ban onto the long running active discussion threads on this issue before the ban runs out.
 
Rang ESA at DWP. Spoke to a good bloke, he understood the situation and seemed to sympathise. He said that he would send me an ESA50 if I wanted. When I explained that I only had just over a week to fill it in before the medical and that it wouldn't be long enough he "advised" me that it might be to my advantage to have the medical based on an out of date ESA50 but that I should take my new evidence with me. He also said "You know that you can ask for your medical to be recorded don't you?"
PCS member possibly. :)

I rang Maximarse and requested that the medical be recorded, they have added a note to my file. Whether this means that they will have recording equipment I don't know. What should I do if they don't have the recording equipment? If I decline the medical I would imagine I'd get a sanction wouldn't I? :confused:
 
Rang ESA at DWP. Spoke to a good bloke, he understood the situation and seemed to sympathise. He said that he would send me an ESA50 if I wanted. When I explained that I only had just over a week to fill it in before the medical and that it wouldn't be long enough he "advised" me that it might be to my advantage to have the medical based on an out of date ESA50 but that I should take my new evidence with me. He also said "You know that you can ask for your medical to be recorded don't you?"
PCS member possibly. :)

I rang Maximarse and requested that the medical be recorded, they have added a note to my file. Whether this means that they will have recording equipment I don't know. What should I do if they don't have the recording equipment? If I decline the medical I would imagine I'd get a sanction wouldn't I? :confused:

do you have a phone or other device that can do a silent recording?

if you do, you can make your own, but....

the actual value of recordings is overemphasized. the only real points of use of these is to keep them honest (if they know there's a recorder running) or to prove misconduct. if you need to go to appeal, then the tribunal won't care about the process, they will base a decision on your medical evidence.


take along everything you can. if you want help with explaining the problems caused by your current treatment, then equationgirl is the best person to help with that IMO. Get evidence of side effects of the treatment, and highlight every one that you have experienced and note it's severity and it's effect on your life.
 
<snip>I rang Maximarse and requested that the medical be recorded, they have added a note to my file. Whether this means that they will have recording equipment I don't know. What should I do if they don't have the recording equipment? If I decline the medical I would imagine I'd get a sanction wouldn't I? :confused:
Last winter, ViolentPanda requested (in advance) his ESA assessment to be recorded. Turned up and no recording equipment or staff to use it. Refused to be assessed without it. He'll tell you what happened next. He wasn't sanctioned. :)
 
do you have a phone or other device that can do a silent recording?

if you do, you can make your own, but....

the actual value of recordings is overemphasized. the only real points of use of these is to keep them honest (if they know there's a recorder running) or to prove misconduct. if you need to go to appeal, then the tribunal won't care about the process, they will base a decision on your medical evidence.


take along everything you can. if you want help with explaining the problems caused by your current treatment, then equationgirl is the best person to help with that IMO. Get evidence of side effects of the treatment, and highlight every one that you have experienced and note it's severity and it's effect on your life.

Something that is still bothering me is that with CFS/ME and Fibromyalgia and Osteo-arthritis shouldn't it be a neurologist that examines me? equationgirl ?
The little mind games that they will play are going to be bad enough but I am worried that if I'm being examined by someone who doesn't know what they're doing that all their prodding is going to hurt like hell and that I'm liable to lash out at them. Thinking about it, I will lash out. That's not going to go down very well is it? Without a witness there with me that's not going to look good. :(
 
What happened next was them abjectly backing down. They knew that failure to record would get them a breach of equalities legislation (my medication-caused short-term memory problems mean that recording is a "reasonable adaptation" for them to make), so they re-scheduled me. As the re-scheduling was their responsibility, no sanction could arise. You don't need to decline, just emphasise that failure to record will result in your right to equal treatment being breached. That usually tightens their sphincters up.
 
What happened next was them abjectly backing down. They knew that failure to record would get them a breach of equalities legislation (my medication-caused short-term memory problems mean that recording is a "reasonable adaptation" for them to make), so they re-scheduled me. As the re-scheduling was their responsibility, no sanction could arise. You don't need to decline, just emphasise that failure to record will result in your right to equal treatment being breached. That usually tightens their sphincters up.

:thumbs: That would apply to me too as my short term memory is shot away.
 
Something that is still bothering me is that with CFS/ME and Fibromyalgia and Osteo-arthritis shouldn't it be a neurologist that examines me? equationgirl ?
The little mind games that they will play are going to be bad enough but I am worried that if I'm being examined by someone who doesn't know what they're doing that all their prodding is going to hurt like hell and that I'm liable to lash out at them. Thinking about it, I will lash out. That's not going to go down very well is it? Without a witness there with me that's not going to look good. :(

http://dpac.uk.net/2013/04/what-people-need-to-know-about-atos-assessments/

that's the list.

ViolentPanda, can you answer whether his conditions are listed?
 
Something that is still bothering me is that with CFS/ME and Fibromyalgia and Osteo-arthritis shouldn't it be a neurologist that examines me? equationgirl ?
The little mind games that they will play are going to be bad enough but I am worried that if I'm being examined by someone who doesn't know what they're doing that all their prodding is going to hurt like hell and that I'm liable to lash out at them. Thinking about it, I will lash out. That's not going to go down very well is it? Without a witness there with me that's not going to look good. :(

They're not allowed to poke and prod you. They're there to fill in the boxes on the software.
As for having a neuro see you, they've got about a dozen working for them UK-wide, so... In fact they've got a really minimal number of actual doctors working for them, as compared to their roll of "healthcare professionals".
 
Just spoke to the lovely people at fightback, and they've said the following..

Under the equalities act 2010, you should have the right to submit an esa50 before your assessment - their failure to comply with this (after it's been specifically requested and they have been made aware of issues completing it) would count as failure to provide reasonable adjustments.
(EDIT Libertad - she seemed to think that this would only apply if you have a MH condition in with anything else - eg depression, anxiety may mean you need reasonable ajustments to give you time to get help filling the forms in - might be with clarifying this)

make them aware of this, and of any difficulties this means you have with completing the forms - especially if ypu need assistance to do it. The dwp cannot close your claim if they are aware of this info and don't make reasonable adjustments.

They have said that maximus will let you email the esa50 to them, just depends on getting an ok member of staff to give you their email address when you phone them.
They also suggested contacting DPAC for further resources; they (Fightback) can help work with you on your forms (and possibly attending assessments, depending where you are), but they are fully booked for the next fortnight.

Sorry if that's a bit garbled (phone posting) - will come back and edit if it don't make sense.
 
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Something that is still bothering me is that with CFS/ME and Fibromyalgia and Osteo-arthritis shouldn't it be a neurologist that examines me? equationgirl ?
The little mind games that they will play are going to be bad enough but I am worried that if I'm being examined by someone who doesn't know what they're doing that all their prodding is going to hurt like hell and that I'm liable to lash out at them. Thinking about it, I will lash out. That's not going to go down very well is it? Without a witness there with me that's not going to look good. :(
The dwp recently did away with the mandatory requirement for a doctor or neurologist to perform the assessment for those conditions, I'm afraid. However you could prewarn the assessor due to the pain levels that you may uncontrollably lash out if examined in a painful manner.
 
http://dpac.uk.net/2013/04/what-people-need-to-know-about-atos-assessments/

that's the list.

ViolentPanda, can you answer whether his conditions are listed?

None of his conditions are listed at all, which means he's unlikely to see a doctor, and highly likely to see a nurse or a physio. CFS/ME and Fibromyalgia are contested diagnoses regardless of the fact that they have severe real-life consequences, so referring to symptoms of the conditions/their effects works well. As for osteo-arthritis, it's so common it wouldn't surprise me if they have nurses assessing people who have it.

The trusty old route of making it about observed symptoms, past consultant-grade medical opinion and whatever can be dug up in terms of medication effects etc is probably going to be necessary, as an assessment based on input only from a WCA is going to screw even a deader into going back to work, sadly.
 
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