Atos Medicals - Questions, Answers and Support

[Greebo]

The 'freedom to starve' is now official is it?

Unfortunately, yes.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Update from Benefits and Work website

RECORDING ESA MEDICALS
Confusion surrounds the issue of recording ESA medicals, with some claimants telling Benefits and Work that they have been informed by Atos that the DWP have now brought the practice to an end and others saying they have been told that all the recording machines are broken.

The reality seems to be that some of the machines have indeed been damaged as a result of being constantly packed up and sent by courier from one examination centre to another. In addition, the number of requests for recordings has been much higher than expected, in spite of the failure of the DWP and Atos to inform claimants of the option.

These factors have resulted in frequent cancellations of medicals because of a lack recording equipment. It seems the DWP have now authorised Atos to buy more recorders but also decided that medicals can no longer be cancelled if the equipment isn’t available.

As a result, an increasing number of claimants are being told that they have to attend their medical without a recording being made, even though they have asked for one.

Authorised to buy more, but will they?

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

More from Benefits and Work website.

ATOS WANT RIGHT TO REPLY ON BENEFITS AND WORK FORUM
Members may be almost as surprised as we were that Atos has used leading public relations firm Fishburn Hedges to try to get a right to reply on the Benefits and Work forum.

Fishburn Hedges say on their website that they ‘help leading organisations promote and defend corporate reputations in an uncertain world’...

We were intrigued to receive an email request from Fishburn Hedges for a ‘right to reply’ for their clients Atos and asked for more details. The PR company’s response was that they had designed a ‘forum engagement process’ to allow Atos to engage with customers in a ‘safe and comfortable environment’ and to ‘put their customers at ease’.

In reality it seemed more like an opportunity for Atos to post a lot of links to Frequently Asked Questions on its own website from our forum. The email conversation came to an abrupt end after we asked a question about recording medicals.

If Atos really do want to engage with their customers and improve their image via social media, they will need to do better than hire an expensive PR company to post links back to their website. Indeed, one thing they could do immediately is cancel the contract with Fishburn Hedges and spend the cash on audio recording machines for all their examination centres instead

 

[equationgirl]

Update from Benefits and Work website
Authorised to buy more, but will they?

Well they'd save a bundle on shipping costs if they did, for a start. Wonder how many more - should be one per assessment room at the centres, plus discs.

If the DWP are insisting that medicals can no longer be cancelled due to a lack of recording equipment, then claimants must be allowed to bring their own recording devices whether atos like it or not.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Benefits and Work sticking with what they said before regarding recording your own:

Meanwhile, Atos continue to refuse to allow claimants to make their own recording on the dubious grounds of “​security and confidentiality considera​tions”​. There is no law against secretly recording your medical for your own records and nothing to prevent a tribunal accepting secretly recorded evidence if they choose. However, Atos are likely to end your medical if they discover that you are recording it. Again this could lead to your ESA being stopped and to your having to appeal with no certainty of success.

We would advise anyone who has had the facility to record their medical refused or cancelled to contact their MP and make as much fuss as they possibly can about the failure to provide a facility that Chris Grayling has said would be available. (On 1 February 2012, Grayling told MPs “​On audio recording, we will offer everyone who wants it the opportunity to have their session recorded.”​)

You might also want to ask your MP what steps are being taken to ensure that a record is being kept of every failure to provide a recording so that the trial is an honest and accurate one.

Benefits and Work is in no doubt that the DWP want this trial of recording medicals to be declared a failure on the grounds that not enough people were interested to make it worthwhile This explains the refusal to inform people of the opportunity to have their medical recorded and the failure to set up a proper system for counting how many people ask for a recording .

However, if it is true that Atos are now having to purchase additional machines –​ paid for by the DWP -to cope with ever rising demand, then it looks like the DWP will have to come up with a different excuse for saying the trial failed.

 

[Quartz]

Update from Benefits and Work website



Authorised to buy more, but will they?

Why the fuck do they have to be authorised to buy more? They're a 3rd party company. It's their responsibility to ensure sufficient functional recording machines are available. Isn't that part of why we're paying them squillions?

 

[ViolentPanda]

Well they'd save a bundle on shipping costs if they did, for a start. Wonder how many more - should be one per assessment room at the centres, plus discs.

At the sort of bulk rates for tech and media they could buy at, the media would cost them 10p per unit tops for good quality CDs, and the recorders, on a bulk deal for several hundred, up to 30% below wholesale (dependent on whether their purchasing manager can haggle).

If the DWP are insisting that medicals can no longer be cancelled due to a lack of recording equipment, then claimants must be allowed to bring their own recording devices whether atos like it or not.

Quite.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Why the fuck do they have to be authorised to buy more? They're a 3rd party company. It's their responsibility to ensure sufficient functional recording machines are available. Isn't that part of why we're paying them squillions?

What is probably actually meant is that the DWP has told Atos that they'll reimburse them the costs. Atos will have made a fuss about bearing the cost.

 

[Quartz]

What is probably actually meant is that the DWP has told Atos that they'll reimburse them the costs. Atos will have made a fuss about bearing the cost.

Cynical, but likely true.

 

[yardbird]

I've wondered as to the sanity of thinking that 'tec gear can be constantly packed, transported, unpacked, dumped on Sally's post trolley then trundled to the office it's needed in, without it getting damaged.
Madness.

 

[equationgirl]

I've wondered as to the sanity of thinking that 'tec gear can be constantly packed, transported, unpacked, dumped on Sally's post trolley then trundled to the office it's needed in, without it getting damaged.
Madness.

The whole damn system is insane though, this is just the latest example of their fuckwittery.

 

[ViolentPanda]

The whole damn system is insane though, this is just the latest example of their fuckwittery.

I wouldn't mind insanity. I do mind what this is: Malice.

 

[equationgirl]

I wouldn't mind insanity. I do mind what this is: Malice.

True, it is rather deliberate and ill-intentioned. A plague on all their houses.

 

[ViolentPanda]

True, it is rather deliberate and ill-intentioned. A plague on all their houses.

And their genitals.

Especially their genitals.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

I've just printed out 34 pages of extra information I've typed to support the ESA form, and I still haven't done the following parts:

Going Out
Coping with Social Situations
Behaving Appropriately with Other People

Can't remember how much typewritten stuff I added to the DLA form, it was more than this, but considering the ESA form is only 20 pages and the DLA form was around 50 pages....

 

[yardbird]

((Minnie))

 

[Frankie Jack]

Aye.. ((((minnie))))

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Anyway, some good news.

Went to neuropsychiatrist appointment today and explained situation with filling in form and how I was dreading asking for his help in case they thought it was himself just being a slacker/workshy, and he laughed and said "absolutely not, there's no way he will ever be able to work again" and said if it goes to appeal, he'll support him with an full medical report explaining his brain damage.

 

[audiotech]

Just had my battle with the DWP today.

A pyrrhic victory - two years in the "support group".

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Just had my battle with the DWP today - the bastards.

A pyrrhic victory - two years in the "support group".

Don't let the fuckers grind you down.

Excellent news audiotech. I'm so pleased for you

Did you go to a medical assessment (I'm sure you've told me, but I've been a bit caught up with other stuff)?

 

[audiotech]

Excellent news audiotech. I'm so pleased for you

Did you go to a medical assessment (I'm sure you've told me, but I've been a bit caught up with other stuff)?

I've had two WCA's. There were two appeals running concurrently and I was a bit miffed, as the law official on the panal said they had tried to contact me by telephone today to say they'd made their decision on the papers alone, so I needn't have bothered turning up.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

I've had two WCA's. There were two appeals running concurrently and I was a bit miffed, as the law official on the panal said they had tried to contact me by telephone today to say they'd made their decision on the papers alone, so I needn't have bothered turning up.

Anyway, I hope you get some peace from them for a while at least

 

[audiotech]

Anyway, I hope you get some peace from them for a while at least

Thanks Minnie. I certainly need it.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Thanks Minnie. I certainly need it.

You deserve to go out and de-stress yourself now and celebrate officially being declared ill

 

[Greebo]

I've just printed out 34 pages of extra information I've typed to support the ESA form, and I still haven't done the following parts:

Going Out
Coping with Social Situations
Behaving Appropriately with Other People

Can't remember how much typewritten stuff I added to the DLA form, it was more than this, but considering the ESA form is only 20 pages and the DLA form was around 50 pages....

(((You and your very sore arms))) never mind, think of it as an investment in time. The more you do now, the less probably you'll need to take the claim to appeal.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

(((You and your very sore arms))) never mind, think of it as an investment in time. The more you do now, the less probably you'll need to take the claim to appeal.

Yeah, and I can cut and paste all the information for when I need it for inevitable DLA form

 

[equationgirl]

How on earth do they expect anybody to complete these immensely epic forms?

Or is that just stage 1 of the plan to put people off claiming?

 

[Greebo]

How on earth do they expect anybody to complete these immensely epic forms?

Or is that just stage 1 of the plan to put people off claiming?

Well, it could be that. Or maybe you prove yourself ineligible if you're able to adequately fill in the form so that the decision maker can't find any other reason to reject your claim. Catch 22

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Well, it could be that. Or maybe you prove yourself ineligible if you're able to adequately fill in the form so that the decision maker can't find any other reason to reject your claim. Catch 22

Unless you have someone like CAB do it for you

 

[Greebo]

Unless you have someone like CAB do it for you

There is that.