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Atos Medicals - Questions, Answers and Support

Sonia Poultons Google Doc is havig difficulties and may have been hacked as parts of the letter went missing.
There are other people/ blogs gathering signatures too but I'll link to this one and hope those of you that signed can do so again HERE.

Did anyone grab a copy/snapshot of the googleDoc?

I was going to but thought it would breach some law or other. Wish I had now.. :(

Here is her letter

Dear Mr. Miliband,

I am a UK-based journalist and broadcaster. Here is a link to my website. www.soniapoulton.co.uk.

On my site you will find all the media outlets that I contribute to across print, TV, radio and internet, nationally and internationally.

I am prompted to write to you having just watched these two programmes on the subject of ‘fit to work’ testing for sick and disabled people: Channel 4′s Dispatches (‘Britain On The Sick’) and BBC2′s Panorama (‘Disabled or Faking it’).

This year, as a writer, I have been made painfully aware of how distressing, unreliable and costly – both physically and emotionally – the Work Capability Assessment is for those undertaking it.

The financial cost to the country is another concern altogether.

I am aware that Employment minister Chris Grayling has made much capital from blaming Labour for the introduction of this system, administered by ATOS. Equally, Mr. Grayling has made it clear that he views the Coalition’s implementation of the process as preferable, and less harsh, than that carried out under the Labour government.

WCA, clearly, is beset with problems. The ATOS assessor, captured undercover in C4′s programme, referred to it as ‘Toxic’. It was made clear that it was designed to reduce benefit recipients. Chris Grayling continues to deny there are targets. I am less inclined to believe him.

The test, at best, is unquestionably inadequate and not fit-for-purpose. Even the Government’s own adviser, before he resigned, described it as ‘patchy’. At worst, it is downright disadvantageous to those who are subject to it.

For many people the horror of the ATOS test has been the worst kept secret for years. Sadly, others have been less fortunate and are no longer here to register their misery. There currently exists a known demographic of people who have died after being found ‘fit to work’. Are you aware of this?

This year doctors at the British Medical Association have opposed WCA. Those who endure it have opposed it. Even the occasional newspaper and TV programme dares to oppose it. As a Social Commentator, I certainly have.

Why, then, has Labour – under your leadership – not opposed it? Should I assume that you support it?

I am disturbed by what I view as a dangerous trend in our country. There is a clear demonisation of sick and disabled people, routinely labelled as ‘scroungers’ by the media, and driven by frequently skewed statistics issued by the DWP.

Meanwhile, the incidences of attacks on sick and disabled has risen. Disabled people are more in fear for their safety than at any other time in recent history. I believe that there is a direct correlation between the resentment whipped up about ‘spongers’ and the physical assaults taking place.

Surely this is not acceptable to you. It certainly isn’t acceptable to me.The names listed below this letter are from people who support the core message contained within it. Like me these are concerned citizens. Some are directly affected by issues of sickness and disability, others are not.

For my part, I am healthy, able-bodied and work full-time but I believe it is my duty to support those who need help. I believe that is a duty of us all. Including the Labour party.

Sickness and disability can happen at any time and to any one of us. I would like to think that others would also support me in my hour of need.

I believe what we need in this country is more compassion, not less. The WCA is unacceptable for a progressive country and it is a clear failure. The money spent on the appeals process confirms that, quite aside from the human misery it costs.

I have just heard that Tom Greatrex, MP, has secured a Westminster Hall debate on September 4 with regard ATOS and WCA. I ask you, Mr. Miliband, can we count on you to take a long overdue stance in support of our sick and disabled?

I do hope so. I look forward to your response.

Best wishes,

Sonia Poulton
Click to expand...
 
Mephitic said:
34k seems a tad low considering the necessity that they swallow Beelzebubs spunk on a daily basis.

edit: wonders if having private medical helps remove the taste.
Click to expand...


Private medical insurance is vastly overrated especially when you look at the fine print ofwhat it doesn't cover ... ( TTO meds - kerching, dressings - kerching, walking aids - kerching ) then there are all the things that they can't / won't / don't do ...
 
zippyRN said:
Private medical insurance is vastly overrated especially when you look at the fine print ofwhat it doesn't cover ... ( TTO meds - kerching, dressings - kerching, walking aids - kerching ) then there are all the things that they can't / won't / don't do ...
Click to expand...
Zippy - you've got your thread (which I started for you yesterday), run along and play.
 
New Discriptors? Telling it like it is?

As a former employee of the department,... I would not trust the DWP either, no matter what fluff & puff they feed you - you'll find very few staff on the front line, if any that trust this or them either. This is nothing but a political move, as Cameron is losing favour so fast, he's bricking it about losing the next election. As others have said,the DWP may write the descriptors, but ATOS do the assessments, and often make up the answers as they go along & the DWP go along with what ATOS have said & check very few decisions. Whilst I agree that these new descriptors are slightly better, I still feel that the most serious illnesses that were previously regarded as making someone unfit for work using common sense & the depts own highly skilled medical resources for the last 60 years, but have somehow been dissolved by the non medically educated government in the last 2 years, should be saved from this ridiculous process. New descriptors or not, I regret that the injustice of dragging people in over & over again, despite previously winning appeal after appeal will continue, some a few short months previously.I wish I could be all happy clappy about it, but I know the department & the lies the public are told. Whilst I am glad that some change has been made, if targets are involved (which they are in a big way, especially where a tory government are concerned, trust me), nothing much will change.
Click to expand...
Source: Comments section:
http://diaryofabenefitscrounger.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/breaking-news-possible-new-wca.html?spref=fb
 
Seems to me more and more Kaliya and Sue are being used to get information out. Even with their own spins it doesn't make it any more palatable for me. With both of them being Labour supporters I can actually feel my lip turning up these days.
 
just read some of the comments, lots of professionals endorsing it in a very instrumental way, they were the ones who were largely silent when the reforms were going though...

btw, masterstroke this by the DWP, the momentum against the reforms was really snowballing, now this will divide the opposition while nothing will really change...
 
It's been a guarentee they would get the contract considering they already have the infrastructure there and any other 'business' would have to meet the cost of new set up. Plus I've a feeling Atos may have dampered any other businesses using their software.

At least we know who we are up against. Capita, though, are a whole new kettle of fish.

Oh and Capita are paid to store DWP files. If they are in cahoots with Atos and are in any way given leeway to access those files... Between the two of them and their contracts with various government departments I think we're fucked.
 
I also think the LP was about to break the 'consensus' on the tests, they are simply getting to much mail, pressure, etc to ignore, this was/is a tactical move by the Tories

btw, didn't know Sue was a LP member, explains this 'pragmatism' though...
 
Frankie Jack said:
It's been a guarentee they would get the contract considering they already have the infrastructure there and any other 'business' would have to meet the cost of new set up. Plus I've a feeling Atos may have dampered any other businesses using their software.

At least we know who we are up against. Capita, though, are a whole new kettle of fish.

Oh and Capita are paid to store DWP files. If they are in cahoots with Atos and are in any way given leeway to access those files... Between the two of them and their contracts with various government departments I think we're fucked.
Click to expand...

yes, 'full spectrum surveillance'
 
treelover said:
I also think the LP was about to break the 'consensus' on the tests, they are simply getting to much mail, pressure, etc to ignore, this was/is a tactical move by the Tories

btw, didn't know Sue was a LP member, explains this 'pragmatism' though...
Click to expand...
Oh it's on her twitter profile and she hoots wildly with delight on Twitter if any of the Labour party come out with anything that remotely attacks the WCA... Even Liam Byrne.. :facepalm:
 
audiotech said:
New Discriptors? Telling it like it is?

Source: Comments section:
http://diaryofabenefitscrounger.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/breaking-news-possible-new-wca.html?spref=fb
Click to expand...

I read the descriptors. I think they are an improvement on the current ones but there is still a long way to go.

I don't think the 'discomfort' descriptor should try to encompass pain as well as other issues such fatigue, vertigo etc. As someone with a chronic pain condition I fight each day with (if I'm lucky) moderate or severe pain, sometimes it's like a stabbing pain, other times it's like someone is squeezing my kidney. On a really bad I can't make it to the kitchen easily and my brain is so flooded with pain signals I can't even have a conversation on the phone because the effort is too much.

I can't really put my finger on why I don't think the new descriptors as they currently stand would work. I do think that by primarily being constructed by mental health charities that their focus has shifted away from physical problems and conditions - and that in itself is no bad thing - but there needs to be balance between physical and mental health, not one over the other.
 
I get the feeling these charities are being given the task of smoothing over dissent in return for funding either from government or through DWP, WP, MWA, WA contracts rather than actually coming up with descriptors that the government will accept. Perhaps a few will make it through after consideration that won't sway the actual outcomes by much.

As you say audiotech the reduction of 20% and the possible other 10% bandied about leave little room for leeway.

It's generally thought now that no targets are needed as the test itself is so loaded on the outcomes. Once the UC comes in and they change the way appeals can be made many will not be able to afford to go to appeal after the reconsideration stage if their benefit is going to be stopped at appeal stage.

From Benefits and Work
No ESA for claimants who want to appeal
 
I'm surprised the European Court of Human Rights hasn't gotten involved yet - this whole thing must surely breah human rights in some way.

Mind you, who on benefits could afford to take the case forward? Barristers cost a lot.
 
equationgirl said:
I'm surprised the European Court of Human Rights hasn't gotten involved yet - this whole thing must surely breah human rights in some way.

Mind you, who on benefits could afford to take the case forward? Barristers cost a lot.
Click to expand...



having the energy to take things that far as well. and with the way people get treated, the determination to paint a target on your back to every twat that wants a 'scrounger' to have a go at.
 
toggle said:
having the energy to take things that far as well. and with the way people get treated, the determination to paint a target on your back to every twat that wants a 'scrounger' to have a go at.
Click to expand...

Or to become a target for payback from the DWP themselves. Remember what happened at my appeal hearing?
 
treelover said:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/aug/02/atos-disability-benefit-tests

ATOS been awarded the PIP medical, ffs...
Click to expand...

This was inevitable from the moment G4S screwed the pooch on the Olympics security provision. The government believe that they shouldn't be seen to endorse a company with such a recent shit-splash on it's record, so Atos it is.
Fortunately, Atos have now, via Channel 4 and BBC, also been shown to have screwed the pooch, so our job should be to reinforce Atos' pooch-screwing abilities by not letting anyone forget about it.
 
MEDICAL SERVICES
PROVIDED ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS.
Training & Development
Revised WCA Handbook
ESA (LCW/LCWRA) Amendment Regulations 2011
MED-ESAAR2011HB~001
Version: 5 Final
5th July 2012

Just got emailed the link for this pdf. Very useful, though seriously tedious, reading.
 
Oh and.. Good article from Anne Begg MP in the Indy

It’s not the benefit fraudsters who are targeted in the media, it’s the disabled
No it is not the real fraudsters, estimated to be less than 1% of benefit claimants, who are the target for the abuse, it is those with an obvious physical or learning disability. That’s why some of the irresponsible reporting has been so dangerous. It is the person who clearly has a disability, who may actually be in work, who is having to suffer the taunts, the name calling and being spat on.
Click to expand...
 
'Did any of you see the article on page 17 of the SUN on Thursday August 2, top right hand corner? It throws light on what IDS said about the Judges at Appeals making the "Wrong" decisions.

Article reads. Clamp on the cheats. Bogus benefit claimants are to be stopped from abusing lengthy appeals so they can carry on drawing money while avoiding getting a job. Instead of a costly tribunal, anyone unhappy at losing handouts will have to argue with Whitehall direct.Ministers hope the crackdown will stop people running rings round the system to put off getting job. Claimants loose almost seven out of ten appeals at tribunals. But a quarter of cases take more than 33 weeks to complete - with millions in benefits pais out along the way.

There is no attribution to the article.'


This has been posted on another site, some disgusting news if true, many knew the Tories weren't happy with the appeal success rate, now they are going to try and abolish them, surely there must be legal challenges to this, its becoming like a banana republic...
 
treelover said:
'Did any of you see the article on page 17 of the SUN on Thursday August 2, top right hand corner? It throws light on what IDS said about the Judges at Appeals making the "Wrong" decisions.

Article reads. Clamp on the cheats. Bogus benefit claimants are to be stopped from abusing lengthy appeals so they can carry on drawing money while avoiding getting a job. Instead of a costly tribunal, anyone unhappy at losing handouts will have to argue with Whitehall direct.Ministers hope the crackdown will stop people running rings round the system to put off getting job. Claimants loose almost seven out of ten appeals at tribunals. But a quarter of cases take more than 33 weeks to complete - with millions in benefits pais out along the way.

There is no attribution to the article.'


This has been posted on another site, some disgusting news if true, many knew the Tories weren't happy with the appeal success rate, now they are going to try and abolish them, surely there must be legal challenges to this, its becoming like a banana republic...
Click to expand...
I do try never to read the Scum tree,but, I know it's better to know the kind of shit we're up against so I'll have a rummage. It's fucking disgusing the way the DWP & gubmnt are letting/using the media attack and cause so much hatred. Leveson appears to be taking no interest rgardless of groups trying to put a case.

I fucking despair.

Oh and edited to add again as I'm not sure if this link is on this thread..

No ESA for claimants who want to appeal
 
If they do try and scrap the appeals procedure, they have no idea of the legal maelstrom that they will unleash.
That item from the SUN is unbelievable - suggests that everybody that may appeal is a cheat!:mad:
 
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