Atos Medicals - Questions, Answers and Support

[equationgirl]

I went to the O2 arena yesterday and there was a tent with dozens of wheelchairs to borrow (but only if you'd bought a ticket for an event), so to just borrow one of the dozens of wheelchairs to go around the bars etc. is a no-no, as it's LOCOG supplying them for a sports event, not for the general public to walk around the 02

So why did they have lots of wheelchairs then?

 

[Frankie Jack]

treelover, treefrog is a different poster Frankie

Oh dear yes eq.. Apols treefrog and treelover. So many brainfarts the last few days even I'm concerned about it. Last Weds I was convinced it was Thursday all day and yesterday I thought it was Saturday. Was really quite a shock when the realisation set in both times. A few other things as well are making me think either the M.S. is causing my brain to misfire on some cylinders or there's dementia waiting in the wings. Docs this week for me.

 

[treelover]

@VP.

eh, i said it was a problem, fair few on here defend the charities, not me guv...

 

[ViolentPanda]

NONE of the underground is accessible using the same criteria in Glasgow. No lifts to platforms for one thing - some stations have escalators part of the way but all have at least one flight of stairs down to the platforms. There was a complete overhaul of the system in the late 1970s but no lifts put in, mainly I think due to space constraints in the stations. There's a refurbishment of the network at the moment but that just appears to be making the platforms look pretty.

I used to buy into the "space constraints" reasoning, until I revisited Berlin in 2008, where even with their deep stations, they managed to drop lifts in, and the rolling stock had been designed to be level with the platform edge since the 1930s (east Berlin rolling stock only needed new motors to handle the different voltage used, after reunification. They didn't need to modify much else except the automatic door systems and the handles on the manual door systems to make them fully accessible.

The local train stations are better but most aren't compliant - and as the trains often stop several inches above the platforms depending on the trains making the stations compliant wouldn't necessarily address the problem.

The trains used on the S-Bahn lines in Berlin got round this really easily - a self levelling mechanism so that each carriage adujusts itself to the platform height before the doors open. Takes all of 3-5 seconds. They then introduced a policy of minimising platform height differences between stations as part of their renovations policy, which meant that as each station got tarted up, the platforms got skimmed or built up accordingly, so they're all within about 22mm tolerance, which means less hard work for the self-levelling system, slightly shorter stop times, and happier passengers.

The big deal is having a transport body that does more than worry about the here and now. In London we've got TfL, I'm not sure who administrates your public transport. Berlin has Berliner Verkehrsbetreibe (BVG) and Verkehrsverbund Berin-Brandenburg (VBB) fulfilling that role, and they're very hot on making sure that the system is easy, cheap and convenient to use.

Buses are better except for the circle routes which still use non-kneeling buses, the only problem being wheelchair spaces being taken up by pram/pushchairs, but I've seen drivers politely ask pushchair owners to move out of the way and ensure the wheelchair user has enough space and is secure and comfortable before moving off. I've also seen ones that haven't, sadly

I'm fucked on London buses, because they're all rear-engined and mostly auto transmissions now, which means that gear changes are snatchy and cause the entire bus to jerk, which doesn't do me any favours pain-wise. Routemasters were much better, excluding the large step up onto the platform, but they're gone now.

 

[equationgirl]

Oh dear yes eq.. Apols treefrog and treelover. So many brainfarts the last few days even I'm concerned about it. Last Weds I was convinced it was Thursday all day and yesterday I thought it was Saturday. Was really quite a shock when the realisation set in both times. A few other things as well are making me think either the M.S. is causing my brain to misfire on some cylinders or there's dementia waiting in the wings. Docs this week for me.

Last week I woke up on Thursday thinking for ages it was Friday. When I realised it wasn't I was gutted. I've also started , well, 'losing some of my words' is the best description I can come up with. Yesterday my brain produced 'quicklier' instead 'quickest' and I'm getting words in sentences mixed up more - think Spoonerisms but less amusing Also I'm noticing a lot more missing words and mispellings on my urban posts than usual

I'm suspecting one of the meds playing a part - more pain so more painkillers recently - so I'm going to read the leaflets then talk to my GP about it. I'm due a medicine review I think anyway soon.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

So why did they have lots of wheelchairs then?

For spectators who have paid to see an event

It's alright though, I managed to get one eventually

 

[equationgirl]

I used to buy into the "space constraints" reasoning, until I revisited Berlin in 2008, where even with their deep stations, they managed to drop lifts in, and the rolling stock had been designed to be level with the platform edge since the 1930s (east Berlin rolling stock only needed new motors to handle the different voltage used, after reunification. They didn't need to modify much else except the automatic door systems and the handles on the manual door systems to make them fully accessible.

The problem with the Glasgow underground is that most of the stations were island platforms with steps at one end stretching the width if the platform and a fire escape (in most cases the former original entrance to the platform) at the other. There's nowhere to drop a lift shaft down. Some stations - the bigger interchanges like Partick, Govan, Hillhead and Buchanan Street were turned into two platform stations so those in theory would have room for a liftshaft.

The trains used on the S-Bahn lines in Berlin got round this really easily - a self levelling mechanism so that each carriage adujusts itself to the platform height before the doors open. Takes all of 3-5 seconds. They then introduced a policy of minimising platform height differences between stations as part of their renovations policy, which meant that as each station got tarted up, the platforms got skimmed or built up accordingly, so they're all within about 22mm tolerance, which means less hard work for the self-levelling system, slightly shorter stop times, and happier passengers.

I don't know why there isn't similar here in Scotland. Very sensible policy.

The big deal is having a transport body that does more than worry about the here and now. In London we've got TfL, I'm not sure who administrates your public transport. Berlin has Berliner Verkehrsbetreibe (BVG) and Verkehrsverbund Berin-Brandenburg (VBB) fulfilling that role, and they're very hot on making sure that the system is easy, cheap and convenient to use.

Strathclyde Passenger Transport used to oversee all transport within the Strathclyde passenger area, including the ferries (I know the local Renfrew - Yoker ferry isn't compliant, it's a tiny little thing with a drop down ramp to get on/off, certainly not wide enough for a wheelchair and unsteady for most people on crutches or sticks), the buses got put out to tender and are now run by the mighty first bus and a couple of local companies on the outside glasgow routes. Used to have more say back in the 1970s when they reopened the Argyle line.

I'm fucked on London buses, because they're all rear-engined and mostly auto transmissions now, which means that gear changes are snatchy and cause the entire bus to jerk, which doesn't do me any favours pain-wise. Routemasters were much better, excluding the large step up onto the platform, but they're gone now.

I'm ok on the newer buses mostly, but very dependent on drivers slowing down gently rather than sharply. Have been slammed into uprights on a couple of occasions and gotten banged up a bit but nothing serious luckily.

 

[Frankie Jack]

Last week I woke up on Thursday thinking for ages it was Friday. When I realised it wasn't I was gutted. I've also started , well, 'losing some of my words' is the best description I can come up with. Yesterday my brain produced 'quicklier' instead 'quickest' and I'm getting words in sentences mixed up more - think Spoonerisms but less amusing Also I'm noticing a lot more missing words and mispellings on my urban posts than usual

I'm suspecting one of the meds playing a part - more pain so more painkillers recently - so I'm going to read the leaflets then talk to my GP about it. I'm due a medicine review I think anyway soon.

Ah yes.. I read all of the above you've written. I can't blame meds though as I only take Brufen mostly and keep all the others I have for when shit gets too much/unbearable.

So unless there's a conspiracy to shut me up through spiking my Brufen.. I think I may be on the way to the doolallies..

 

[equationgirl]

Ah yes.. I read all of the above you've written. I can't blame meds though as I only take Brufen mostly and keep all the others I have for when shit gets too much/unbearable.

So unless there's a conspiracy to shut me up through spiking my Brufen.. I think I may be on the way to the doolallies..

Well if it's not the meds, me and you can get doolally together - what fun we shall have

 

[Frankie Jack]

Just to be sure... This is Saturday yes..? Last night I couldn't understand why the Saturday TV listings I had up online wouldn't match what was actually on the tellybox even though it blatantly said 'tomorrows listings'

 

[equationgirl]

Just to be sure... This is Saturday yes..? Last night I couldn't understand why the Saturday TV listings I had up online wouldn't match what was actually on the tellybox even though it blatantly said 'tomorrows listings'

It is Saturday, I think, else I've missed work for a whole day

 

[Celt]

Public transport accessibility is still patchy, though, not just in London but everywhere in the UK. Sure, the buses kneel, but over 80% of tube stations in London are inaccessible using standard accessibility criteria, as are over 75% of train stations in the UK. Yay for what is accessible, but as Shania would say, "that don't impress me much". I'm still firmly of the opinion that if we win the lottery, moving to Berlin (over 90% accessibility on all forms of public transport) would enable me to get out and about a fuckload more than living in London does.

i did bus and train, I felt very vulnerable on the bus, and my foot (my bad foot) was stood on a few times, but I got from A to B, For train I was given every assistance by guards etc. seats still to short and just enough leg room. However I know stations are another matter, I do remember being in London and the underground being really difficult.

I too have an unchecked lottery ticket

 

[Frances Lengel]

The people who willl be employed to work in various roles will be disabled people who on the whole can work, they will have imo, a jaundiced view of many going through the process, its the same with Smith cunning farming out of Universal credit to Indian Call Centres, to them its scroungers 'getting free money' they will have little sympathy and even less empathy*, this is a hand grenade launched at the heart of the disability movement.

*ignoring Godwins law, this is the sort of nasty very cynical but beautifully constructed policy(principle not of course exact) the Nazis did in the early years of their reign

btw, i will accept that Sue hasn't mentioned this yet, i do wonder why?

Slight derail, but is that true, that Universal Credit claims & enquiries will be handled by Indian call centres? Jesus.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Slight derail, but is that true, that Universal Credit claims & enquiries will be handled by Indian call centres? Jesus.

Blimey

 

[equationgirl]

Slight derail, but is that true, that Universal Credit claims & enquiries will be handled by Indian call centres? Jesus.

There are not enough facepalms in the world.

 

[Libertad]

Filling in my ESA50 now as I've found out that sending it in "signed for" will make no difference to them saying that they've received it in time iyswim. Got to be in by the 17th so it looks like an all-nighter.

 

[equationgirl]

Filling in my ESA50 now as I've found out that sending it in "signed for" will make no difference to them saying that they've received it in time iyswim. Got to be in by the 17th so it looks like an all-nighter.

Yes, but then you have proof that they're lying if they deny receiving it, and I'm sure the Tribunal service wouldn't appreciate them lying.

 

[Libertad]

True dat

 

[Celt]

Good luck with that Libertad.

 

[WouldBe]

manning these centres with disabled people, investigating and involved in basically cutting benefit of other disabled people maybe some even forced there on workfare has massive implications.

Oh, please, please, pretty please force me on to that work placement. Suddenly every one will be terminally ill and in the support group.

 

[WouldBe]

Well if it's not the meds, me and you can get doolally together - what fun we shall have

I'll meet you there. It's happening to me as well.

 

[treelover]

'It's worth looking up the drafts for UC. It will be horrific.
The idea is that UC will replace everything except housing/council tax benefits, which local authorities will provide - and they can do whatever they like. Pay a bit, pay a lot, whatever.
The principle is that to claim UC you must be living on less than the value of 35 hours/week at minimum wage, just over £200 - any more than that and you can't claim. There will be extra allowances for certain groups, like the disabled or parents. It's a financial cut-off and the full benefit will probably be about £130.
Whatever your circumstances, you will have make a "claimant commitment" to search for work which will raise you above the claim threshold. So if you have a part-time job and caring responsibilities, you still have to prove that you are looking for more or better-paid work.
Single parents will have to do this when their children are as young as one year old; if they do find work, they can only get 70% of the chilcare paid for. If they refuse to take a different job, sanction.
If a cleaner on minimum wage gets 10 hours a week, they have to prove they are looking for work as they need another 25 hours to meet the threshold. An accountant who does 10 hours at £20/hour might not be compelled to look for more work, but still get the child elements or whatever.
People who are supposed to be looking for work while claiming and working will have to sign up with a programme - so if you drop the kids off at school, spend the morning cleaning in a care home, you might have to spend the afternoon at A4E proving that you're jobsearching.
The conditions for the sick and disabled are pretty draconian - as if they weren't bad enough - and all claimants of ESA who are unfit for work (according to Atos and DWP) but fit for some unspecified work related activity will be on the Work Programme immediately. Mandatory and indefinite as now, but with extra graded sanctions, so that failure to comply will result in progressively more benefit being removed.
It's pretty obvious that the aim is to have all claimants of any benefit (except the Support Group of ESA) to be in the Work Programme irrespective of circumstances. That's everyone from 16 to 68, even if they are actually working, engaged in some sort of workfare or other.
The guidelines talk a lot about compliance, refusals, sanctions - and refer to claimants as "stock".
Have a look at johnnyvoid for a good breakdown of the drafts.
Add to this the fact that the default method for claiming is online - real-time processing of pay, NI, tax, benefits, with information for the whole household the claimant lives with, being done by outsourced firms in India; all that information, including health problems etc., bank details, going into a system which doesn't seem to have many safeguards in place. People who can't get online will have to do all this over the phone - with jobcentres closing, I'm not sure how that can happen for the homeless, etc.
@Gerbetticus is absolutely correct - it's going to be horrific.'


Someone on CIF(Ephemerid) has posted an analysis (on whats known) about universal credit, he says it is horrific, i think he is right..

 

[spirals]

I'll meet you there. It's happening to me as well.

Me too, we could really mess them up if we could all remember what we were doing!

 

[Frances Lengel]

'It's worth looking up the drafts for UC. It will be horrific.
The idea is that UC will replace everything except housing/council tax benefits, which local authorities will provide - and they can do whatever they like. Pay a bit, pay a lot, whatever.
The principle is that to claim UC you must be living on less than the value of 35 hours/week at minimum wage, just over £200 - any more than that and you can't claim. There will be extra allowances for certain groups, like the disabled or parents. It's a financial cut-off and the full benefit will probably be about £130.
Whatever your circumstances, you will have make a "claimant commitment" to search for work which will raise you above the claim threshold. So if you have a part-time job and caring responsibilities, you still have to prove that you are looking for more or better-paid work.
Single parents will have to do this when their children are as young as one year old; if they do find work, they can only get 70% of the chilcare paid for. If they refuse to take a different job, sanction.
If a cleaner on minimum wage gets 10 hours a week, they have to prove they are looking for work as they need another 25 hours to meet the threshold. An accountant who does 10 hours at £20/hour might not be compelled to look for more work, but still get the child elements or whatever.
People who are supposed to be looking for work while claiming and working will have to sign up with a programme - so if you drop the kids off at school, spend the morning cleaning in a care home, you might have to spend the afternoon at A4E proving that you're jobsearching.
The conditions for the sick and disabled are pretty draconian - as if they weren't bad enough - and all claimants of ESA who are unfit for work (according to Atos and DWP) but fit for some unspecified work related activity will be on the Work Programme immediately. Mandatory and indefinite as now, but with extra graded sanctions, so that failure to comply will result in progressively more benefit being removed.
It's pretty obvious that the aim is to have all claimants of any benefit (except the Support Group of ESA) to be in the Work Programme irrespective of circumstances. That's everyone from 16 to 68, even if they are actually working, engaged in some sort of workfare or other.
The guidelines talk a lot about compliance, refusals, sanctions - and refer to claimants as "stock".
Have a look at johnnyvoid for a good breakdown of the drafts.
Add to this the fact that the default method for claiming is online - real-time processing of pay, NI, tax, benefits, with information for the whole household the claimant lives with, being done by outsourced firms in India; all that information, including health problems etc., bank details, going into a system which doesn't seem to have many safeguards in place. People who can't get online will have to do all this over the phone - with jobcentres closing, I'm not sure how that can happen for the homeless, etc.
@Gerbetticus is absolutely correct - it's going to be horrific.'


Someone on CIF(Ephemerid) has posted an analysis (on whats known) about universal credit, he says it is horrific, i think he is right..

Jesus.

If HB's being phased out though, why bother with the bedroom tax (misnomer I know, but it's what people refer to it as), and why bother migrating people from IB to ESA if they're both being replaced by universal credit. Obviously, these things are being done out of bloody mindedness but even then, how can they justify the admin costs?

 

[Libertad]

Form finished and in the 5pm post, proof of postage receipt filed.

And breath...

 

[ericjarvis]

Jesus.

If HB's being phased out though, why bother with the bedroom tax (misnomer I know, but it's what people refer to it as), and why bother migrating people from IB to ESA if they're both being replaced by universal credit. Obviously, these things are being done out of bloody mindedness but even then, how can they justify the admin costs?

The admin cost is what it's all about. Remember these policies are about taking public money spent on administering benefits and turning it into public money given to private companies that make large donations to political party funds.

 

[treelover]

Dreadful Dispatches Doc about dole scroungers' on at 8 pm, ch4

 

[Celt]

Form finished and in the 5pm post, proof of postage receipt filed.

And breath...

well done, now be a little good to yourself.

 

[Libertad]

well done, now be a little good to yourself.

 

[Greebo]

well done, now be a little good to yourself.

Bread and roses (or whatever else makes your life worth living, instead of merely keeping you alive) FTW.