equationgirl
Respect my existence or expect my resistance
You'll do great, and if you don't your support worker will be there to help you
Atos Medicals - Questions, Answers and Support
- Thread starter Zabo
- Start date
Thanks equation girl and feel dead lucky cos my support worker is brilliant.You'll do great, and if you don't your support worker will be there to help you
dynamicbaddog
run for your life
I rang them up again today. This time I got someone a bit more clued up. She still could'nt tell me for certain why my benefit has been suspended. However she did say that this seems to be purely a box ticking admin procedure because even though I am on contribution based ESA and not means tested they still need to know about my student finance payments as contribution based ESA only lasts a year and they require a record of any other money coming in for when I get moved to income based ESA at the end of this year. She did agree that they were not supposed to suspend me without telling me about it first (according to her the decision was made on the 20th December which gave them plenty of time to contact me) I've been told the information I have send in will reach them by the 28th then a decision will be made and I will be written to. Nothing I can do about it till then.
I thought it only lasted a year if you are in WRAG group? In support group it lasts indefinitely.
Not sure of my facts here, not sure if it's relevant to you either. This used to be the case, it may have changed.
dynamicbaddog
run for your life
I am in the WRAG group.
Any chance of contacting your local disability rights place or CAB before then, just in case the worst happens?
dynamicbaddog
run for your life
I'm going to mention it to Disability Support Team at uni, but there's not much that can be done until my evidence of my university enrollment gets to them. I also started a thread on the Benefits and Work forum and have been informed it's an automatic suspension because the computer thinks it's a change of circumstances as they have no information about me from when I was on IB.
Not sure whether this is the best thread for this, but very interesting, and detailed, analysis by Amelia Gentleman in Monday's Guardian about Atos's succesor company, Maximus.
After hated Atos quits, will Maximus make work assessments less arduous?
(Short version of her answer -- NO, generally. But some detail that's worth rreading too).
ETA : Link now edited, in light of guidance from Greebo below
--- seems to work now ...
After hated Atos quits, will Maximus make work assessments less arduous?
(Short version of her answer -- NO, generally. But some detail that's worth rreading too).
ETA : Link now edited, in light of guidance from Greebo below
--- seems to work now ...
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Thanks for the link. BTW it's not working.
http://www.theguardian.com/society/...ll-maximus-make-work-assessments-less-arduous
Then again, neither is the benefits system as it is.
Saucissons et puree de pommes de terre avec jus instead of bangers and mash with gravy then.
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Blue tuesday
New Member
hi~ I'm new here, though I've been a lurker on the site for a while : )
I've just received a letter from atos telling me i have an interview on friday (haven't opened post box for ages, so it may have been there a week or two). i have aspergers syndrome; i have zero support, no friends; the national autistic society phone line never answers- i have no idea what to do, expect say etc.
any advice? i have limited medical notes other than the diagnosis from a few years ago due to the hilarious lack of aspergres support, and I'm in the midst of a complex row with my gp so he won't help.
id like it recorded, as I've heard previously, as well as from reading through this, that that's advisable. i don't do very well in stress situations, to say the last, and i sometimes have trouble speaking, or collecting my thoughts; clearly this is going to cause problems, but i have no one to speak for me.
any advice gratefully received!
I've just received a letter from atos telling me i have an interview on friday (haven't opened post box for ages, so it may have been there a week or two). i have aspergers syndrome; i have zero support, no friends; the national autistic society phone line never answers- i have no idea what to do, expect say etc.
any advice? i have limited medical notes other than the diagnosis from a few years ago due to the hilarious lack of aspergres support, and I'm in the midst of a complex row with my gp so he won't help.
id like it recorded, as I've heard previously, as well as from reading through this, that that's advisable. i don't do very well in stress situations, to say the last, and i sometimes have trouble speaking, or collecting my thoughts; clearly this is going to cause problems, but i have no one to speak for me.
any advice gratefully received!
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wobbly
Blue tuesday
New Member
i dont understand?
StoneRoad
heckling from the back!
Ah, Toggle had "tagged" Bakunin - who is likely to have some / a lot of helpful info for you Blue tuesday
Blue tuesday
New Member
ok, thanks. is it ok to just email someone out of the blue?
also, ive not filled out any form, just had a letter requesting interview. is that normal? thank you.
also, ive not filled out any form, just had a letter requesting interview. is that normal? thank you.
1) Hang on, it must have said which benefit this was about. Is your ATOS interview about DLA/PIP or about IB/ESA?
2) If you really have to go on your own, you should get it recorded. A recording will make it easier to appeal if you have to take things that far in order to get the help you need.
3) If you want it recorded, you need to ask in advance (if at all possible). To make sure that ATOS get the message, you need to phone their assessment centre and then send a letter backing up your request.
4) You don't have to give a reason, although the difficulty which some people can have processing information when they're stressed or anxious is a good enough reason.
5) Once you've requested that the interview is recorded, you have the right to refuse to be assessed unless it is recorded.
Blue tuesday
New Member
thanks very much. actually, i don't know what benefit im on. its a higher rate.
the letter says 'we have been asked by the DWp to carry out an assessment in relation to your benefit claim. we have arranged an appointment for you at...'
i would like it recorded, as autism is hard for drs to understand if they are not familiar with it, so my case may be turned down. id like it backed up.
you said its ok to ask for this due to cognitive processing issues (which i have) but i don't understand how that will be aided by taping it? i will already have answered the questions by then. what reason can i give to have it taped?
i can't go alone. i need someone to accompany me.
the letter says 'we have been asked by the DWp to carry out an assessment in relation to your benefit claim. we have arranged an appointment for you at...'
i would like it recorded, as autism is hard for drs to understand if they are not familiar with it, so my case may be turned down. id like it backed up.
you said its ok to ask for this due to cognitive processing issues (which i have) but i don't understand how that will be aided by taping it? i will already have answered the questions by then. what reason can i give to have it taped?
i can't go alone. i need someone to accompany me.
1) If the benefit which you get is a higher rate, I assume it's Disability Living Allowance (gradually being turned into Personal Independance Payment). there are two parts to it, care and mobility. Even if you're physically able to walk around, you might get the mobility bit if you need somebody with you for reassurance, guiding, or to help keep you safe
2) The assessment might be taped (ViolentPanda's was and that was a couple of months ago), but ATOS's new recording machines are supposed to record onto 2 CDs at the same time. You're given one copy to take home for your own use, and ATOS keep a copy.
3) The assessment basically tries to catch you contradicting what you've put on the form. You won't probably be assessed by a doctor, it's more likely to be a nurse or a physiotherapist, who hasn't got a clue about autism, asperger's syndrome, or overlapping conditions. The form is so long that it's not easy to give full answers. Different words are okay, but you have to make sure that your answers still mean the same as when you filled in the form.
4) The recording is partly for your own protection. You don't need to give a reason, everyone has the right to have the assessment recorded. It means that if you're asked something, and the person assessing you either twists your answer (when inputting it on their computer or writing it down), tries to confuse you, or asks a trick question, this will show up, and it won't only be the word of the ATOS person against somebody who was increasingly confused or struggling to remain calm and behave appropriately.
5) I know it won't make the assessment easier for you, but the recording is like the easily picked lock on a locker - it reminds a mostly good person to behave well because getting caught is too much of a risk.
dynamicbaddog
run for your life
phew! finally got my ESA suspension lifted. Got a phone call from them admitting it was a mistake and they didn't even need the documents about my student finance as it's irrelevant because I'm on contribution based ESA (just as I already knew)
I have now been assured that I will get all my money backdated within 3 working days. Still pissed off that they put me through all that stress tho and if the call centre had agreed to put me through to the actual benefit office dealing with my claim when I originally rang them this would have been sorted out a lot sooner
I have now been assured that I will get all my money backdated within 3 working days. Still pissed off that they put me through all that stress tho and if the call centre had agreed to put me through to the actual benefit office dealing with my claim when I originally rang them this would have been sorted out a lot sooner
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wobbly
I just gave my other half a shout, cause he's been through the system and he is aspie. and I thought he should be able to help with this.
Bakunin
I am Noodle's bitch.
Can you try fixing the trouble with your GP? GP's can be immensely helpful if they're minded to be, so it would help you if you can patch things up with them. You should be able to request a home visit and that the visit be recorded, that's still an option as far as I'm aware. It might also delay them for a while owing to a shortage of recording equipment that they currently have. If you have anybody that can attend the assessment with you then ask them to do so. I'd also recommend keeping a book in which you note down all the things that cause problems for you as and when you encounter them What I call my 'Big Book of Loopy' has been useful before now.
Some general tips:
Don't panic. Easily said, I know.
Have somebody with you to witness the assessment if you can get anybody.
Try to patch things up with your GP if you can, they can be very useful.
Start keeping a book listing your problems.
Keep all official correspondence with doctors, social workers, support worker and suchlike for reference as these can bolster your case significantly.
Some general tips:
Don't panic. Easily said, I know.
Have somebody with you to witness the assessment if you can get anybody.
Try to patch things up with your GP if you can, they can be very useful.
Start keeping a book listing your problems.
Keep all official correspondence with doctors, social workers, support worker and suchlike for reference as these can bolster your case significantly.
equationgirl
Respect my existence or expect my resistance
Do you have anybody that could go with you to the appointment, and who could take notes if Required?
superfly101
Well-Known Member
GP's are often so out of touch with their user base it's obscene. They are also very prone to the same prejudices as a person who reads the red tops.
Cambridge and Oxford don't you know.
Having had one in the Pavilion Practice Brixton after a talk by the Brixton Advice Centre (who they were affiliated with) tell me I had to get a job. Well because there were Government changes and they would not support people like me......
That was 2010 and tbf it hasn't changed much!
friendofdorothy
Solidarity against neoliberalism!
Welcome. I lurked for ages before joining too, and learned a lot from threads like this. I'm sad to hear you have no one to help you.
Have you got a copy of the form from when you first claimed the benefit, even if that was a long time ago? It might remind you of why the benefit was given to you originally. Did someone help you then, with filling out the form or any previous medical - can you approach them to help you again?
Sorry, I haven't got any other specific advice, but I do wish you well.
Andrejka09
New Member
Hi there wounder if anybody could help me I had a medical today which I was real nervous about I have a history of fibromyalgia is Psoriasis arthritis clawhand and a few more unknown conditions plus anxiety and depression was my first ever medical.anyway person I saw called me asked what was wrong soi said and also said a few things I'm bing checked for like ms and lupus she said that I could go home now and would need come bk to see a dr has this happened to anyone b4 and was it a good or bad thing
equationgirl
Respect my existence or expect my resistance
It's likely that the assessor was not a doctor and due to your complex medical conditions, including possible MS, decided not to proceed with your assessment today. ATOS uses 'health care practitioners' which is a wide range of healthcare staff from doctors and nurses through to chiropractors and chiropodists.
This means that your assessment will be rescheduled and carried out by someone more familiar with your conditions, which is a good thing. Don't forget that you have to right to request that your assessment is recorded, which can you request via information in your appointment letter. As you may not be able to write I would say it is important for you to have a recorded copy of your assessment. Also, take someone with you if you can.
Best of luck.
Andrejka09
New Member
Thanks for the information Hun appreciated
equationgirl
Respect my existence or expect my resistance
No problem, happy to help.
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wobbly
a mention of lupus and they will need to decide whether it is appropriate to ask you to attend an assessment.
http://dwpexamination.org/forum/use...ss-should-and-should-not-attend-atos-medical/
Andrejka09
New Member
Thanks for info Hun
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