Atos Medicals - Questions, Answers and Support
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equationgirl
Respect my existence or expect my resistance
friendofdorothy
Solidarity against neoliberalism!
All the best. Hope it goes well for you.well date one, with the DWP tomorrow 10.30 ATOS eas medical
trying to get into the support group, knowing my luck they will say i`m fit
to workwell chin up having an early night got to be up at 5 am
chainsawjob
Kipping in the dunes
passenger
up and down...
well i got there, to be told the fact i was on two crutches
and one level up, i was asked if I could walk down 42 steps
if there was a fire, well no i can not, sorry due to health and
safety rules we will have re book for a ground level interview
in Brighton on 29 th of this month
and one level up, i was asked if I could walk down 42 steps
if there was a fire, well no i can not, sorry due to health and
safety rules we will have re book for a ground level interview
in Brighton on 29 th of this month
passenger
up and down...
i was not very happy, got me dad up early used his petrol and time
to be told that.. not to mention all the pre match nerves
likeyou say, they really do not do there home work, there was a one and half
hour delay so i missed that, it was only 10 am
toggle
wobbly
well i got there, to be told the fact i was on two crutches
and one level up, i was asked if I could walk down 42 steps
if there was a fire, well no i can not, sorry due to health and
safety rules we will have re book for a ground level interview
in Brighton on 29 th of this month
considering the number of people that repoirt interviews taking place in non accessible buildings, I've got to wonder if they were chosen to be part of the test. if you can get to the asessment, you're obviously not disabled enough
dont say that your making me paranoid
Sorry, but it's been mentioned here before that your assessment actually starts even before you walk, wheel, hobble, or crawl in the front door.
equationgirl
Respect my existence or expect my resistance
That's not strictly true. There's plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest that the assessment starts when they commence the seemingly meaningless pleasantries on arrival to the assessment centre, asking how the journey was. Also evidence suggesting that a delay may be part of the set up to monitor if people can wait patiently without adverse effects. These are tactics designed to 'prove' people are faking illness, and which are backfiring spectacularly (as shown by the overturn rate of 60% and people collapsing or having meltdowns at the assessment centres).
There is, however, plenty of evidence to show that assessments are not being made properly, that personal bias from assessors is prevalent and that assumptions & ignorance are being made before the case file is even opened.
These people are not friends to those with disabilities - they may smile and appear pleasant and friendly, but mostly they are not to be trusted.
friendofdorothy
Solidarity against neoliberalism!
When I was accompanying someone to an assessment and they cancelled twice at very short notice I wrote a letter of complaint to them about my loss of earnings inconvenience, stress to the interviewee etc. They got it right the 3rd time and apologised and sent a cheque for my expenses (they obviously didn't give a toss of distress caused to the interviewee though.)i was not very happy, got me dad up early used his petrol and time
to be told that.. not to mention all the pre match nerves
you say, they really do not do there home work, there was a one and half
hour delay so i missed that, it was only 10 am
Worth your dad doing the same for his petrol, time, inconvenience.
Absolutely.
Also, when ATOS had to cancel on VP after he'd turned up (lack of the requested recording equipment), the bloke in charge at that branch said that because it was the centre's fault, there'd be no problem getting a refund (there ought not to have been anyway since VP couldn't use public transport to get there without being completely wiped out). The refund cheque arrived a couple of weeks later.
equationgirl
Respect my existence or expect my resistance
Makes you wonder how much they're paying out in refunds.
existentialist
Tired and unemotional
You just know that, if you put in an FOI request to find out, it'd turn out to be "commercially confidential"...
ViolentPanda ?
Do have somebody with you, partly for moral suport, and partly to help keep the ATOS person honest (under another pair of eyes and ears).
Don't hurry to the door, and don't hurry back from it either.
Don't spruce yourself up at all.
Don't try to be stoical or brave.
friendofdorothy
Solidarity against neoliberalism!
What ever question they ask eg 'can you do this task?' Atos tend to take the slightest hint that you can do something as proof you can just do it all the time. Remember to say if you can only do it sometimes, or not for long, or only with help, or only on a good day (the law says you have to be able to do it reliably and repeatedly) Tell them how it is an a really bad day.
Last edited:
RedDragon
"I am not one of your fans!"
It was the palliative care team who hustled for a home visit via their covering letter to my application (it's a PIP interview), I feel I'd be able to represent a "worse day" doing it on my own, rather than distressing my support: I have 7 different (disciplines) consultant letters; a daily intake of 30 tablets; 3 daily injections; four blood test monitoring and three creamy applications 
).
But very helpful tips so far, x
).But very helpful tips so far, x
equationgirl
Respect my existence or expect my resistance
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
and if you can't then you get your benefits stopped for not attending.
like if you 'withdraw' from the assessment because you're having a heart attack (story for those who've not seen it before)
i'm running out of suitable words for this shower of cunts
others are better informed than me, but would agree about having someone with you (friend if not formal carer) if possible
if you need help or support (either physically or emotionally) to get yourself together for this, then having someone there is perfectly justifiable - and the fact that you needed that help is relevant to the assessment.
likewise if your condition / side effects of meds means that you may struggle to remember situations / incidents that your condition has caused.
(i've no idea what your situation is and i'm not asking you to go into detail - apologies if what i'm saying isn't relevant to you)
and as has been said before, it does seem that they are less likely to be shitty / lie about what you've said if you have a witness present...
hope all goes well.
ViolentPanda
Hardly getting over it.
^^^^All of that works, as does having support with you (moral support is very helpful in making you feel less overwhelmed), and NOT letting them set the pace of the
ViolentPanda
Hardly getting over it.
Yep. They may/will get very bored with you saying "yes, I can do *****, but it immediately causes me pain/fatigue/to want to kill Tories, and I can only do it once or twice in a day before I'm in too much pain/am too fatigued/have killed enough Tories to be knackered", but that's just tough shit.
Also, a BIG thing with home visits from DWP agents (because that IS what they are, even when they're not directly retained by the DWP) is that some of them will try and get your signature on the form they're filling in, before they've filled it in. As your signature just happens to be an acknowledgement that you've had the contents read back to you/have read what the agent has entered, then you should ONLY SIGN ONCE THE FORM IS COMPLETED, regardless of anything else. If you sign before completion, they basically have a licence to put whatever lying shit they like on your form.
Guess who learned the above through direct experience? And I like to think I'm pretty on the ball!!!
passenger
up and down...
when atos visited me in my B and B he was really good
hinted at what i should say and i got it,(pip) if it was not for him
i would have not have got my pip first time round, so the wolf can be kind
to little red riding hood... but take in all the advice and you can never
be to carefull with these people.
hinted at what i should say and i got it,(pip) if it was not for him
i would have not have got my pip first time round, so the wolf can be kind
to little red riding hood... but take in all the advice and you can never
be to carefull with these people.
RedDragon
"I am not one of your fans!"
OK, I'm all prepped for tomorrow morning's home visit (between 9 & 11am), a little stressed so have taken a sleeping pill and set the alarm for 5.45am 
Thanks for all the useful advice; don't shower/shave, stash my mobile to record, don't answer the door too quickly, don't be rushed by their agenda and most of all remember they're being paid to undermine you.
I'm already thinking of preparing my appeal.
Thanks for all the useful advice; don't shower/shave, stash my mobile to record, don't answer the door too quickly, don't be rushed by their agenda and most of all remember they're being paid to undermine you.
I'm already thinking of preparing my appeal.
equationgirl
Respect my existence or expect my resistance
I'd be reluctant to even offer the assessor a cup of tea in case they assessed how I made it.OK, I'm all prepped for tomorrow morning's home visit (between 9 & 11am), a little stressed so have taken a sleeping pill and set the alarm for 5.45am
Thanks for all the useful advice; don't shower/shave, stash my mobile to record, don't answer the door too quickly, don't be rushed by their agenda and most of all remember they're being paid to undermine you.
I'm already thinking of preparing my appeal.
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