ATOS tatic's

[andrew wassall]

We are with the aid of our Welsh Assembly Member & GP trying to get a ATOS Home visit assessment for my Wife who has mental & physical dissibilities. Even thou she suffers from Agoraphobia,Panic attacks, can not do Stairs. ATOS have so far ignored the ESA form & GP letter. They asked her to attend a assessment centre which access is via a stair case of 20 steps!!(No lift/Ramp) even thou there listed centre is all on the ground floor so don't know why they have switched. When you speak to them on the phone they are very rude. So when i asked them to reconsider a home visit on the grounds on Wifes health issues,they just told me that if she didn't attend they would stop her Benefit!!

We contacted our Welsh Assembly Member(forwarding all paperwork to him) who has written a strong letter to ATOS(9th Jan). Also spoken to the DWP who are not happy with ATOS as it is only the DWP that can effect benefit payments.
As of today(24th) ATOS have not responded to him and he is drafting another letter.

This is a quote from ATOS's own website :- [b]All the assessment centre locations that we use are accessible for customers who have difficulty or are unable to manage stairs. The majority of the centres are government owned, often co-located with Jobcentres.

If an assessment centre is not on the ground floor and a customer cannot use the stairs in the event of an emergency, we will consider an alternative venue or a home visit.[/b]

Watch this space

[michael parker]

Typical.They talk the talk but can`t walk the walk,like most of our Government agencies these days.We have numerous regulatory bodies which do absolutely nothing.Might as well be on the moon for all the notice they take of the people they are supposed to be there for.

[andrew wassall]

UPDATE

Our AM eventually got a reply from ATOS on the 8th Feb(only took them a month to respond!!),appologising for the way we have been treated and to offer a Home Visit. They rang on the 9th and the Doctor??? came to the House on the 13th. Result

Just waiting for the report.

[GeorgeT]

"The BBC approached Atos Origin for a response to the criticisms of its medical reporting but the company has declined to comment."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/4995078.stm

[bowlingbun]

The ATOS doctor refused to change the date of his visit, although I had an appointment with someone else, which I had to cancel. He told me if I didn't accept the date I was given, then he'd make me wait months! He was very rude, his interviewing technique made me cringe. (I was a social worker for a few years, I'd have been sacked on the spot if I'd been like him!). He was only interested in the next question on the form, and didn't listen to what I was saying. He watched the clock all the time, and was out of the door asap. His report was a work of fiction, but I wasn't sent a copy to start with, so my appeals were initially a waste of time. Having finally got my copy, I picked it apart line by line, OK for me as I have studied law, but the average person wouldn't have been able to do what I did. Finally the head decision maker over ruled the doctor and made me a full award. I had to go to Bournemouth to change the classification from disabled to normal, then go back a few months later to reverse the process. The DVLA wouldn't refund my car tax for the months concerned, which I think was very unfair. The worrying thing is that the ATOS doctor is effectively controlling our entire lives, whether we have enough benefits to live on depends on his report.

[Parsifal]

I think that you might be surprised at what "the average person" without a law degree is capable of, Bowlingbun, I know many "average" people who have no degree at all, shock, horror, who are able to manage perfectly well, some of them are actually more capable of than those I know with degrees .

[bowlingbun]

Parsifal, why is it that whatever I say at the moment you seem to take a shot at? I studied for my Honours degree as a mature student, in my late 30's, whilst also caring for my youngest son, who has SLD and ADHD, how I managed it, I'm not quite sure! I will interpret what I wrote, especially for you. I know that what I learned from the law element of my course left me much more able to deal with the ATOS report efficiently and effectively. I would have really struggled hard to respond to the ATOS report without my training. I was writing entirely from my own perspective, giving my own opinion of how I coped better because of my course. Entirely my own view on my own capabilities. I thought the Forum was about sharing our experiences, not picking on others, and I feel, rightly or wrongly, that is what you are doing to me.

[Parsifal]

Parsifal, why is it that whatever I say at the moment you seem to take a shot at?

That is not actually the case, I happen to disagree with you on some issues, as you are a somewhat prolific poster it is hardly surprising if you get a number of responses to your posts some of which may not share your point of view and some of those will invitably be from the same members, this is a discussion board, not a soapbox.

I do not happen to agree with your presumption that a degree makes someone more capable of dealing with the issues which carers have to face than carers who do not have the benefit of a higher education, it belittles the many very capable carers who do absolutely amazing things on behalf of those for whom they care, some of whom will have left school without formal qualifications. It also creates a false hierarchy where some assume that they are more capable than other carers because of some attribute which they ascribe to themselves. I believe that we need to respect each other regardless of academic achievement, the ability to be articulate, age, etc., some of your posts appear not to do this.

[Parsifal]

Just to add that the quote in my post above is as the original post appeared when I responded to it, I was called away, submitted and the original post had been edited in my absence.

[bowlingbun]

Dear Parsifal,
Unfortunately, my personal circumstances are very, very challenging for me at the moment, both physically and mentally. I am doing things which have to be done asap which I never thought I'd ever be doing; wondering what I've ever done to deserve all the health problems I have. I am widowed, because the doctors were treating my husband for arthritis and didn't realise he'd had a heart attack, the next one killed him. I started and ran a national enthusiasts club, but had to give it up for personal reasons, and I miss the companionship and challenges. I cannot go out much; cannot sleep much; need to put my feet up a lot. I have a mum failing fast who wants more care from me than I can give; and a son with SLD who has been financially abused. I'm dealing both with the Ombudsman and the heads of Social Services, which is making a stressful situation ten times worse. Hence I look at the Carers Forum, where I have both received and been given help and support. I have been touched by some of the kind PM's I've received following my postings.

[ladybird]

Back to the topic of ATOS and their medicals.

For those that have been turned down or those who have been placed in the incorrect group-you are entitled to a copy of the medical report, regardless of who did the medical, a doctor or a nurse.
I will say it is comprehensive but is generally set out in a straightforward manner..it's the size that is offputting. These reports are often inaccurate and sometimes there are just barefaced lies, by reading through a section at a time it is clear to see where the errors lie and what needs to be included in an appeal.

I appealed after my daughter was put in the work related activities group, it took 6 months of attempting to bash my way through many bureaucratical brick walls before I got the news that we had won the appeal.

The CAB I went to in Lambeth were completely unhelpful, the worker I saw thought I was talking about EMA, the allowance paid to those who choose to stay on in further education. She knew nothing about ESA and asked me why I was bothering to appeal.

So I did it on my own, totally do-able for some who are not phased by the size of the document but for others who are I hope they get better help than I did.

Always get a copy of the medical report then rip the beggars to shreds. Good luck to anyone who takes them on, you can do it!

[NanaNana]

Sorry guys, see my supposedly serious thread thingy about abbreviations. Could you please tell me what ATOS stands for? Then I'd understand what you're problems are and what you're on about.

[ladybird]

Here they are Fran. http://www.atoshealthcare.com/

A more horrible bunch you could not wish to meet, they really are something else. Here is what they do, http://www.atoshealthcare.com/index.php ... Itemid=294 the whole setup is disgusting.

[bowlingbun]

When I had my DLA review, ATOS were the organisation contracted by the DWP to do medical assessment. It was all a bit confusing at the time because I had the letter from ATOS giving me an appointment before I'd had a letter from the DLA Unit telling me that they'd asked their doctor to do an assessment. I don't think they even said that the doctor was from ATOS! Rightly or wrongly, I had the distinct impression that the doctor was retired trying to make a fast buck. Sorry, don't know what ATOS stands for, but I bet someone here can think of some alternative interpretations?!

[bowlingbun]

I'm not bothered what it really stands for. I was trying to get someone to think of some DIFFERENT words which describe them. I'm never very good at funny things,so I'm always impressed by the better offerings of others. The best I can do this morning is "Always The Optimum Service" (?!?!) so the first letter of each word ends up as ATOS. Any ideas?