Civil Service Ill Health Retirement Assessment

[harleymlb]

Hi legalbeagles,
I have posted on here before but i am hoping somebody may have experience of the situation i am in.
I work for HMP (Civil Servant) as a Prison Officer, and have been off work since autumn 2012 with a recognised medical conditon for which i have received treatment for via an operation to my nerve on one arm. I am hoping for the other to be done in early 2013, this will require further time off.
Anyway to the point-
I have going through the Ill Health Retirement process, to the extent that i have attended a face to face consultation with an ATOS OHP, the report was in my opinion favourable for me as it mentioned a disability under equalities act etc, not fit for work and no indication when this may change.
A request was sort and gained from my Consultant and again looked favourable for me (Medical Retirement).
Today i received a phone call from ATOS to arrange a "Telephone" call with one of the medical team to "ask" me a few questions and to make sure i was going to be happy with the report that is going to be sent to my employer.

What i want to know is this normal? Has anyone had experience of this?
Obviuosly he cannot carry out any further examination, to see my condition has not improved.
I have read the Civil Service criteria for IHR and i cannot see anywhere that i don't meet it.
I am on Classic PCSPS terms for this assessment and have just under 19 years in the job as an Officer.
I am almost 48 and my pension (Despite reform) or the bulk of it is available to me at 60 years of age.
Anyone who can offer advice i would appreciate it as i don't want to get caught out should they ask me retorical questions during my phone call with them.
Millitant you have always been an invaluable source of advice.

[thaitoon]

Re: Civil Service Ill Health Retirement Assessment

ask for a reason for the further interview, insist on a face to face with your union rep and the atos assessor in a recorded interview room rather than a telephone conversation. also request the file from atos as a matter of urgency as you cant trust them to record things correctly.
atos' track record has caused a huge debate in parliament last week, its recorded as minutes on the government website i will try and find a link later but it makes very interesting but sad reading

[thaitoon]

Re: Civil Service Ill Health Retirement Assessment

was the medical condition as a result of work?

[labman]

Re: Civil Service Ill Health Retirement Assessment

I am not an employment specialist by any stretch of the imagination. If the phone 'interview' is normal practice to ensure you are happy with their report, I'd be inclined to ask if you can have a paper copy in advance so you a re not responding to a very serious issue without having had time to reflect on the content of their report.

I'd also be aware that Atos can explore routes whereby your employment is terminated, but you do not necessarily get an ill health pension - you might get a compensatory payment for example in lieu of pension enhancement. Be careful, and I hope someone with considerably more knowledge than me will be along.

[Eloise01]

Re: Civil Service Ill Health Retirement Assessment

Unless someone has detailed knowledge of the specific civil service scheme and its operation, it really isn't possible to comment. THis isn't employment law or something requiring an employment specialist - it is about the operation of the civil service ill health retirement policies and their occupational health assessors for that purpose. For that reason the OP was correct - they were asking for advice from anyone who had knowledge of this specific situation and/or had been through it.