Atos, warning.

[bluebottle]

Re: Atos, warning.

I'm sure I've read that most appeals are successful. For a long time, pre-Atos, DLA has frequently been refused to people who are valid claimants and the decision has been overturned on appeal. It has happened twice to me! Once the refusal very nearly cost me my life.

Sadly I think we have to accept this appeal culture, but I also think we have a duty to report benefit theft wherever we see it, as it is these thieves who have forced this culture. Even doing that is frustrating - I know of many people who have been reported, yet absolutely nothing has happened. One questions the point of spending on TV advertising campaigns if they don't act on information received.

A lot more appeals are successful that the DWP want to admit, Labman.

[john 1963]

Re: Atos, warning.

well I did read it somewhere bluebottle, I remember saying to the wife that I had wasted my time in saving Prof Webbs report. I also have another report that says the same thing from a hospital consultant. The trouble is the media have whipped up a frenzy and now everyone is tarred as a benefits scrounger. I suppose there is a chance they may not send for me as I believe they contact your GP first to obtain your records before deciding, but i hate all this anyway.

[labman]

Re: Atos, warning.

I've just read the report from The Independent. I noticed the comment about, "We hold the contract......" at the end. I wonder if one could access this via a FOI request, and if so, what is specified about confidentiality and the DPA in it.

[paul123]

Re: Atos, warning.

a report over 12 months old I think you will find is considered out of date and no longer relevant, they might have changed that view since, but that's how they went with the other half's medical reports, but since they were pointed in the right direction they have kept well away

[labman]

Re: Atos, warning.

For the record, I have e-mailed my MP to ask to whom I should address a FOI request. Many of you know I live in a very deprived constituency, so it will affect many around this area.

[Magrew]

Re: Atos, warning.

Just got a good result on this. Number 2 son has just been moved from IS to ESA after filing in Atos questionaire.

He brought the forms to me late, I filled them in explained they were late due to his condition and that he would not be able to attend interview without support. All payments rearranged without interview and his money has increased.

Nice one!!

[john 1963]

Re: Atos, warning.

well pleased for you Magrew well done

[john 1963]

Re: Atos, warning.

can they stoop any lower? http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...k-8456447.html

[CleverClogs]

Re: Atos, warning.

You wouldn't happen to mean Murdoch Media, by any chance?

It's not just the tabloid trash published by the Dirty Digger - the Daily Wail is even worse!

[CleverClogs]

Re: Atos, warning.

yes I am not looking forward to this medical next year. I have had a medical off a Prof Webb, he is the GP to the Prince of Wales's staff at Highgrove and even he says I will never work again as I have a spinal injury but I bet they say I am fit.

If they argue with a Professor of Medicine or Surgery, they are more arrogant than I thought. However, a Professor's testimony carries a lot of weight at an Appeals Tribunal. Have you sent them a copy of a report from the Professor stating that you will never work again? It would be worth obtaining one if you have not already done so.

The trouble is that the Atos "healthcare professionals" are trained to ignore any reports brought in by the "skivers" being assessed, whilst the equally useless DWP Decision Mistakers rely mainly or solely upon the twaddle produced by Atos. Government ministers have been schooled in the repetition of the untruth that the number of successful appeals is mainly or wholly due to claimants withholding medical evidence until their appeal, so they won't accept there could be anything wrong with their system of disability denial.

[CleverClogs]

Re: Atos, warning.

I've just read the report from The Independent. I noticed the comment about, "We hold the contract......" at the end. I wonder if one could access this via a FOI request, and if so, what is specified about confidentiality and the DPA in it.

I doubt that a Freedom of Information Act request would be successful, because:

1. Atos is a company rather than a public body and FOI requests cannot be made to the private sector.
2. Both Atos and the Department of W@nking and Prattling would claim that the information concerning the contract is "commercially sensitive" and can therefore be excluded.

[CleverClogs]

Re: Atos, warning.

my disability allowance is up for review every 5 years.

Hasn't your spine grown back yet?

You obviously aren't even trying to get better!

Perhaps you need some "encouragement" such as having to live on fresh air when your benefits are stopped?

[CleverClogs]

Re: Atos, warning.

can they stoop any lower? http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...k-8456447.html

Yes, very easily.

A spokeswoman for Atos Healthcare said: “We know that this can be a difficult process for people and we do all we can to make sure the service we provide is as professional and compassionate as possible. We have been doing this work...for over a decade and our doctors, nurses and physiotherapists are fully trained and experienced, with many coming directly from the NHS.”

Immediately afterwards, she inexplicably directed a fire extinguisher up her skirt, "just to be sure"? :flame:

One must surely wonder how much real experience their midwives, physiotherapists or bone-jerkers have in treating depression or other forms of mental illness.

Her words "many coming directly from the NHS" belies another problem with Atos: that some of their assessors are foreign and have a poor standard of English. As long as such "healthcare professionals" are registered in the UK, Atos seems not to care unduly about how well they perform - just as long as they maintain the "correct" proportion of denials.

[john 1963]

Re: Atos, warning.

my letter arrived from DWP today, told to expect a phone call in the next 2 weeks from them

[Hoggie]

Re: Atos, warning.

If anybody would like a copies of any of the ATOS paper work including the HCP's handbook, the instructions for LiMA the bio-social model program used by ATOS. ASK.
PS: FOI request showed the DWP have been using the royal mail for letter opening for years...Mrs Thatcher saved millions by closing down government department post rooms.....
I advice on benefits for the disabled,being disabled myself.