Forthcoming ATOS assessment.

[Cynic]

Good morning, I hope someone can help me with a little guidance. I have no physical problems but suffer from bi-polar disorder ( behaviour and mood changes ranging form hiding in a corner to feeling invincible) which was first diagnosed about 18 years ago. For many years I was able to continue working, although I did lose one really good job because a one off occurence of violent behaviour caused by my illness. As I got worse, I tried various prescribed medication and counselling and was eventually sectioned for a short while, after trying to hang myself with a piece of chain. Subsequently I worked as and when I could, but around seven years ago was given long term incapacity benefit, and apart from "allowed work" on a self employed basis, under the scheme, have done nothing since. I rarely have to visit my doctor, or take anything nowadays as I have learned to "manage" myself and my problem by avoiding stresses such as crowds, strangers or anything unfamiliar;- not a great life, but better than the utter madness & paranoia that I, and those around me used to suffer when I failed to deal with day to day life.
I have asked for a recording of my assessment, and was told that "they" would let me know if the equipment would not be available and have to rearrange the appointment, I am a bit stressed about this even, have no idea what I might be like on the day, but the better I can prepare, the less bothered I will be about it. I do not trust ATOS, their system or their staff, and am convinced that if I am on a high when there, will come across as an idiot who thinks he knows it all, but has nothing really wrong with him, if I am badly depressed will either not be able to face going, or will not be able to respond, and considered uncooperative, or if in between, will be perfectly lucid, and therefore seem to have nothing wrong with me. I did have an assessment some time ago, but that was with a proper assessor, before ATOS took over this "work".
Sorry if I come across as bit odd / paranoid;- I am, but any advice would be much appreciated, I have no idea what I would do if forced to even go for an interview, much less try to do a normal job.

[leeappleyard61]

Re: Forthcoming ATOS assessment.

I was prescribed 800mg Lithium Carbonate for several years, which was supposed to stabilise me, which it did, but at a manic level;- I shudder now when I remember some of the things I did while taking that, it's amazing that I did not kill or seriously injure myself, or anyone else, during that period. I used to stay awake for 20 or more hours a day, every day, ride a 1,000cc motorbike flat out everywhere, confront anyone I perceived as a bully, no matter how much bigger, or younger than myself, and so on.

Cynic,

A lot of this sounds SO like me. While I don't have the 1,000cc motorbike, when manic, I have had the strong urges to kick whoever might be standing in front of me at a cash machine or anyone who gets in my way. In fact, that's what first took me to my GP...I sat there sobbing in hysterics....I had gone completely the other way in a short amount of time. I was taken into for emergency assessment and within 24 hours was at my first three month stay at the Trust's mental health day hospital. Been there two times as of now.

When manic, I too turn into a bully and will think nothing of confronting groups of teenage gangs, most of whom are drug dealers. I'm only 5 foot and 3 3/4 inches tall! I was once cut off by by woman driver; she was so close, she nearly hit me. I ended up following her all the way to her house at which time I yelled, screamed abuse and swore at her about almost hitting me. I've also flung kitchen knives into a linoleum floor with such force that it took a male family member to pull them out. I also become very combative and extremely irritable.

I've driven through traffic lights just because I could.

Some of the stories I could tell would curl your hair (unless, of course, you already have curly hair! LOL). I've made one suicide attempt this far after talking to an extremely rude woman at the TV Licencing Agency. Took all of my tablets and sat in the living room and drank a bottle and a half of whiskey. Landed myself in hospital and slept for a day and a half.

When depressed, I had weeks where all I could manage was sitting and watching Series 3 of the American show Two And A Half Men. Over and over and over....again. These days, I watch M*A*S*H.

I can't just self-manage, although I'm more or less at a point where I can tweak my medications. Right now, I'm on:

• Depakote - 1500mg
• Quetiapine - 400mg
• Citalopram - 20mg but sometimes as high as 40mg
• Buspirone - 10mg three times a day or more
• Promethazine - 50mg
• Diphenhydramine - when needed or if I'm out of Promethazine
• Diazepam (Valium) - if I can get some because they now prescribe it with an eyedropper

And these are only my mental health meds!

Yet, when feeling cornered like I am now, I go into immediate severe panic mode which is what brought me to this site. There are days that I really hate my life! Fortunately, my psychiatrist is going to arrange for me to see one her CMHNs for while because of this while PIP assessment distress.

[bluebottle]

Re: Forthcoming ATOS assessment.

Fortunately, I have a meeting with my local MP (to discuss this whole affair) a few days hence, and he is still quite heavily involved in local politics, as are one or two former colleagues from way back, so I am hoping that this will be enough to wake up the local authority benefits staff for the sake of others, if not myself; as I have just been given an enhanced "Working Tax Credit" award owing to my efforts at therapeutic self-employed "permitted work", coupled with the fact that I am considered "at a disadvantage in obtaining work by reason of disability", I will probably not be entitled to Housing and Council Tax benefit after all, but that is hardly the point, this has been dragging on for weeks and I intend to exert whatever pressure I can to expose these people who seem to rejoice in messing with the lives of others.

Likewise, I am taking all of the ATOS & DWP correspondence, together with the assessment recording, to my meeting, having been assured that the MP has a bee in his bonnet about ATOS and is looking for any ammunition which he can fire in the House; I think that my file particularly the recording, when compared with the ATOS written report would probably qualify as a WMD given the contradictions and attempts to distort responses. As for the issue of an assumed cure in 12 -18 months, by that time I will be of retiring age, so personally, not really an issue, but again, that is not the point; I am truly angry for those in in a worse position and less able to defend themselves than I am.

I will keenly watch this site for others struggling with ATOS /DWP and offer my experience to assist them if possible, in the meantime, heartfelt thanks to all who have offered advice and moral support to me over the past few months.

It would be interesting to see IDS's reaction if the recording was played before a House of Commons' Select Committee with IDS present and a copy of the ATOS report in front of him. I suspect he would struggle to palm it off. If he tried to dismiss it, my suspicion is that it would show IDS as disingenuous, at best, totally devoid of any humanity, at worst. Please do hang around. People with experience such as yourself can be invaluable to those who do not know how to deal with ATOS/DWP. Thank you. May I wish you a happy and peaceful New Year.

[Cynic]

Re: Forthcoming ATOS assessment.

Good result, Cynic. If the local authority benefits staff are playing silly buggers, Article 6, Human Rights Act 1998 (Duty of state to deal with a citizen's affairs in a timely manner) should fccus their minds, regardless of their protestations to the contrary.
All too often, ATOS speculate that someone will be better/cured in about 12-18 months. The problem is, the ATOS wallahs who prepare the reports are often not qualified to make such pronouncements and, clearly, do not read the medical reports provided by hospital consultants. In some cases, what an ATOS wallah says in their report may have far-reaching consequences, health-wise, for the claimant. ATOS is subject to both health and safety and human rights legislation and claimants should use these pieces of legislation to their full advantage.

Fortunately, I have a meeting with my local MP (to discuss this whole affair) a few days hence, and he is still quite heavily involved in local politics, as are one or two former colleagues from way back, so I am hoping that this will be enough to wake up the local authority benefits staff for the sake of others, if not myself; as I have just been given an enhanced "Working Tax Credit" award owing to my efforts at therapeutic self-employed "permitted work", coupled with the fact that I am considered "at a disadvantage in obtaining work by reason of disability", I will probably not be entitled to Housing and Council Tax benefit after all, but that is hardly the point, this has been dragging on for weeks and I intend to exert whatever pressure I can to expose these people who seem to rejoice in messing with the lives of others.



Likewise, I am taking all of the ATOS & DWP correspondence, together with the assessment recording, to my meeting, having been assured that the MP has a bee in his bonnet about ATOS and is looking for any ammunition which he can fire in the House; I think that my file particularly the recording, when compared with the ATOS written report would probably qualify as a WMD given the contradictions and attempts to distort responses. As for the issue of an assumed cure in 12 -18 months, by that time I will be of retiring age, so personally, not really an issue, but again, that is not the point; I am truly angry for those in in a worse position and less able to defend themselves than I am.

I will keenly watch this site for others struggling with ATOS /DWP and offer my experience to assist them if possible, in the meantime, heartfelt thanks to all who have offered advice and moral support to me over the past few months.

[bluebottle]

Re: Forthcoming ATOS assessment.

It won't.

Work-related ESA is of finite duration and the gormless gargoyles at the DWP will expect you to be cured before very long. On the other hand, they might provide an opportunity for a worthwhile job such as stacking shelves at your nearest Tesco.

Good result, Cynic. If the local authority benefits staff are playing silly buggers, Article 6, Human Rights Act 1998 (Duty of state to deal with a citizen's affairs in a timely manner) should fccus their minds, regardless of their protestations to the contrary.

All too often, ATOS speculate that someone will be better/cured in about 12-18 months. The problem is, the ATOS wallahs who prepare the reports are often not qualified to make such pronouncements and, clearly, do not read the medical reports provided by hospital consultants. In some cases, what an ATOS wallah says in their report may have far-reaching consequences, health-wise, for the claimant. ATOS is subject to both health and safety and human rights legislation and claimants should use these pieces of legislation to their full advantage.

Re: Forthcoming ATOS assessment.

The outcome is that I am awarded ESA, in the work related group, which is exactly what I consider to be fair; I am extremely capable when ok or a little high, but hopeless when not. Certainly I cannot hold down a conventional job, but I can (and wish to) work on a self-employed basis, and this decision will help me to do this.

It won't.

Work-related ESA is of finite duration and the gormless gargoyles at the DWP will expect you to be cured before very long. On the other hand, they might provide an opportunity for a worthwhile job such as stacking shelves at your nearest Tesco.

[enquirer]

Re: Forthcoming ATOS assessment.

Good result. Make sure that the DWP confims the findings in writing.

Atos (and other organisations of similar ilk), rely on local victories sinking into the ether. Copy in your MP and any organisation that you think may be able to make use of it. Disability Rights UK and MIND are possibilities.

[Cynic]

Re: Forthcoming ATOS assessment.

A couple of weeks ago, I had a phone call from a very pleasant lady from the DWP, who went through my correspondence and complaints point by point, confirming all of the details of my dissatisfaction with the original assessment, paying particular attention to my assertions that every answer which supported my case was glossed over, and undue emphasis was placed on my abilities. She terminated the call saying that she would review the decision to refuse benefit, and if she was able, reverse it; I presume she must have wanted to listen to the ATOS copy of the recording, which ATOS had claimed was unintelligable owing to the security time / date record interfering with the questions and responses (although I was able to listen to my copy simply by turning the balance control fully to the right channel!). The outcome is that I am awarded ESA, in the work related group, which is exactly what I consider to be fair; I am extremely capable when ok or a little high, but hopeless when not. Certainly I cannot hold down a conventional job, but I can (and wish to) work on a self-employed basis, and this decision will help me to do this. Regarding my housing benefit claim, I am being given the runaround by the local authority decision makers who are claiming that I have failed to provide various documents, despite my having receipts from them for those self-same documents..... I have copied those receipts to the decision maker concerned, together with all the associated documents and informed her that the whole file will be presented to my MP when I meet him to discuss this in the new year (thanks to the power and loyalty of a former colleague). I just hope I can keep the hyper phase going long enough to make some of these cretins squirm.

[Cynic]

Re: Forthcoming ATOS assessment.

don't know whether you require further info but can help if required

Please do; the more information I have, the better armed I am. Thanks.

[beingDUN]

Re: Forthcoming ATOS assessment.

don't know whether you require further info but can help if required

[bluebottle]

Re: Forthcoming ATOS assessment.

Cynic,

What is going on at the moment, as regards welfare benefits, is corruption and fraud on a massive scale. Yes, there are those who defraud the system, but it is those who have no entitlement to claim - Many of them are comfortably well-off and think it is not a crime to defraud the taxpayer, only if they get caught - and organised criminal gangs, many of whom appear to come from West Africa.

The other matter is that of IDS's claim of millions of people on IB. The fact is, the last Conservative government put millions of fit and healthy people on IB in order that they, the government of the day, could fabricate the unemployment statistics. The Labour government that took over left those people on IB for much the same reason.

There are people working for DWP who are good and honest people, but, unfortunately, you also have those who are dishonest, disingenuous and have low empathy. It is this latter group who are helping to drive the current agenda. My gut-instinct is that the low empathy and disingenuous sub-groups will get their comeuppance eventually. The dishonest sub-group are much easier to identify and pick off because they are so blatant and make mistakes that even a First-Year Law Student could spot in less than a minute.

Changes are taking place - be in no doubt about that - but, as I said on another thread, the truth will always come out, whatever. In my experience, fate has a funny way of working - don't ask me how or why - but attempts to impose some draconian ideology on a population always results in things going mammaries up for those behind it.

[wales01man]

Re: Forthcoming ATOS assessment.

It always appears that the system fails because of the incompetence of the staff too easy to dish out the money in the past and maybe that's the reason some can do multiple claims and others get nought for something that should be easy to administer they make it difficult both to claim and to cancel a claim.

Re: Forthcoming ATOS assessment.

You know what wales....when I was on benefits I was truly grateful for them and have to admit I never really encountered any problems.(apart from when they insisted Rob had left me and plonked a lump sum in my bank account,,after a fight they finally conceded he was still here and demanded their money back (I hadn't touched it cos I knew they'd cocked up)

As soon as I knew I was no longer entitled to means tested benefits I contacted every department straight away cos stuff like that scares the crap out of me but I literally had to FIGHT them to cease my claim,,they kept insisting I was still entitled to XYZ when I was sure I wasn't
In the end I got my HA to send round a benefit advisor and he sorted it all out for me.

[wales01man]

Re: Forthcoming ATOS assessment.

The benefit system is changing it needs to but the way its happening is out of order Those in real need are being made to suffer because of those who can play the system to maximum benefit.

Re: Forthcoming ATOS assessment.

I got a P45 when I was migrated from IB to CESA.....confused the heck out of me at the time