ATOS

[ashadd]

When you are off sick for a couple of months , when do ATOS get involved? and who gets atos involved? and what do atos actually do ?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

When you are off sick for a couple of months , when do ATOS get involved? and who gets atos involved? and what do atos actually do ?

AFAIK ATOS only get involved when either you contact them, or your manager refers them to you.

ATOS are Royal Mails official Occupational Health people, it was done in house but RM outsourced the contract, their main aim, despite all the touchy feel good language they use in literature, is to get you back to work as soon as possible (thats only my opinion of course)

[brothermagrew]

http://www.cwukentinvicta.org/resources/AtosMSRMG.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Will give you a brief insight.

[pondhopper]

You may want to take a look at this then... but If cross posting is not allowed then do delete this.
I only posted it here as I think it's relevant to what you said and I have just posted an "update" on my accident with regards to ATOS.

There is a link with regards to ATOS on there... seems some people don't like them.

Link to my post
http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... 28&t=23026" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

There is a quote from a website about ATOS phonecalls in it.
Hope this helps... then again it may not, as this guy in the quote was not impressed with them, as he states their sole aim is to get you back to work asap, irrespective of your wellbeing.

[ashadd]

So it seems that atos is not run by proffesional medical people but by unqualified people reading out a questionaire. And RM take there word as gospel?

[pondhopper]

Just an update on what happened to me and my call from ATOS.
They phoned me 3 times.. missed the first two calls..
Upshot is that they spoke to me and arranged for a qualified nurse to call me for an over the phone interview about my accident.
The result of it was that the nurse is sending in a report to my office and informing them that I will not be fit for duty until around the 16th Jan. She doesn't want me to aggravate the injury by going out on delivery and prolonging the recovery time and also run the risk of any further injury to my right leg.

So.. The DOM may not be happy about that, as there is no one available to cover the duty, and to cap it all another delivery in the same area will not be covered next week either as that postie is off on holiday.
One line manager even said that it had nothing to do with ATOS with regards to my job, ie if I want to go back out on delivery then I can. I told him... "Wrong..!! I'm in the office on light duties as a direct result of an accident at work, which has been logged on E.R.I.C.A. and also R.I.D.D.O.R. as well as I was off work for three days, along with two visits to hospital and I'm expecting a call from a nurse, via A.T.O.S., that has to be carried out to assess my current situation. Until that happens I'm not doing anything apart from light duties."

He is only concerned about the lack of people to cover the duties in my area, especially next week when there is no cover. He also cocked the holiday cover up last summer too.. for all four of us.. 3 of us off at the same time, but I digress..

The upshot is that I'm on light duties until at least the 16th Jan, and the nurse is sending in a report saying that I should not be doing anything that can, or could, aggravate the injury and that I should stay on light duties until fit. I also am doing some light physio at home myself and I also do something called R.I.C.E. to help. I've done this before, many many years ago after a football related injury, and it helped a great deal.

[ashadd]

e.r.r.i.c.a ?
r.i.d.d.o.r ?
r.i.c.e.?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

e.r.r.i.c.a ?
r.i.d.d.o.r ?
r.i.c.e.?

ERICA = Electronic Reporting of Incidents for Collating and Analysis
RIDDOR = Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations

RICE Rest Ice Compression Elevation

The R.I.C.E. Method of Acute Injury Treatment

* Rest: Resting is important immediately after injury for two reasons. First, rest is vital to protect the injured muscle, tendon, ligament or other tissue from further injury. Second, your body needs to rest so it has the energy it needs to heal itself most effectively.
* Ice: Use ice bags, cold packs or even a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a thin towel to provide cold to the injured area. Cold can provide short-term pain relief. It also limits swelling by reducing blood flow to the injured area. Keep in mind, though, that you should never leave ice on an injury for more than 15-20 minutes at a time. Longer exposure can damage your skin. The best rule is to apply cold compresses for 15 minutes and then leave them off for at least 20 minutes. (Read The Proper Use of ICE).
* Compression: Compression helps limit and reduce swelling, which slows down healing. Some people also experience pain relief from compression. An easy way to compress the area of the injury is to wrap an ACE bandage around the swollen part. If you feel throbbing, or if the wrap just feels too tight, remove the bandage and re-wrap the area so the bandage is a little looser.
* Elevation: Elevating an injury reduces swelling. It's most effective when the injured area is raised above the level of the heart. For example, if you injure an ankle, try lying on your bed with your foot propped on one or two pillows.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

All are now listed in http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... 05#p131005" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[pondhopper]

Thanks for posting that TBT.. I forgot to explain what the anacroynms were. I use R.I.C.E. as and when required, on an old football injury I got from a good few years ago, and I use it on my right leg too and it has helped a great deal.
You have saved me explaining what to do as well. Thanks for that

[madmax]

I guess I'm opening an old post here but here goes...

What do you do when RM ignore a specialist report paid for by RM , ignore your own GP requesting assistance for your problem which has been made worse by RM ignoring the specialist report , your DOM doesn't make an ATOS appointment when one has been promised and requested, you can't make one yourself (unless you go through the personal line for counselling which isn't what you need) and this has gone on for years?

Who else can one contact re RM ignoring the problems you have other than ACAS and Equality and Human Rights Commission (who can only advise anyway) and HSE?

[General Mannerheim]

I guess I'm opening an old post here but here goes...

What do you do when RM ignore a specialist report paid for by RM , ignore your own GP requesting assistance for your problem which has been made worse by RM ignoring the specialist report , your DOM doesn't make an ATOS appointment when one has been promised and requested, you can't make one yourself (unless you go through the personal line for counselling which isn't what you need) and this has gone on for years?

Who else can one contact re RM ignoring the problems you have other than ACAS and Equality and Human Rights Commission (who can only advise anyway) and HSE?

Your case seems all to familiar.
sorry but the only way is to raise a grievance with your concerns(which will be swept under the carpet) and then taking them to a tribunal when they ignore them.

[madmax]

I guess I'm opening an old post here but here goes...

What do you do when RM ignore a specialist report paid for by RM , ignore your own GP requesting assistance for your problem which has been made worse by RM ignoring the specialist report , your DOM doesn't make an ATOS appointment when one has been promised and requested, you can't make one yourself (unless you go through the personal line for counselling which isn't what you need) and this has gone on for years?

Who else can one contact re RM ignoring the problems you have other than ACAS and Equality and Human Rights Commission (who can only advise anyway) and HSE?

Your case seems all to familiar.
sorry but the only way is to raise a grievance with your concerns(which will be swept under the carpet) and then taking them to a tribunal when they ignore them.

Already done that - got the tee shirt. Have tried putting B&H in against RM as they're crippling me but Gateway just throw them back at me. Got 2 outstanding grievances already which they won't deal with.
:lfo :cfo

[stokes11eg]

Please do not laugh at this suggestion, BUT, if R./M are legally obliged to make sure the tools they supply are fit for their purpose, (and you are a tool) --and you are unfit through illness--it could be argued they are breaking H/S regulations, in forcing you back to work whilst ill. I once spoke tongue in cheek to a legal person about this, and they suggested this could be the case.

[General Mannerheim]

I guess I'm opening an old post here but here goes...

What do you do when RM ignore a specialist report paid for by RM , ignore your own GP requesting assistance for your problem which has been made worse by RM ignoring the specialist report , your DOM doesn't make an ATOS appointment when one has been promised and requested, you can't make one yourself (unless you go through the personal line for counselling which isn't what you need) and this has gone on for years?

Who else can one contact re RM ignoring the problems you have other than ACAS and Equality and Human Rights Commission (who can only advise anyway) and HSE?

Your case seems all to familiar.
sorry but the only way is to raise a grievance with your concerns(which will be swept under the carpet) and then taking them to a tribunal when they ignore them.

Already done that - got the tee shirt. Have tried putting B&H in against RM as they're crippling me but Gateway just throw them back at me. Got 2 outstanding grievances already which they won't deal with.
:lfo :cfo

Then progress it to an ET,thats the only thing that gets things moving sometimes with these fools.