Have you been a victim of the Atos assessment process

[mazza111]

At least getting one sorted will be a big weight off your mind :)

[norbert]

" told I should appeal. I eventually did (they weren't happy about it) "


http://blacktrianglecampaign.org/2011/1 ... eye-again/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ATOS Origin in Private Eye ..again http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/sac ... hcare.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ATOS Origin campaign against


If you're still allowed to appeal - appeal ...whether they like it or not is immaterial .....those people would soon change their tune if Cameron / IDS made them redundant and gave the work to some spivy private firm

http://www.causes.com/causes/582492-kee ... 0#comments" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; the question begged is why is there so many appeals and the system is in melt down ....arrogant , bombastic and paranoid about the odd one who may string things out for a while ...that's just a necessary evil ...see comments underneath

this Postman finished by RM didn't do very well - ATOS Origin PR disaster http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/investigation ... -atos.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; " When the Royal Mail paid Atos to assess postman Garry Hollingworth they said he should be medically retired. But just weeks later, when they assessed again him for ESA, Atos gave him zero points and passed him fit for work. "

[music4essex]

I won. They gave me 9 additional points based on mobility, but they didn't ask many questions and I didn't get chance to correct the mistakes in the original assessment, so I think I could probably have gotten more points.

If I may be bold to ask and you can pm me what is 9 points, my last medical with atos had me down as 14 per cent lower lumbar disfunction for a year, got to go back in november to be looked at again This has been going on almost 3
yrs but my dog bite is 6 per cent for life

Essex mum

[norbert]

is this any help descriptors and points http://www.tameside.gov.uk/esa/wca" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; http://benefits.tcell.org.uk/forums/eve ... april-2010" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; deliberately harder WCA http://www.benefitsnow.co.uk/esa/limitedcapability.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; I just googled " ESA descriptor points "

[music4essex]

Thankyou Norbet I checked out the links


Essex mum

[TeeferTiger]

Thankyou Norbet I checked out the links


Essex mum

Yeah, I got 6 points at the initial assessment because of my hearing difficulties, but you need 15 points to "pass" the assessment and be eligible to receive benefits. I appealed the decision as they didn't take into account a lot of things on their black and white scale (if you say you have good days and bad days, they assess what you can do on a good day, even if they're few and far between!). So the tribunal decided to take into account the other things, and the fact that it's getting worse and I have less than a week a month where I feel "OK" and decided to award me an extra 9 points to make the 6 I'd previously received up to the 15 required to "pass".

However, like I said, they didn't really ask me much about most of the problems I have so I think I should've got more than 15 points, but there's no point arguing the toss when I've already won and it won't make any difference!

[norbert]

interesting article though a bit wordy basically the jist is that it is supposedly all in the mind ....and this is for your own good http://www.internationalgreensocialist. ... ge_id=1716" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; " “The one thing I am absolutely unreservedly and implacably opposed to in all of this is a real world test.” – Chris Grayling, Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions, 2011. " very evasive slippery attack dog / spin doctor who can't lie straight in bed . 3 homes within the M25 and used tax payers money to fund a fourth



another one ...basically it's a legalised scam when you strip all the BS away http://think-left.org/2011/08/04/welfar ... and-mecfs/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Evidence based medicine - without any evidence

" Interviewer: But what do you think the real purpose of EBM is then?

Parasitologist: Oh … it is for the private health insurance companies. EBM is a way of controlling and de-skilling doctors, which is necessary in order to limit health insurance company pay-outs for patients… or in the case of government to limit the NHS and benefits bill. Strangely we, the ‘host’ population, never question the government line that the benefits bill is too high. Strange, because in 2003, the OECD reported that Britain’s benefits gateway was ‘one of the toughest in the world’ (1). It is the equivalent of not questioning whether a ‘super-mosquito’ larva is really a mosquito.

Interviewer: I cannot get my head around this … surely it is in everyone’s interests to integrate the science and every bit of medical expertise to create the best possible outcome for patients. Surely, the population overwhelmingly wants to support and protect people if they are ill, or have some vulnerability?

Parasitologist: Come now, do you really think that the Welfare Reform bills of New Labour and now the Coalition, address anything to do with medical science or the realities of living with a disability, a long-term illness or a mental health problem? I can assure you that any such reform would bear no resemblance to the current proposals.

In fact, the introduction of EBM was only partially effective in stopping doctors diagnosing inconveniently expensive long-term disorders like ME/CFS. From the government’s point of view, too many individuals were still qualifying for benefit support. So, in July 2006, Uber-blairite John Hutton published a second Welfare Reform Bill. "

" Pathways to Work was rolled out across the country in 2008. Mansel Aylward’s Personal Capability Assessment (PCA) replaced the ‘All Work Test’, and the task of administrating the PCA was contracted out to the US corporation Atos Origin who use a computer system, Logical Integrated Medical Assessment (LIMA), which neatly side steps any inconvenient medical opinion. Unsurprisingly, a computerized tick-list compiled by medically untrained staff, consistently fails to adequately assess the complexity of patient’s needs, and 50% of appeals against claims refusals are won by the claimant.

Interviewer: I still do not understand. Why would all this be happening?

Parasitologist: I think you are forgetting what you just said about the real purpose of the Big Society which is to privatize public services … well, what other reason could there be for Lansley’s health reforms or the Osborne cuts to what used to be called incapacity benefits? They are simply to facilitate a two tier health provision with anyone who can afford it opting for a US style insurance based health care provider. EBM is a necessary pre-condition for the private health, private health commissioners, private employment insurance and private welfare service providers; and of course it is implicit in the underlying assumptions of the bio-psychosocial model of ‘illness’. The bit that amuses me, is that there is no research evidence that evidence-based medicine is more effective … so evidence-based medical practice is not evidence based!

Interviewer: The ‘what’ model of illness?

Parasitologist: The bio-psychosocial model. I can see that I’m going to have to teach you some history before you will fully understand."

Basically the same low ball every claim fiddle was ran in the States ....until UNUM Provident were outlawed ....UNUM as they now are supplied the computer tick box LIMA " test " to ATOS Origin ....the two companies are very organically linked .

" Garry Hollingworth of Langwith worked for the Royal Mail as a postman. He was off work for ten months with a serious heart condition. Royal Mail employed Atos to carry out a medical assessment on Garry. They concluded that ‘His mobility is restricted up to a few minutes by breathlessness, angina and leg pains’. They went on to say ‘Mr Hollingworth remains unfit for work in any capacity and I doubt he will be able to work again. There is no foreseeable return date and no adjustments that would facilitate his return at this stage’.

The Atos report stated that not only is he permanently incapable of carrying out the duties of his present post but also working for any other employer. They concluded that he would meet the criteria for medical retirement.

Weeks later, Mr Hollingworth had to attend a Work Capability Assessment, a requirement when claiming the new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have a multi million pound contract with Atos Origin to carry out work capability assessments with those claiming ESA.

Imagine Garry’s surprise when he was sent a letter by Atos telling him he did not have a limited capability for work. He had received 0 points (15 are required to claim the benefit) which means he would have to claim Job seeker’s allowance which is £65.45 as opposed to £96.85 on ESA. Mr Hollingworth appealed the decision and was then given 6 points. The Derbyshire Unemployed Workers’ Centres (DUWCs) helped him put in a new claim as his condition had worsened. Garry has had a fresh medical via Atos and has now been given 9 points. He will appeal the decision again.

The DUWCs have two more Royal Mail workers and one NHS employee who have all faced medical retirement at the hands of Atos only to be given 0 points when trying to claim the benefit to which they are entitled. One of these workers is still awaiting her appeal. "

[TeeferTiger]

Thankyou Norbet I checked out the links


Essex mum

Yeah, I got 6 points at the initial assessment because of my hearing difficulties, but you need 15 points to "pass" the assessment and be eligible to receive benefits. I appealed the decision as they didn't take into account a lot of things on their black and white scale (if you say you have good days and bad days, they assess what you can do on a good day, even if they're few and far between!). So the tribunal decided to take into account the other things, and the fact that it's getting worse and I have less than a week a month where I feel "OK" and decided to award me an extra 9 points to make the 6 I'd previously received up to the 15 required to "pass".

However, like I said, they didn't really ask me much about most of the problems I have so I think I should've got more than 15 points, but there's no point arguing the toss when I've already won and it won't make any difference!

They (DWP) wrote to me last Thursday telling me I was being put into the WRAG... 2 days later they wrote to me to tell me that my benefit would be stopping as I'd had it for 365 days. 2 months of this past year I was still employed by RM, the next 9 months I was appealing the assessment. So, I get the benefit and "support" for 5 weeks until they stop it. Thanks a lot for that, DWP. Thanks a lot.

[norbert]

need to appeal that one ...should win ...ridiculous movement of the goalposts ....even more underhand than RM ....the kindest thing you say is that there must be a lot of pressure and poor senior / middle mgt ....just like RM ! ...very incompetent

http://socialwelfareadvocacy.weebly.com ... nefit.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; it doesn't need " politically motivated camapaigners " to ruin the reputation of ATOS / stir it up ?

" Source: Nick Sommerlad - Daily Mirror

More than a thousand ­sickness benefit claimants died last year after being told to get a job, we can reveal.

We've highlighted worries about the controversial medical tests for people claiming Employment Support Allowance which are being used to slash the country's welfare bill.

The Government has boasted that more than half of new ­claimants are found "fit to work" - failing to mention that over 300,000 have appealed the decision and almost 40% have won.

Instead, employment minister Chris Grayling (left) says this "emphasises what a complete waste of human lives the current system has been".

Here's another waste of human life.

We've used the Freedom of Information Act to discover that, between January and August last year, 1,100 claimants died after they were put in the "work-related activity group".

This group - which accounted for 21% of all claimants at the last count - get a lower rate of benefit for one year and are expected to go out and find work.

This compares to 5,300 deaths of people who were put in the "support group" - which accounts for 22% of claimants - for the most unwell, who get the full, no-strings benefit of up to £99.85 a week.

We don't know how many people died after being found "fit to work", the third group, as that information was "not available".

But we have also found that 1,600 people died before their assessment had been completed.

This should take 13 weeks, while the claimant gets a reduced payment of up to £67.50 a week, but delays have led to claims the system is in "meltdown".

Mr Grayling admitted last month that 35,000 people are waiting longer than 13 weeks. Commenting on the deaths of ­claimants, a Department for Work and Pensions official said: "It is possible that the claimant had already closed their claim and then ­subsequently died, meaning that these figures may be ­overestimating the true picture."

Of course, they're bound to include some people who died of ­something completely unrelated to their benefit claim.




But there are plenty of tragic cases - such as that of David Groves (left) who died from a heart attack the night before taking his work ­capability assessment.

The 56-year-old, from Staveley, Derbyshire, worked for 40 years as a miner and telecoms engineer but stopped on doctors' orders after an earlier heart attack and a string of strokes. His widow Sandra said: "When Dave was called in for a medical, he felt like he was back to square one.

"He was in a terrible state by the day he died. It was the stress that killed him, I'm sure."

Stephen Hill, 53, of Duckmanton, Derbyshire, died of a heart attack in December, one month after being told he was "fit to work", even though he was waiting for major heart surgery.

Citizens Advice told us it has found "a number of cases" of people dying soon after being found fit for work.

"There seems to be a clear link between the cause of death and the condition they were suffering from that led to the claim," said Katie Lane, head of welfare policy.

"We have always supported the idea that people who could work and want to work should be helped to do that. But we are seeing a lot of seriously ill and disabled people being found fit for work.

"We have serious concerns about whether the test used to decide if people are fit for work is the right test."

The work capability assessments are carried out by private firm Atos, on a £100million a year contract.

The firm made a £42million profit in 2010 and paid boss Keith Wilman £800,000, a 22% pay rise on the previous year. "

[TeeferTiger]

I read that earlier and commented on the story. I have appealed to be put into the Support Group. I'd love to work, however, I think I'm deluding myself if I think I actually could work. But I was happy to be in the WRAG as I thought it might help me and get me into a job I CAN do. Even the guy at the DWP said that they don't run WRAGs in some areas due to large numbers of job seekers. Seeing as nearly 1400 people applied for 16 jobs around here recently (me included) http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-w ... -30098185/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; I don't hold out much hope of being able to find a job!

[BELIAL]

Have you tried buying your way into Eton ? and then slipping into
Cambridge ,you might find your prospects much improved ,depending of course upon your family history.

[TeeferTiger]

Have you tried buying your way into Eton ? and then slipping into
Cambridge ,you might find your prospects much improved ,depending of course upon your family history.

Nah, I'm sticking with the OU

[General Mannerheim]

This brave lady was one of our colleagues sisters who passed away recently..
Atos are complete and utter tosspots.
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/327050

[TeeferTiger]

This brave lady was one of our colleagues sisters who passed away recently..
Atos are complete and utter tosspots.
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/327050

I read about this last week. Poor woman

[norbert]

austerity my ar** pig in the trough more like ....approaching £80m tax payers bill for appeals against insurance industry type " non medical - " medicals " with outlawed ( in the States - UNUM Provident ) definitions and methods http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/polit ... -23896877/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; #ATOS

" Fury over £1m bonus for chief exec of controversial Sickness benefit test company
Jun 17 2012 Sunday Mail
THE private firm behind controversial sickness benefit tests have been slammed for awarding their chief executive almost £1million in bonus payments.
International company Atos are contracted to reassess people claiming sickness and disability benefits.
Heart attack and lung-disease victims are among those the firm have assessed as being well enough to look for jobs.
According to Atos’ annual report, chairman and chief executive Thierry Breton received £1.95million in 2011.
Half the amount was his salary and the other half was a bonus. He received £1.83million the previous year.
Rutherglen and Hamilton West Labour MP Tom Greatrex said: “People will find it hard to believe that the boss of Atos sees fit to reward himself with millions in bonuses, while thousands of sick and disabled people in Scotland suffer.
“It will sicken those who have been through the Atos process to hear the company crow about their expertise in healthcare.
“Thousands of people have suffered because, time and again, incorrect decisions have been made on the back ofAtos assessments.”
Atos declined to comment on Breton’s bonus. "