ATOS medical/home visit or transport advice please

Tulip09

I have recieved my date for the ATOS medical (just before Christmas) at the nearest centre to me and just given them a call but no joy really and i am hoping one of you 'in the know' posters can help me out please.

The medical centre is 1 hour & 42 minutes away from me driving (there calculations). I am unable to drive or use public transport due to the nature of my conditions and my locality. I dont usually leave my house at all except for Dr or hospitial appointments weekly and that is accompanied and by taxi and only a few miles. I can last a maximum of about 2 hours 'outside' before getting ill if i am lucky at present but it can varies.

ATOS said they would pay public transport costs but not taxi (nearly £400) I cant afford to pay this sort of money (over a months benefit). I asked for a closer centre (they said not possible and this was the closest) I asked for a home visit and they said i dont fit the criteria? I asked for an explanation of the criteria and they said it varies. Does anyone know how i can get round this? What is the criteria? I said that i could go to my Drs or the hospitial for the medical, but they said not possible. I have left them my phone number and hopefully they will ring me with a change of heart in regards to a home visit.

I spoke to the ESA helpline who said that they have noted my call and why, however they said its up to ATOS and they cant help with that, but i will lose benefit if i dont attend.

Is there any other alternatives that someone knows of that i can use, to get this medical done? I have no idea of the official rules but it shouldnt be this hard to keep my benefit or to attend the medical

dmg24

Get a letter from your GP detailing why you need a home visit (you may need to pay for this). It is not enough to state that you need a visit, it must give the reasons. Ask ATOS for a fax number to send this to. It still is not guaranteed, but they need this evidence to assess your request.

Jowo_2

Tulip09 wrote: »

...I asked for a closer centre (they said not possible and this was the closest) I asked for a home visit and they said i dont fit the criteria? I asked for an explanation of the criteria and they said it varies. Does anyone know how i can get round this? What is the criteria?

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/FinancialSupport/esa/DG_172012

"If you're unfit to travel or you live more than 90 minutes' journey from the nearest centre, the approved healthcare professional may visit you at home.

You will usually be contacted by telephone by the Medical Services provider. This can be any time between 8.30 am and 8.00 pm. You will be given notice of your appointment and the option to change it if the time doesn't suit you. Your appointment time will be between 9.00 am and 5.00 pm."


Sorry, don't have any more info or advice on this topic.

Tulip09

Thanks for the advice, i am in hospitial tomorrow so will ask them for a letter. Hopefully i will be able to get a home visit or a nearer place. They have not phoned back but hopefully they will and then i can stop worrying about it.

cit_k

I would consider putting in a complaint to atos, them telling you you dont meet the criteria, without telling you anything about them needing evidence, contacting your gp for evidence etc is terrible - definately worthy of a complaint to get them to buck their ideas up.

Skinticket

Tulip09 wrote: »

I have recieved my date for the ATOS medical (just before Christmas) at the nearest centre to me and just given them a call but no joy really and i am hoping one of you 'in the know' posters can help me out please.

The medical centre is 1 hour & 42 minutes away from me driving (there calculations). I am unable to drive or use public transport due to the nature of my conditions and my locality. I dont usually leave my house at all except for Dr or hospitial appointments weekly and that is accompanied and by taxi and only a few miles. I can last a maximum of about 2 hours 'outside' before getting ill if i am lucky at present but it can varies.

ATOS said they would pay public transport costs but not taxi (nearly £400) I cant afford to pay this sort of money (over a months benefit). I asked for a closer centre (they said not possible and this was the closest) I asked for a home visit and they said i dont fit the criteria? I asked for an explanation of the criteria and they said it varies. Does anyone know how i can get round this? What is the criteria? I said that i could go to my Drs or the hospitial for the medical, but they said not possible. I have left them my phone number and hopefully they will ring me with a change of heart in regards to a home visit.

I spoke to the ESA helpline who said that they have noted my call and why, however they said its up to ATOS and they cant help with that, but i will lose benefit if i dont attend.

Is there any other alternatives that someone knows of that i can use, to get this medical done? I have no idea of the official rules but it shouldnt be this hard to keep my benefit or to attend the medical

get a letter form your gp explaining why you require a home visit and send it to the people that deal with your claim they cannot refuse you.

Skinticket

dmg24 wrote: »

Ask ATOS for a fax number to send this to. It still is not guaranteed, but they need this evidence to assess your request.

or they can just ignore it like the stuff they do in their " medicals " *cough, snigger*

dmg24

Skinticket wrote: »

get a letter form your gp explaining why you require a home visit and send it to the people that deal with your claim they cannot refuse you.

Yes, they can refuse if they do not feel there is sufficient need, but I have come across very few experiences where they have.

oldestrocker

Tulip09 wrote: »

I have recieved my date for the ATOS medical (just before Christmas) at the nearest centre to me and just given them a call but no joy really and i am hoping one of you 'in the know' posters can help me out please.

The medical centre is 1 hour & 42 minutes away from me driving (there calculations). I am unable to drive or use public transport due to the nature of my conditions and my locality. I dont usually leave my house at all except for Dr or hospitial appointments weekly and that is accompanied and by taxi and only a few miles. I can last a maximum of about 2 hours 'outside' before getting ill if i am lucky at present but it can varies.

ATOS said they would pay public transport costs but not taxi (nearly £400) I cant afford to pay this sort of money (over a months benefit). I asked for a closer centre (they said not possible and this was the closest) I asked for a home visit and they said i dont fit the criteria? I asked for an explanation of the criteria and they said it varies. Does anyone know how i can get round this? What is the criteria? I said that i could go to my Drs or the hospitial for the medical, but they said not possible. I have left them my phone number and hopefully they will ring me with a change of heart in regards to a home visit.

I spoke to the ESA helpline who said that they have noted my call and why, however they said its up to ATOS and they cant help with that, but i will lose benefit if i dont attend.

Is there any other alternatives that someone knows of that i can use, to get this medical done? I have no idea of the official rules but it shouldnt be this hard to keep my benefit or to attend the medical

Hi, Have you checked if your illness falls in one of the 5 categories that define either you should not have a medical to yes you do?

cit_k

oldestrocker wrote: »

Hi, Have you checked if your illness falls in one of the 5 categories that define either you should not have a medical to yes you do?

Im not convinced that list applies to ESA, it may, but it only definately applied(or applies) to DLA. Unless someone can find a legislative link to ESA it cannot be relied up for ESA purposes in my opinion.

ESA is meant to go by a pre-board check, where they pre-run lima with evidence from the esa forms and produce a esa85a form which states if a medical is needed (on flimsy evidence like there is no evidence on the ESA form, even when their was)

Mupette

Another poster on these forums had hell with ATOS, they would not budge about a home visit.

She contaced her gp, benefits agency even her MP, still ATOS would not budge, she was getting so upset about it all, she cancelled the day before....... a few days later, ATOS called and said they would home visit in a day or so and did.