ATOS medical/home visit or transport advice please

deeplyblue

SohoAnthem wrote: »

I got refused a home visit, even after my GP had faxed them through a letter. My examination is on Wednesday and I'm getting worked up about it. Will probably ring up to cancel, does anyone know what will happen afterwards?

Claim is for Agoraphobia/Severe Anxiety. Test center is quite a way away, would have to get public transport which is just a huge no-no.

If you just cancel, then they can simply cut off any benefit. If you phone them, and tell them that you need another appointment as you are too ill to travel at the moment (which is obviously true), then you might achieve something.

Remember you will be on your own phone, and in your own home.

Get together the letter they sent you with the appointment, your national insurance number and the name and telephone number of your doctor, and the date on which the fax was sent.

Make a list of everything you need to say, and write each one down on a piece of scrap paper. Then put on each piece of paper the date and time you are phoning them. Then when you have these details listed in front of you, rehearse what you are going to say. Remember that the first thing is to find out who you need to speak to.

Have a useful formula, "Hello my name SohoAnthem. I have an appointment for a medical on Wednesday 23rd February. I am too ill to attend, what is the procedure now?" You can keep on repeating these lines until you get to someone who can make some sense.

Have a space to write down their name - label it "I spoke to," and leave enough space for you to write down what you need to know. Be prepared for being passed on to different people. Just make sure you write down the names of anyone who tries to ask you questions

Tell them that they have had a note from your doctor explaining that you were too unwell to travel the distance to the medical by public transport. Just keep on using that expression, "too unwell". The fact that you are too unwell psychologically is not strictly relevant. The matter is the same as if you had broken your pelvis and were in hospital in traction, or as if you had contracted a very nasty stomach bug and were throwing up several times an hour. In both those cases they could not require you to attend.

You see, you are trying to establish that you can't get to that medical. Once that's been sorted out, then you can start trying for a home visit. Stick to the reason for your phone call being to explain why you're not going to be there.

If they try to tell you that you must be there, just keep repeating that you are "too unwell" to travel. When they finally get round to asking if a doctor says you can't go, tell them that Yes, you have got a note from the doctor which was faxed to them on ...

Only explain more when someone asks you for the details.

AVOID the word "Cancel", because they can use that against you. When you've finally got through to someone who makes appointments, tell them you are too unwell to travel as part of your illness. What you are trying to do is to be as helpful as you can about "re-scheduling" the appointment - for a home visit.

If you prepare for this telephone, and schedule enough time before and after to keep yourself on a level, then you can get through this one - even if they are being unreasonable.

Let us know how you get on.

db

SohoAnthem

Thank you so much db, that was really useful! I will let you know how I get on. :beer:

greenhill

Bless you Soho. Hope it goes well on the telephone.

cit_k

LadyMorticia wrote: »

I count myself as one of the lucky ones, to be honest.

A couple of years ago I was virtually housebound (severe agoraphobia and anxiety, coupled with Borderline Personality). I only left the house about once a week and even then I was extremely panicky and hyperventilated.

I was called to an ATOS medical. I got extremely upset and panicky about the journey which caused great distress. I booked an appointment with my doctor who said that she'd write a letter on my behalf to request a home visit.

About a week or so later, I received a letter from ATOS saying that I now didn't need a medical and I had received over 10pts on Mental Health grounds.

I would have been happy (for lack of a better word) with a home visit so I have no idea what my doctor put in that letter that made them decide to call off the medical all together...

Are you sure the letter was from ATOS???

ATOS cant make the decision if you are entitled to the points or not, only the DWP decision maker can make that decision maker.

The DWP decision maker also cannot tell ATOS the outcome of any decision, so ATOS are not allowed to know, so would not have been able to write to you to tell you that you qualified for benefits without needing a medical.

deeplyblue

cit_k wrote: »

The DWP decision maker also cannot tell ATOS the outcome of any decision, so ATOS are not allowed to know, so would not have been able to write to you to tell you that you qualified for benefits without needing a medical.

I'm not questioning your facts, but I have never heard of the DWP not being allowed to tell ATOS the outcome of any decision. That wouldn't be difficult (me not knowing!), as this is mostly fairly new to me.

This directly impacts on another matter (details irrelevant here) in which I am interested. Could you tell me a source which I could quote for that, if I need to?

db

SohoAnthem

Hey guys, spoke to someone really nice on the phone, they have rescheduled my appointment and said I can try again with another letter from the doc for a home visit. So fingers crossed. Thanks again for your help it was really useful.
:beer:

deeplyblue

SohoAnthem wrote: »

Hey guys, spoke to someone really nice on the phone, they have rescheduled my appointment and said I can try again with another letter from the doc for a home visit. So fingers crossed. Thanks again for your help it was really useful.
:beer:

Glad we could help.

Please now make sure that you have written down the agreement you made with the Appointments clerk. Make a note of their name, and what they said. Even if it's clear in your mind now, it might not be on a day when you need it.

I hate to sound like a pessimist, but this is designed to help if you need it. So all what follows is Just In Case (JIC)

You might find that you get a message from the medical centre saying that you didn't attend your appointment, and they are cancelling your benefit.

STAY CALM

This happens all the time - the appointments clerk forgets to press the Send button, and your explanation has got lost in the system. IF this happens, have a handy "panic kit" ready.

Put in a something sweet in case you get light-headed, a tea bag to remind you to make yourself a nice hot drink.

Put in a reference to the place where you've got all your papers, including your notes about the nice person who handled your appointments, and a note of which number to call. Have a note of your national insurance number, and any other references you might need. Put in more scrap paper with the date and the time and a space for "I spoke to ..."

Then make yourself that cup or tea, calm down, rehearse what you're going to say and with your pencil and papers to hand, pick up the phone. All you're going to do is to tell them "My name is Soho Anthem, I rang you on [date] about an appointment I couldn't attend. You appear to have got your wires crossed. Who should I speak to so I can sort this out?"

Repeat as often as necessary. When you speak to someone who says, "Can I help?" remember that you are simply helping get something straightened out. Assume they've made an innocent mistake. That way there's no need for you to justify the original decision to defer this appointment - all you're doing is reporting the dud letter to them for them to put things right.

All of this may be, I very hope will be, completely unnecessary. But rather too often Atos is not a shining example of administrative efficiency.

So I'm just trying to make you prepared so that if Atos does make a complete muck of things, then you can get through it without making yourself more ill.

Nothing beats being prepared.

db

dseventy

I know the OP has probably moved on now looking at the dates here, but I find it ironic that, given the OPs post here, she does this :

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/39953780#Comment_39953780

Problem solved?

D70

ellenstan

Do not be fooled into thinking the DWP DM awards the points or makes the decisions it has been proven over and over again the Atos HCP with the aid of the LiMA computer awards the points ,in most cases the DWP DM just rubber stamps the Atos findings.
The whole system is corrupt most people will receive 0 points whatever there condition Atos do not care about your illness.
I have experienced two WCA medicals LoL in the last 12 months you have no chance in the first without experience ,the second is better when you know what to expect,it is solely a money saving thing,but Atos get their millions whatever the outcome.For experience see dwpexamination blog.

FTW

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

What makes me think you have an axe to grind?

I cannot believe you've just asked that.