Please help! Ato Medical.

dmg24

gi2mo2 wrote: »

i cant get home visit as i am a risk, due to self harm and the fact i could lash out at someone else.

Is it your mental health professional that has said this, or ATOS? Do you feel that you are at risk of lashing out? Bizarrely I was offered a home visit because I was likely to lash out at people!

gi2mo2

dmg24 wrote: »

Is it your mental health professional that has said this, or ATOS? Do you feel that you are at risk of lashing out? Bizarrely I was offered a home visit because I was likely to lash out at people!

My doctor had wrote them a letter asking for a home visit which they received then denied the home visit? I dont undestand why they asked me to get my doctor to write the letter if i couldnt get one as obv they already had my details at that point.
It was a guy i spoke to on the phone that works for atos that said the doctors at atos refused me a home visit i am a risk? He was quite rude and i got very irate and argued that i would not lash out at the doctor and that there would be someone at home with me. I also argued the fact that it makes no difference where it was as if i lashed out. He had said they have security at atos so its safer for the doctor then tried putting words in my mouth by saying that i had just admitted i would lash out at the doctor?

dmg24

gi2mo2 wrote: »

My doctor had wrote them a letter asking for a home visit which they received then denied the home visit? I dont undestand why they asked me to get my doctor to write the letter if i couldnt get one as obv they already had my details at that point.
It was a guy i spoke to on the phone that works for atos that said the doctors at atos refused me a home visit i am a risk? He was quite rude and i got very irate and argued that i would not lash out at the doctor and that there would be someone at home with me. I also argued the fact that it makes no difference where it was as if i lashed out. He had said they have security at atos so its safer for the doctor then tried putting words in my mouth by saying that i had just admitted i would lash out at the doctor?

I can understand the risk argument, but it is sounds like an over zealous assessor has made the decision.

Are you on ESA or IB? If IB you would normally be exempt if you were judged to be such a risk.

gi2mo2

dmg24 wrote: »

I can understand the risk argument, but it is sounds like an over zealous assessor has made the decision.

Are you on ESA or IB? If IB you would normally be exempt if you were judged to be such a risk.

I am on esa at the moment. I really know nothing of benefits and how they work. Have been on here looking for info to try and help myself.

dmg24

gi2mo2 wrote: »

I am on esa at the moment. I really know nothing of benefits and how they work. Have been on here looking for info to try and help myself.

The equivalent exemption does not apply to ESA claims. Whether this will change or not in the future, nobody knows.

The best thing to do at this stage is stop reading other peoples experiences. The great majority of medicals are pretty simple, with the correct information passed back to the DWP and the correct decision made. The thing is, people don't post to say 'that was really easy', they only post when things go wrong.

sunnyone

You are only allowed to have the person with you take notes if the assessor agrees to it and this person isnt allowed to speak during the medical, I went to one with a friend and the assessor asked me to leave because I told her I needed to lip read her but I think it was an excuse to get rid of me because I had a note pad and pen but the laugh is I can barely hold a pen and I would have written the odd word if I could and not do a full shorthand verbatim record of the events!

Dont worry about the medical, if you fail you can appeal and the appeal could be done without you their (but would have less chance of winning the appeal) you will not be marched down to the job center and forced to sign on if you fail, you get a letter, you write them a letter and you ask your GP and CPN for evidence that your not well enough to work, you get the same basic rate of ESA while you appeal so dont worry that you will have no money.

viktory

woodbine wrote: »

<snip>its not difficult to show a modicum of compassion when trying to help people, unless of course thats beyond you ?

Compassion is highly valued on MSE, and it strikes me that is is universally believed that the more compassion one shows the better a person. Hence the (((((((hugs))))))) that manifest on so many threads. People want to be liked and part of the group, so they demonstrate perhaps untrue emotions in order to fit in.

Personally, I save the compassion (and love as compassion is considered a virtue in which the emotional capacities of empathy and sympathy (for the suffering of others) are regarded as a part of love itself) for others. I prefer to be practical and pragmatic and make no apology for that.

NouveauRiche

I echo dmg24. I know of MANY people who have had their ATOS assessment with no problems whatsoever. (Remember this is an assessment, not a medical.) My advice is to take someone with you. They ARE allowed to speak to clarify and back up your answers. When I visited my GP last week, I asked him if he had any patients who had been taken off ESA and put on JSA and he hadn't. It is a large medical centre with 6 doctors and has a high proportion of benefit claimants.

cit_k

NouveauRiche wrote: »

I echo dmg24. I know of MANY people who have had their ATOS assessment with no problems whatsoever. (Remember this is an assessment, not a medical.) My advice is to take someone with you. They ARE allowed to speak to clarify and back up your answers. When I visited my GP last week, I asked him if he had any patients who had been taken off ESA and put on JSA and he hadn't. It is a large medical centre with 6 doctors and has a high proportion of benefit claimants.

You will have no problem stating the area this happened in then will you so a freedom of information request can be put in to verify that no one in that area has been refused ESA?

cit_k

sunnyone wrote: »

You are only allowed to have the person with you take notes if the assessor agrees to it and this person isnt allowed to speak during the medical, I went to one with a friend and the assessor asked me to leave because I told her I needed to lip read her but I think it was an excuse to get rid of me because I had a note pad and pen but the laugh is I can barely hold a pen and I would have written the odd word if I could and not do a full shorthand verbatim record of the events!

Dont worry about the medical, if you fail you can appeal and the appeal could be done without you their (but would have less chance of winning the appeal) you will not be marched down to the job center and forced to sign on if you fail, you get a letter, you write them a letter and you ask your GP and CPN for evidence that your not well enough to work, you get the same basic rate of ESA while you appeal so dont worry that you will have no money.

Its worth putting in a complaint to ATOS and the DWP about that, as they are in breach of the rules.

Direct from the ESA assessors manual

3.1.3.3 Claimant accompanied by relative, friend, carer.

Claimants are encouraged to bring a friend or companion with them to the assessment, and feel more at ease if accompanied.
Indeed the companion may be a prerequisite to enable them to come to the Examination Centre.

Companions will be able to give useful information, particularly in cases where the claimant has mental function problems, learning difficulties, or communication problems, or people who stoically understate their problems.

In individuals with learning disability or cognitive impairment the role of the carer may be essential to establish their functional capabilities.

Occasionally, a companion may wish to give too forcefully their own opinion on the claimant’s disability, perhaps giving a biased view.
If the companion is too intrusive, then you should point out that the claimant must be allowed to express their view.

The actual physical examination is not normally done in the presence of the companion, but strictly with the claimant’s consent, and if it appears a reasonable request, then the companion should be allowed to be present.

As you can see, the companion is clearly allowed to speak.

By refusing you this right, they are in serious breach of their guidelines, I would put in a complaint, after all you have a witness.

It may be some time after the event, but still worthy of a complaint in my opinion, all complaints count, and may help stop someone else being mistreated in this appalling manner.