Benefitsandwork forum

dmg24

Why did I know it wouldn't be long until the paranoid one came along?

Richie-from-the-Boro

cit_k wrote: »

They may not be unfounded, the members only article points out a very interesting point.

Namely, that whatever they write about you once they have 'medically' examined is going to be kept secret from you, you will not be allowed to see what they have on file about you.

Not only is this going to be in serious breach of the data protection act, its likely to also be in breach of the medical reports act (cant recall exact name of legislation).

It also shows their assessors are in breach of GMC or NMWC rules too.

So, already they plan to operate unethically and illegally.

So why would you think your data is actually safe?

- is personal data about a living individual sacrosanct under the act .. .. if they have paid you for it ?

cit_k

Richie-from-the-Boro wrote: »

- is personal data about a living individual sacrosanct under the act .. .. if they have paid you for it ?

Yes, under the data protection act they have to allow you to see what data is held about you, and also correct any errors etc.

Thats not even getting into the fact they are holding medical details, which opens up even more protection for people..

cit_k

Tally-Ho wrote: »

The company doing the PIP trials is not Atos Origin. It is G4S (formerley Group 4 Securicor) who have now branched out into new areas such as medico-legal, Forensic Science and contracting to such as the DWP for things like The Work Programme and the PIP trials.

Tally

I noticed a interesting bit in the t&c for g4s forensics and medical's website

Also, if you post or send offensive or inappropriate content anywhere on or to https://www.g4sfms.co.uk or otherwise engage in any disruptive behaviour on our website, and we consider such behaviour to be serious and/or repeated, we can use whatever information that is available to us about you to stop such behaviour. This may include informing relevant third parties such as your employer, school or e-mail provider about the content and your behaviour.

In other words, we wont use the law, we will grass you up to your boss or school etc.
Of course, this means they are admitting to digging rather deep into peoples lives if they are willing to track down your employer or school from just an IP address.

Not to mention the prospect of mistakes, ie how do they know its not someone stealing your wireless, spoofing an IP or even which member of a family posted it?

Pretty disgraceful behaviour from a company, and these are being hired to do medical tests? !!!!!!...

jetta_wales

cit_k wrote: »

I noticed a interesting bit in the t&c for g4s forensics and medical's website



In other words, we wont use the law, we will grass you up to your boss or school etc.
Of course, this means they are admitting to digging rather deep into peoples lives if they are willing to track down your employer or school from just an IP address.

Not to mention the prospect of mistakes, ie how do they know its not someone stealing your wireless, spoofing an IP or even which member of a family posted it?

Pretty disgraceful behaviour from a company, and these are being hired to do medical tests? !!!!!!...

Or they just Facebook you? Pretty easy to do very accurately if they have your e-mail address and your profile's not hidden as many aren't.

And yes it would a damn sight more productive than trying to report a malicious troll to the police lol.

Careful_with_that_Axe

cit_k wrote: »

What have they written that is not true?

I haven't said they have written anything that is untrue, it is the way they say things that is alarmist. Going through the benefits system is stressful enough without having fear piled on top with alarmist headlines.

Its like the difference between someone advising you on home security measures in a reasoned way and someone walking round your house panicing and yelling "OMG, that won't stop them getting in, what are you going to do when you come home and find them here and all your stuff gone."

I agree with dmg that it would be nice if they donated a proportion of their profits to a charity.

wild666

As what G4s are doing is related to a benefit which is not in force,yet! Then IMO I don't see how you can be forced to agree to the visit, this is why they are offering a small payment as a sweetener to get people to agree to their visit. From what I have read about their visits it doesn't affect your payments up to your next assessment but all the posts I have read where people have had a visit have said they would qualify for PIP under the new rules. To me this starts alarm bells ringing because what if you answer the same questions the same way when PIP is introduced and are told you don't qualify for the benefit. Would a tribunal take the letter and your word that you answered the same questions with the same answers in 2011 or whenever and produce the letter stating you would have passed the requirements to pass the PIP assessment? I doubt very much that they would!

I let my subscription to the site lapse as I feel I only need the info as and when my DLA/ESA is up for renewal plus if money is tight all of their subscription only info is available on other sites for free if you use the correct search terms.

wild666

In other words, we wont use the law, we will grass you up to your boss or school etc.
Of course, this means they are admitting to digging rather deep into peoples lives if they are willing to track down your employer or school from just an IP address.

So use a proxy IP address there are may that are freely available to use

moose1982

The bit that says 'Without their prior knowledge, the DWP has passed the names of many hundreds of DLA claimants to the company, which then contacts them directly.' Is a load of rubbish. I was contacted and it is DWP who contact you, not G4S. DWP also sent me a letter essentially saying thankyou for helping create the assessments.

I think whoever that website is needs to get their facts correct before printing them. Or just not bother printing anything so they can't get the wrong end of any stick!

cit_k

jetta_wales wrote: »

Or they just Facebook you? Pretty easy to do very accurately if they have your e-mail address and your profile's not hidden as many aren't.

And yes it would a damn sight more productive than trying to report a malicious troll to the police lol.

And if someone posts information on their site, using YOUR email address, and then they facebook you and contact your employer/school/family etc telling them what some person who is not you has done, but the company is saying you did it?