ATOS - good stories please?

cit_k

chivers1977 wrote: »

I went about 6 weeks ago and was panicking about the whole thing given the stories you read. I had subscribed to Benefits and Work so knew what the key words that they were looking for. My dad went with me and when I started to say something that wasn't clear enough, he interjected. It was a proper doctor that I saw. He ddn't have my ESA50 or any details about me but I knew to take my paperwork with me. I took recent letters that I had from my consultant which he read carefully before commencing the assessment. I have THoracic Outlet Syndrome so not a common condition and therefore I did think that I would be turned down. I am very pleased that I was put in the WRAG as that is where I belong. I haven't got my ESA85 yet but the doctor was very clear about all of the limitations on my daily life. It may also have been helped by the fact that I have been accepted for a PHI claim where my own employer believes that I am not able to do any job within the orignansation at present.

Go with open eyes. Make sure you take your paperwork. Make sure that you don't say that you can do things when you can't do them without pain repeatedly or safely. ie I can walk 100 metres but not without pain and not repeatedly - that means I can't walk 100 metres (in the ATOS world!). I highly recommend the Benefts and Work guides for helping you to understand the descriptors so you don't fall into the trap that the previous poster did of not scoring when they should have done.

So ATOS messed up big time, as the assessor is meant to have read all you paper work/forms etc before you are even called into the assssment room.

The assessor didnt even have them, or any details about you, and was willing to go ahead, in breach of the rules, and no doubt on dodgy ground with GMC rules too.

Very lucky you took the paper work yourself, but a claimaint should not be put in the position where they are expected to do the job of a trained professional.

As you have not yet seen the esa85 (the medical report) you also had a doctor who must have breached another GMC rule, that of offering you the chance to see a copy of that report before it is sent to the decision maker.

Good advice you give though, its just a shame, even a 'good' story about atos, when looked at closely shows how bad things really are.

cit_k

Sarah69 wrote: »

I had a medical last October. The lady who saw me was English and very nice. I passed my medical and was put in the wrag group. Yet a close friend of mine had a very different experience. She saw a foreign person and immediately there was a language barrier my friend did not understand a lot of what the person was saying. She was turned down and there were a few lies in her report. She has appealed and won her case.

Worth putting in a complaint to the GMC or NMWC about the lies, and the language problem (assuming she made it clear she could not understand at the time).

Were either of you offered a copy of the medical report before it was sent to the decision maker, or did both your doctors act unethically too, and breach gmc rules?

cit_k

Pinkdebster wrote: »

I had my first medical about six weeks ago..............I had been placed directly into the Support Group when I first applied (about a year ago) and so this was my first experienc................like you, I was terrified after reading all the horror stories!!

The lady I saw was absolutely lovely! She was a nurse but seemed very knowledgeable about my condition and obviously read up on it. She made a very big deal about telling me what a help my form had been and how well I had completed it. She said I had explained everything really well and she was able to go off and carry out necessary research.

I had a broken arm at the time as a result of a black out and a feeding tube up my nose (I was waiting a hospital admission for a permanent feeding tube) - as soon as she saw me she said she wasn't going to continue with the examination as, in her opinion, it was unnecessary. She wrote down all my medications and took the documents I had prepared for her from the relevant medical staff and then told me to go home and forget all about it. She would be placing me directly back into the support group - she even said "I have absolutely no idea why they made you attend a medical!"

Now I had also read on here about not taking too much notice of "nice people" so I asked her outright if I could definitely take her word that this was the case - she said "would you like me to give it to you in writing now?" And true to her word, I received a letter confirming this decision two days later.

So maybe it's not all bad...............I for one was pleasantly surprised!! It does appear that back-up documentation and good, clear completed forms play their part too.

Whilst you got an outcome your happy with, the assessor acted highly unprofessionally, and breached atos/dwp rules.

They are NOT allowed to indicate in anyway the possible outcome of an assessment.

They DO not make the decision about which group you are in, just a recommendation (although that recommendation is often rubber stamped) so are NOT in a position to say what she said.

They are NOT able to put anything in writing about which group you are in at that stage.

You have grounds for a serious complaint against the assessor, who needs re-training, as if they cant even get a basic rule like that right, what else are they getting wrong with other claimaints who dont have such clear cut cases?

You can also add to that a complaint to the GMC about why you were not offered a full copy of the medical report before you left. (because atos wont do that)

cit_k

rogerblack wrote: »

Last January, in the snow...
I went there early, the staff were helpful, the doctor I saw accurately recorded the assessment as best she could.
The issues I have with the subsequent report are mainly due to the fact that as I diddn't properly understand the descriptors, I answered 'yes' to some 'can you do' questions on the ESA50, hence the interview did not probe into those areas, and I got no points.

Again, a failing of the system, people should not be expected to understand the details of the descriptors, and its known that people often put on a brave face and under-estimate problems.

Assessors if they wish to do a accurate, ethical report, I feel should be probing all areas, just to make sure no confusion, or even pride is getting in the way.

rogerblack

cit_k wrote: »

Again, a failing of the system, people should not be expected to understand the details of the descriptors, and its known that people often put on a brave face and under-estimate problems.

Assessors if they wish to do a accurate, ethical report, I feel should be probing all areas, just to make sure no confusion, or even pride is getting in the way.

I can see that doing it properly is going to be really tough in the time.
Listening back over the assessment - there were questions asked - that if I'd followed up properly, would have lead to more probing in the area.

For example 'It says that you can walk over 100m' - yes - I put that on the form, so I agreed.
What I should have said is 'but doing so tires me out, and I can't do it often or reliably'

Oldernotwiser

I see another interesting thread has been scuppered!

Sarah69

cit_k wrote: »

Worth putting in a complaint to the GMC or NMWC about the lies, and the language problem (assuming she made it clear she could not understand at the time).

Were either of you offered a copy of the medical report before it was sent to the decision maker, or did both your doctors act unethically too, and breach gmc rules?

She said many times throughout her medical that she did not understand what the woman was saying.

I don't know about her but I was never offered a report, should inhave been then?

Chippychap

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

I see another interesting thread has been scuppered!

How so may I ask?

FleurDuLys

I had a very satisfactory experience with ATOS myself. Last year I was ill with a benign brain tumour, and I went along for my ESA medical. The doctor tried to focus on my spine (I've had a lot of spinal surgery and it's full of metalwork holding everything together) but I demonstrated that this is not any sort of major problem to me and that it looks worse than it is. I explained that although I was currently ill and having treatment, I was doing my best to get better and to train for a new career (my old career having become impossible due to the spinal problems). I passed the medical with no problems and was placed in the WRAG, which I found very helpful as they said they would help get me work placements in my new choice of career.

I think I had a satisfactory outcome because I didn't try to exaggerate anything and I could show that I was doing my best to help myself. Also, the doctor had been having problems with people claiming they couldn't tell what she said, yet she spoke perfect (although accented) English. She apologised to me in case I had trouble understanding her, and I told her that it was no problem at all. I think if you are pleasant and professional to someone, they'll generally treat you with the same respect.

NASA_2

cit_k wrote: »

So ATOS messed up big time, as the assessor is meant to have read all you paper work/forms etc before you are even called into the assssment room.

The assessor didnt even have them, or any details about you, and was willing to go ahead, in breach of the rules, and no doubt on dodgy ground with GMC rules too.

Very lucky you took the paper work yourself, but a claimaint should not be put in the position where they are expected to do the job of a trained professional.

As you have not yet seen the esa85 (the medical report) you also had a doctor who must have breached another GMC rule, that of offering you the chance to see a copy of that report before it is sent to the decision maker.

Good advice you give though, its just a shame, even a 'good' story about atos, when looked at closely shows how bad things really are.

The ESA50 isnt essential otherwise Mental Health patients would be failed even more than they currently are.