ESA decision making process is an DISGRACE.

looopylala

There is a chance they might overturn before going to tribunal, last year I put in an appeal and was refused was psyched up and stressed out heading for tribunal but a week or so before tribunal they changed their mind and awarded the claim.. they are a law unto themselves. I had a copy of my medical assesment sent to me and it reduced me to tears.. the questions you think are chit-chat in there are part of the assesment
i.e what do you like on tv?
if you follow a soap on tv then you have adequate concentration and must be comfortable sitting for half an hour!?!
they coment on your clothing and appearance they even noted what size bag I had and which hand I carried it in.

I am really sorry that they are messing you about the whole ESA system sucks and although its now paying me I dread the renewal

50Twuncle

I recommend that the OP writes to their MP to inform them of this travesty plus if called for an appeal medical - that you have a "professional" with you (someone from a support charity such as http://www.britishkidney-pa.co.uk/) - if they can't come - they should be able to recommend someone who can !!!
Unfortunately - Atos are not worthy of carrying out this task....

lilac_lady

It's people like the OP's dad who seem to be paying the price for benefit fraud rather than the true culprits.

Keep protesting and appealing.

Lady_strange

Ask for a copy of the medical assesment done by atos, it helps to appeal when you have all of the knowledge of what they said.

We currently have our local mp, and an advisor from a trade union involved to help with my partner appealing the decision to put him in the wrg as they have given a diagnosis of 3 months until he is fully recoverd from osteo arthritis. The more MP's get involved in this, the better the chance of ATOS losing the contract for doing the medicals.

robus

Lady_strange wrote: »

. The more MP's get involved in this, the better the chance of ATOS losing the contract for doing the medicals.

ATOS won't lose the contract they have with the DWP. First of all there is far too much money involved, the contract has only just been renewed and thirdly there is no other organisation that is any way part qualified to take over the role.

cit_k

robus wrote: »

ATOS won't lose the contract they have with the DWP. First of all there is far too much money involved, the contract has only just been renewed and thirdly there is no other organisation that is any way part qualified to take over the role.

Apart from the contract issue, pretty much any organisation could take over the role.

Seeing as they simply need to hire assessors, use the software that is owned by the DWP, and follow DWP guidelines and legislation.

Heck, a fast food chain could take over.

NASA_2

I agree with Cit_k for a change, and I have said it before myself, ATOS are just the sub-contractor.

ATOS are an IT firm. They have no speciality in medical assessments as an organisation.

If they are replaced by another firm the new firm are highly likely to recruit the same people ATOS did and end up with the same results. Prior to ATOS taking over in northern Ireland the assessments were done by departmental doctors, using handwritten reports rather than LIMA generated ones, yet the results were almost exactly the same. Now ATOS have taken over in northern Ireland too and the results are still the same.

outtawork

I have all the letters from the consultants regarding the obstructive sleep apnoea as it was a private hospital that is dealing with it, but no letters regarding the knee, I actually need a knee replacement, but Im too young at 54 so I have been told.

FTW

robus wrote: »

ATOS won't lose the contract they have with the DWP.

Depressing, but probably true.

robus wrote: »

First of all there is far too much money involved, the contract has only just been renewed and thirdly there is no other organisation that is any way part qualified to take over the role.

Atoss are in no way qualified either - the whole process has been a mess ever since they first got involved.

They already had a bad name even prior to the DWP contract, and in a very short space of time, they've managed to become one of the most despised companies in the UK (rightly so), and positive comment about them is in very short supply.

So bad it is, that they appear to have been threatening other sites lately. That would indicate that the bad press is hurting them - which is fine with me.

I have no formal medical knowledge myself, but I did use to do admin work for a laser eye clinic nearly ten years ago. That involved booking in consultations and taking medical information at the same time.

The Atoss process isn't even as in-depth from a medical point-of-view as that process was.

eskimo26

doyouwantfrieswiththat wrote: »

Yes I understand everyone is different, but the fact that some 'decision maker' claims my dad has no limited capability on ANY of the sections in the assessment is WRONG.

eskimo26 wrote: »

Do you know if any evidence was sent in? Notes from gps, specialists, clinics and such, proof of medication and side effects, any kind of supporting evidence?

Well you didn't answer my question OP, you see the problem is if supporting evidence wasn't sent in the decision maker would have been left with their hands tied, no choice but to go with the ATOS medical.

I understand they try and cloud the issue of supporting evidence but it can and must be submitted or you doom the decision maker to work with what they have, the ATOS report being the cornerstone because they have nothing else to contradict it.

If evidence wasn't submitted do so ASAP alongside your appeal would be my advice.