New sickness rules for gps?

Richie-from-the-Boro

Yorkie1 wrote: »

And, of course, ATOS always get it right and have virtually no decisions overturned on appeal. :eek:

[/sarcasm]

You are correct Yorkie1

The average figures over the last April to April year were :

- paper hearing 16.6%
- oral claimant only 51.7%
- rep only [ no claimant ] 62.1%
- claimant & rep 66.6%

- overall success 45.1%

I've said it before, I'll say it now and I'll say it again sometime in the future :

You must appeal .. .. You must attend.

• A letter of support from your doctor;
• A care plan;
• A doctor's report;
• Prepare a statement showing the history of the problems and how they affect you;
• Show how your condition stops you repeatedly, reliably, and safely, performing a task over the course of a working day
• Any medical such as letter / appointments / anything which proves you attended a Doctor - hospital - therapy session;
• A diary of how the problems effect the you on a day to day basis;
• A statement from anyone that provides care or help such as friends, family, care workers or Work colleagues etc.

Brassedoff

Very good advice Richie. Now, this is OK for appeals, but do you think that sort of information is worth submitting to the decision maker once you have had your thorough, in-depth, professional medical assessment from a case specific competent ATOS healthcare professional?

Richie-from-the-Boro

Brassedoff wrote: »

Very good advice Richie. Now, this is OK for appeals, but do you think that sort of information is worth submitting to the decision maker once you have had your thorough, in-depth, professional medical assessment from a case specific competent ATOS healthcare professional?

If you had asked me that question just 52 weeks ago I would have said yes, the quality of a DM's decision is determined by qualitative not quantitative information.

Welfri's feed-back over just the last 26 weeks suggests that the % of decisions going the clients way has considerably increased over just this last 26 weeks where the DM's latitude for finding against a client is considerably reduced where the quality [ client supplied ] of info at this very early stage. So yes there is a benefit where its possible to get a 'good appeal proof' pack together for the initial DM decision.

If you see the DM [ DLA ] as a sort of CPS [ Criminal Prosecution Service ] they both perform a similar task, that of deciding whether or not :

- a client outright and at that point qualifies
- a client if refused is likely to appeal
- a client at that point is likely to succeed with his / her appeal

So if you can in that early 'first instance' provide the DM with info that is 'appeal proof' standard or thereabouts it seems there has been a 'change for the better' in favour of the disabled in just the recent last 6 months. The influence of the new PIP descriptors [ on the DM ] and how individuals are able to tailor their initial DM pack is however a~n~other whole COW to deal with. In general my opinion is if the the 8 point plan in #32 is taken into the decision making process in the very early JC+ stages those who are :

- certain to succeed wiil
- borderline to succeed will stand a better chance of avoiding going to trib
- those who may / may not succeed will / can / should still go to trib
- those who fail at DM and have no chance whatsoever will fail at trib anyway

All you are doing is giving the DM the quality of info s/he needs to find in your favour at the point where s/he has the power to decide, keeping your powder dry till going to trib seems to me to have no value, or at least no extra value, give the DM what ATOS will not and you may stand a better chance than otherwise in the early stages. Additionally if / when you go to trib the DM will have to answer to the allegation that the information you presented was not taken into the decision making process.

WhiteHorse

Marvellous the way the government says 'independent body', when they actually mean a for-profit private company, on contract to the government, which is paid by results, and whose staff get bonuses.

Is this some new meaning of 'independent'?