Sack Atos Healthcare Immediately Please take a look.

rotoguys

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Just because people are finding it difficult to get jobs is no reason fro them to be claiming disability benefits. That's one of the problems that's got us into this mess in the first place!

I agree with you. Being out of work or off sick is no excuse in applying for a disability benefit.

You can be sick BUT NOT disabled
You can be disabled BUT NOT sick
And you can be sick AND disabled

Where being unemployed comes into it I don't know unless people are claiming that they are 'depressed, down and miserable' and consequently think themselves disabled - what a joke!!

I wish being depressed, down or miserable was my disability.

This stupid country.

rotoguys

Hank_Marvin wrote: »

Don't ATOS use qualified doctors and have specialists on hand. Never heard of them but google says they are Healthcare pro's.

Yes they do have qualified doctors, nurses etc on their team.

Unfortunately in my honest opinion they must be what what is left at the bottom of the barrel as no one else will employ them!!

rotoguys

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Homeless people do not necessarily live on the streets and are able to claim benefits even if they do.

Most either choose to live on the streets or through their own stupid actions in the past find themselves in that position.

As for having no money for food or lodgings - that is rubbish. Everybody including those living on the streets is able to receive the same level of benefit support as anyone else. Maybe they just choose to spend it unwisely!

ankspon

BigAunty wrote: »

ATOS is deffo flawed but an independent body, with assessors that do not have a personal relationship with the claimant, and which can apply the same assessment to all in a consistent basis is what is required.

GPs are obviously experts at helping to diagnose and treat sickness but this does not mean they are best placed to determine who can or can't work. They are overworked as it is and can do without this additional gate-keeping role.

Under their watch and before the reforms, Incapacity claimants were set to rise to 3 million. In my city, up to a few years ago, one in five working age claimants received IB, now down to one in seven.

It became a handy way of parking the unemployed out of the JSA figures. GPs ended up complicit in this.

I prefer the scandinavian model where there are occupational therapists in place that help stop the employee from leaving their job in the first place and help their return, in tandem with their employer. This is what is missing in the UK - experts who can help reshape an employees role and introduce modifications to keep them in employment.

Not GPs who do not have any clue to employment practices and whose trusting role means that they are obliged to cooperate with a patients request, not challenge it.

My occupational health doctor at my ex job did just that,he arranged phased returns,reduced hours,redeployment and modifications,he and my employer handled the situation flawlessly.It does happen over here as well.

rotoguys

rogerblack wrote: »

I agree.

How we deal with those on the edge of being disabled is hard.

In the past, many of these people would have been able to get some, probably low-paid work, but still work.

The current system is broken. For example - there is no leaflet at all for ESA, and how it works with self-employed permitted work.

I have doubts that Universal Credit is going to end up as a fairer, more just system.

That is a subject and a half!! That particular situation has been so abused in the past that the sooner they remove self employment from Permitted Work, the better.

What gets me, (and don't say it doesn't happen) is that those claiming ESA Contribution based, 'working' for themselves are also able to claim WTC's!! There is no regulation that tells HMRC that in those circumstances WTC is NOT to be paid.

There are regulations for the DWP, but it is such a grey area that I don't think the DWP want to test the validity of it.

rogerblack

rotoguys wrote: »

That is a subject and a half!! That particular situation has been so abused in the past that the sooner they remove self employment from Permitted Work, the better.

There is absolutely no way I can dream of doing non-self employed work.

I can't say from one day to the next if I'm going to be fit or not, have weeks when I can't work at all ( and have trouble with the basics of washing and keeping the house clean).

I want to work in some form, even if it's only for several hours a week (probably 2-3) spread out in 20 minute periods throughout the week.

Any employment I could do for an employer would be minimum wage, due to my lack of CV and poor 'attendance'.

I have identified some work I can possibly do, in the periods I have, which would use what skills I have profitably. I'm finding the hardest part working through the DWP regulations on it.

In addition, what you mention is benefit fraud.
You can't do permitted work of over 16 hours.
Work done at and over 16 hours is not permitted work, and is not exempt.
You can't get WTCs with under 16 hours.

rogerblack

rotoguys wrote: »

I wish being depressed, down or miserable was my disability.

Severe depression is more deadly than many cancers.
The prognosis is poorer, and more people with it die.

nashly

tomjonesrules wrote: »

How many times ...

This is the not the place for this thread.

Atos have nothing to do with benefits then ?

eskimo26

Hank_Marvin wrote: »

Don't ATOS use qualified doctors and have specialists on hand. Never heard of them but google says they are Healthcare pro's.

I believe the Government invented the term HCP (health care professional) exclusively for ATO's use, at least in an official capacity (it is used as a general term too).

So as i understand it you could get a 'professional' ranging anywhere from a nurse to a specialist (unlikely to be in your field). HCP's with psychology based qualifications seeing clients with physical disabilities, and physiotherapists seeing clients with mental health issues, these things aren't unheard of.

Indeed this is just for appearances anyway the nature of the LiMA programme used to assess clients means that 16 year old school leaver with average intelligence and some training in the software could just as easily be employed and get any result they want out of it.

Hence why you will find complaints common about the HCP's being struck off, unregistered with a governing body in the uk, or 'retired', showing abysmal levels of english all employed by ATO's, and why not they just need to know how to work the software hence the invention of the term HCP to give it a glean of respectability.

MY ADVICE is to record the assessment covertly, request the medical in writing and compare it to your recording. If you find like so many have that it bears no resemblance to truth find out which governing body the HCP is registered with and pursue a complaint with them to the highest level. You can complain to Atos dwp to keep up appearances but the governing body is serious about complaints on a level atos/dwp are not.

These people must be removed from the system, if anything it will mean those honest HCP's that are being misaligned can do their job with a semblance of dignity.

[Deleted User]

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Surely someone with a medical condition that is so serious as to stop them from working should be seeing their doctor regularly anyway? The fact that the doctor might be issuing a sick/fit note as well is only a small and comparatively unimportant part of the process.

not always
i have a severe condition but rarely if ever see my gp about it as theres little or nothing she can do,also stopped seeing consultants now as they have all said they cant do any more for me as i have tried all the medication they have and this is as good as it gets