ESA help!.

Chrissiew

anguk wrote: »

I really don't understand how they can totally disregard your own doctors and consultants and just rely on the Atos staff? In my OH's case his consultants are very experienced, have had years of ongoing training, specialised in his particular conditions yet their word seems to mean nothing. :huh:

If I was a doctor or consultant I'd be extremely offended at the way the DWP and ATOS think they know better.

As I understand it they say a doctor can tell them all about an illness or disibility someone has, what medication they have, how it affects them, but an ATOS "professional" can do a face to face assessement and ask questions a doctor wouldnt ask, for example they can ask what the person watches on TV, if that person reveals he/she sits for a few hours watching soaps or films, then it goes down as that person can concentrate well, they watch how the person walks through the door, if there is no wincing in pain, or limping, then the person can mobilise well.

They will be pleasant when you come in, ask how you are, if you say fine, that goes down as person has no pain or discomfort and is feeling well, they are sneaky and pretend to be friendly and pleasant but in reality everything they do is to try and catch someone out, even the tiniest thing will go down as something huge.

One ATOS lady told a friend of mine that as far as they are concerned GPs are Jacks of all trades and masters of none, in other words they know nothing.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

i sent Atos proof of my condition along with a previous Atos IB assessment report, think thats why i didnt have to go to another assessment? (only speculate on that).

the ESA50 was filled in by my benefits advisor provided by my Housing association i just answered the questions he asked from the form or it would still be sat here now.

anguk

Chrissiew wrote: »

As I understand it they say a doctor can tell them all about an illness or disibility someone has, what medication they have, how it affects them, but an ATOS "professional" can do a face to face assessement and ask questions a doctor wouldnt ask, for example they can ask what the person watches on TV, if that person reveals he/she sits for a few hours watching soaps or films, then it goes down as that person can concentrate well, they watch how the person walks through the door, if there is no wincing in pain, or limping, then the person can mobilise well.

They will be pleasant when you come in, ask how you are, if you say fine, that goes down as person has no pain or discomfort and is feeling well, they are sneaky and pretend to be friendly and pleasant but in reality everything they do is to try and catch someone out, even the tiniest thing will go down as something huge.

One ATOS lady told a friend of mine that as far as they are concerned GPs are Jacks of all trades and masters of none, in other words they know nothing.

I think I'm going to have to have words with my OH before his medical, he once told his doctor he was fine, a few hours later he was having surgery for a ruptured appendix, had peritonitis and septicaemia then spent 5 days on life support in intensive care! He always says he's fine (he's a "if I say I'm fine I can convince myself I'm not ill" type of guy).

I'd love to be a fly on the wall in an ATOS training session, it sounds more like an espionage mission than a medical!

atrixblue.-MFR-.

anguk wrote: »

I think I'm going to have to have words with my OH before his medical, he once told his doctor he was fine, a few hours later he was having surgery for a ruptured appendix, had peritonitis and septicaemia then spent 5 days on life support in intensive care! He always says he's fine (he's a "if I say I'm fine I can convince myself I'm not ill" type of guy).

I'd love to be a fly on the wall in an ATOS training session, it sounds more like an espionage mission than a medical!

its not a nice experience, my first medical was not long ofter a car crash i had where i had broken a vertibre in my kneck and compressed 3 other vertibre in my middle spine, i was told by a specialist not to bend over but use my knees to bend instead no to risk rupturing the disc in my spine the vertibre were putting pressure on, i went through the medical in agony to be told a week later i had 0 points. eventhough i couldnt bend over limited movement in my kneck and arm, and couldnt walk far.

my second medical, i was released from hospital after spending 2 weeks in there having spending a week in intensive care due to cardiac arrest when i had asthma attack then onto HDU for another week on forced oxy, released with orders to take it easy, no work, no excertion, i attended the medical with the hospital release notes all my meds i had to take, my nebuliser, and being helped to the door as i felt weak and frail, they didnt perform a physical read the release note from doctor, 2 weeks later 0 points awarded.

my third assessment could hardly breathe, walk, talk and the medical was abandoned, 2 weeks later was placed in exempt catagory from a medical, and scoring more than 15 points due to going out in the cold to attend the medical was hospitalised 2 hours later after medical and released next day.

unless you go in there practically dying you get nothing.

fogartyblue.

Folar wrote: »

So basically you think everyone who comes on here asking for help is guilty until proven innocent, or at least that is how your accusatory posts come across.

I will not try to justify myself or my problems to the like, such as you are and will in future ignore any of your supercilious postings.

Just call me suspicious then.

Why is it that all of a sudden over the past 12 months there has been a massive explosion of appeals from people (who just happen to be on the contribution based benefit) that had been awarded the work group.

Up until 2010, there were few of these, the majority of appeals being from those that had failed the assessment.

Then when it was announced that the 1 year rule was coming in, all and sundry decided to apply for the Support Group status. It can't be for the extra money - £5 - so I wonder why it has happened?

fogartyblue.

anguk wrote: »

I really don't understand how they can totally disregard your own doctors and consultants and just rely on the Atos staff? In my OH's case his consultants are very experienced, have had years of ongoing training, specialised in his particular conditions yet their word seems to mean nothing. :huh:

If I was a doctor or consultant I'd be extremely offended at the way the DWP and ATOS think they know better.

Put it another way, how would your GP cope if he/she was given a copy of the descriptors for work related activities and was told to produce a report based on those descriptors in order to establish the functioning level you are at with regards being able to carry out any/some work, any work?

Horses for courses!!

fogartyblue.

wellynever wrote: »

Well this is how I got put into the support group, Not exact words but my doctor wrote a letter to Atos saying I've known him x amount of years he suffers from this and that try and say anything different from me and see where it gets you.

GP's are now becoming extremely unhappy with the volume of requests from patients to provide supporting letters with regard to ESA appeals or decisions.

They don't get paid to carry out this activity. Unless the patient pays privately.

I would say that you have a GP that is worth his/her weight in gold.

There are not that many around anymore like that.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

fogartyblue. wrote: »

Put it another way, how would your GP cope if he/she was given a copy of the descriptors for work related activities and was told to produce a report based on those descriptors in order to establish the functioning level you are at with regards being able to carry out any/some work, any work?

Horses for courses!!

PLEASE stop turning this into a debate, if you want a debate start your own thread in the ARMS.

your getting my thread off topic and i dont appreciate it, and those wishing to help are hangin off in doing so not to be critisized by a monkey like you.

DO ONE!

mum2one

I know exactly what your going throu i'm in dla - HRM, LRC, absolutelty not far off the scrap heap, on crutches can't walk, still covered under a sick note yet after an atos medical i'm in the wrag - prettu quick within 2 days of getting the letter saying ur in the wrag - means I scored 15 points, - yet not ill enough for the support group, then on Sat get a letter saying got to attend the wfi. My claim is income related so i know it won't get stopped after 12 months, but its the system.
x

fogartyblue.

Chrissiew wrote: »

One ATOS lady told a friend of mine that as far as they are concerned GPs are Jacks of all trades and masters of none, in other words they know nothing.

That is exactly what they are!!

By definition they are 'General Practitioners'

They refer patients to others that are experts!

GP's deal with the day to day health related issues and are mainly a 'signposting service' to other agencies.

How can anybody say that GP's are experts at anything. They know a little about a lot - that is about as far as it goes.

I fell into that trap in believing that GP's actually know what they are talking about. For over a year they diagnosed me as having Arthritis in the right hip and knee. Told to exercise it and take more pain relief.
15 months later I am in A&E at 4am with pain in my right leg which was cold to touch. I was within a whisker of losing my right leg - why? I never had Arthritis it was Periperal Arterial Disease Within the hour I was in Theatre to remove the massive clots in my artery.