ATOS Medical

gherkin001

I went for my ATOS Medical yesterday, the nurse started asking me questions about my leg problems, (just had 4th operation to stabilise my knee cap), then asked why I use a wheelchair and not crutches, I explained that as I have dyspraxia I dont have the balance or co-ordination to be able to use crutches. She then informed me that as I have dyspraxia she is not allowed to see me, as there is a new rule that she cant deal with problems with the brain. I informed her that I also have epilepsy, and she said that that doesnt count.

She left the room and came back 5 minutes later to tell me that I have to have a new appointment made with a doctor and there is a 6 month waiting list, and the dyspraxia was over-looked from the form I filled in and the information received from my GP.

Has anyone else had this problem?

Muttleythefrog

Hmmm interesting. This sounds quitre damning of ATOS especially if you have communicated your conditions in your application or ESA50 form. I have seen some cases of people being turned down for medical at the start of their medical due to some claimed deficiency of qualification in the healthcare professional. This is extremely troubling since they should be reviewing the evidence such as completed ESA50 form in advance of seeing you... both in terms of before calling you for a medical full stop and regarding the HCP on the day of meeting you. What I suspect happens is that HCPs are allocated in an almost conveyor belt type fashion without any due consideration of who they will be seeing... I may be wrong but it would explain many reports of problems encountered and indeed explain why I was not seen by the HCP named as the one who would examine me in a FOI request.

I would suggest a complaint to ATOS perhaps copying in MP and DWP... querying how it came to be that despite conveying your problems and conditions clearly in advance of the medical you found yourself with a HCP who was unable to conduct the medical.

What can be said with a fair degree of certainty is that the reason these things happen is that ATOS HC are NOT reviewing properly the medical evidence according to due process and in some cases perhaps not at all at some junctures.

In almost comic fashion she said she can't deal with problems of the brain and then goes on to say epilepsy doesn't count... I presume she has no problem dealing with MH patients..lol. Makes you wonder could just be replaced with people at random off the street with a keen ability to use a keyboard and mouse.

gingergee

Does that mean If (or when ) i claim esa i will need to tell them i have dyspraxia too??
My daughter has it too and school wont use the term dyspraxic, they say its a "sensory imbalance!!!!" ?? lol x Writing that on a form will confuse ATOS lol x

gherkin001

I think it would be best to tell them, to try to prevent a situation like mine from happening... they may ignore it completely, but they cant say they werent told if you are turned away because of it

spottybutterfly

I never thought of declaring my dyspraxia on the form ESA50. My dyspraxia assessment was done when I was at university as a assessment for learning difficulties. I don't ever see it as being something that affects my suitability to work, should I still have mentioned it.

Ellejmorgan

gingergee wrote: »

Does that mean If (or when ) i claim esa i will need to tell them i have dyspraxia too??
My daughter has it too and school wont use the term dyspraxic, they say its a "sensory imbalance!!!!" ?? lol x Writing that on a form will confuse ATOS lol x

Like that's hard to do

Muttleythefrog

spottybutterfly wrote: »

I never thought of declaring my dyspraxia on the form ESA50. My dyspraxia assessment was done when I was at university as a assessment for learning difficulties. I don't ever see it as being something that affects my suitability to work, should I still have mentioned it.

I would always play it safe and put all diagnosed medical conditions on the form.

I'm no expert on dyspraxia.. in fact.. let's look it up quickly.
Okay... done that. There seems to be many potential effects of dyspraxia that are potentially relevant to WCA descriptors. Remember the descriptors are what are being tested for applicability.

gherkin001

I've had my new appointment through after contacting both ATOS and my MP for the 7th June... Hopefully won't have the same problem again... I really don't like the stress and suspense they caused with my last appointment, fingers crossed this time is the one where I actually get seen, thank you for all your replies.

Anubis_2

Ridiculous how you are being messed around - hope it gets sorted soon!