Atos medical, Lies and twisting what i say.

stephief

Just wanted to say that my husband had to have an ATOS assesment at home for his DLA application. The doctor they sent out (who was a real doctor) was very thorough and his report confirmed everything we had said and wasnt at all negative.

I have heard nothing but bad reports from the ones who carry out ESA medicals though. My husbands ATOS report was given to a HCP at DLA to write a report on and everything the ATOS dr said was dismissed/ignored by the HCP and we lost the DLA almost entirely. We went to appeal but on reconsideration alone DLA changed the award. I do think a lot of pressure is put on the HCP's to declare a person fit and well even when all the medical evidence suggests otherwise. I also definitely think they 'try it on' with people who are sick in the hope they will be too ill to fight these decisions.

Makeandsave

I have been told they are sending people in the ESA group for medicals every 6 months now? Does anyone know if this is true, Also whats the story about you can only claim ESA for 12 months?

HB58

Reassessment for ESA can be anything from 3 months upwards, 6 months is quite usual.

If put in the WRAG, contribuatary ESA will only be paid for a year. After that it is income related for those who qualify or zilch for those who don't.

Makeandsave

HB58 wrote: »

Reassessment for ESA can be anything from 3 months upwards, 6 months is quite usual.

If put in the WRAG, contribuatary ESA will only be paid for a year. After that it is income related for those who qualify or zilch for those who don't.

Thanks for that, I can just see what is going to happen, Medical - found fit to work- win my appeal- Get better after the stress - Another Medical - found fit for work again - win my appeal again - Even more stress. I can see myself NEVER getting better but worse because i will be getting depressed and stressed etc over the appeals. I just pray i have the energy to go on.

splodger_seedswapper

KxMx wrote: »

Certainly will be looking to get my medical recorded also, I take it I ring ATOS when the appointment comes through to request this? Would follow it with a letter to confirm what was discussed/decided.

i don't post much on these boards - although i do read through threads when i get a chance - just thought i'd comment on this issue of recording atos medicals.

as i understand it (and i could be wrong, but i got it from a very good source) that it is extremely difficult (almost impossible) to get atos to actually record the meeting - i have also been told that if you say beforehand that you intend to record it yourself - the atos drs won't agree to the session being recorded

you can however (secretly) record it yourself (without informing them that you are doing so) this recording can not (again, as i understand it) be publically broadcast in anyway - but you can use it / send it - to a tribunal, if your case has to go that far - but apperently many appeals are won, before a tribunal, when claimants tell dwp and/or atos that a secret recording was made at the assessment and you wish to take this further

hope this helps (i will be secretly recording my medical by the way - if i am summoned for one)

Makeandsave

splodger_seedswapper wrote: »

i don't post much on these boards - although i do read through threads when i get a chance - just thought i'd comment on this issue of recording atos medicals.

as i understand it (and i could be wrong, but i got it from a very good source) that it is extremely difficult (almost impossible) to get atos to actually record the meeting - i have also been told that if you say beforehand that you intend to record it yourself - the atos drs won't agree to the session being recorded

you can however (secretly) record it yourself (without informing them that you are doing so) this recording can not (again, as i understand it) be publically broadcast in anyway - but you can use it / send it - to a tribunal, if your case has to go that far - but apperently many appeals are won, before a tribunal, when claimants tell dwp and/or atos that a secret recording was made at the assessment and you wish to take this further

hope this helps (i will be secretly recording my medical by the way - if i am summoned for one)

Can you refuse to have the medical if they agree to record it and then refuse to record it?

splodger_seedswapper

i'm not quite sure what you mean there Makeandsave - sorry

Richie-from-the-Boro

- Chris Grayling on the 1st of Feb 2012 said people would be allowed to formally request their medical to be recorded, he said :

“On audio recording - we will offer everyone who wants it the opportunity to have their session recorded. We decided not to implement universal recording because, based on the trial experience, people did not want it. Few people wanted their sessions recorded, and some said that they definitely did not. We decided therefore to offer recording as an option to those who want it. That seems entirely sensible.”

- since then the flood of additional numbers of ESA claimants wishing to record their WCA has meant that :

Regardless of Grayings pledge many people here seem to be saying that the DWP / ATOS are claiming that equipment is not available / broken / etc leading to the a situation where people are struggling to obtain their right to a recorded interview. Lobby groups have repeatedly asked the following two plus one supplementary questions, without as yet any reply from DWP / ATOS :

* if Atos recording equipment is broken/not available, are people permitted to bring their own equipment? and
* if Atos recording equipment is broken/not available, can people ask to reschedule their assessment until equipment is available, without having their application affected?

Supplementary - if it was possible for people to take video as well as audio recordings

NOTE1 : There are [June 2012] a measly 11 recording devices for over 140 medical assessments centres, and that assumes none are broken.

NOTE2 : A recent FOI made the DWP spell out that ATOS can not try to penalise claimants for its own inability to meet demand for recorded assessments, something they have known to try to do in the past.

NOTE3 : """Can you refuse to have the medical if they agree to record it and then refuse to record it?""" - I'll have to think about that one, I would normally have said no you must attend, now I'm not so sure, I'll do an Arnie and get back to you.

NOTE4 : Individuals should continue to make the request for recording facilities otherwise the DWP / ATOS will suddenly discover there is a miraculous lack of demand for this service and discontinue the recording facilities as they will be statistically shown to be not-required !

HB58

ATOS blog, 6th July

"​We will make every effort to accommodate requests for this service and hope that we will be able to meet demand. However, under the terms of our contract with the Department, we cannot postpone an assessment on the basis of audio-recordin​g.”

​http://blog.atoshealthcare.com/2012/07/audio-recording-of-the-wca/

Richie-from-the-Boro

Thanks HB58 the page you linked on the one hand says there is a :

"""minimal take-up during the pilot"""

At the same time on the other hand it contradicts itself by admitting :

"""the Department have agreed to us ordering more to meet growing demand and we are awaiting these""" and
"""we hope that we will be able to meet demand"""