Ask Atos Healthcare disability assessment questions

FTW

JS477 wrote: »

Maybe the LIMA computer system that atos use to carry out these assessments couldn't cope with the heat!!

Being a piece of crap, of course it couldn't.

FTW

Atos_Healthcare_representative wrote: »

Hi schrodie

I’m here to help people through the WCA process by answering questions they have about it. I can’t comment on things like this, but you can read the Atos Healthcare Press Statement.

Bubble's starting to burst for Atoss.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!

FTW

Richie-from-the-Boro wrote: »

That would be the same Mark Hoban who :

- used to work for PWC URL="http://www.accountingweb.co.uk/group/election-2010-discussion-group/mark-hoban-conservative-fareham"]Price Waterhouse Cooper[/URL
- and the same Mark Hoban who took over £22,000 in non - cash donations from PWC
- that's the same PWC that was paid £2.7 mi££ion to look in to mortality rates at the NHS
- and the same PWC whose inside knowledge of the UK treasury helps URL="http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013/apr/26/accountancy-firms-knowledge-treasury-avoid-tax"]conflict of interest[/URL tax avoiders for money
- and the same PWC that gave Davy boy half a mi££ion + donations to the Tory party

So the man responsible for sorting out ATOS, used to work for PWC, took a £22k non - cash donation, his party took a £2.7 mi££ion cash donation .. .. yes he, in my opinion, is a good man for the job !

Hoban's a glorified rent-boy - he's never been anything else.

He fancies more kickbacks from other companies as well as Atoss, and Atoss probably couldn't match what he wanted - that's why they've lost the monopoly.

Besides, how reassuring it is to know that PWC have a man on the inside.

Atos_Healthcare_representative

Simmouk wrote: »

How long does it normally take from Medical Assessment to Decision ?
Had Mine on tues 25th June, after 3 cancelled appointments (By ATOS) and trying to cancel that appointment on the day. Also took over 6 months from return of form to initial appointment

Hi Simmouk

There isn’t any set amount of time. If you contact us we can find out what stage your referral is at. We can see whether it is still with us or if we have already passed it on to the DWP for them to make a decision. You can contact us by e-mail to [EMAIL="customer-relations@atoshealthcare.com"]customer-relations@atoshealthcare.com[/EMAIL]

We try to avoid cancelling appointments. I’m sorry that you ended up having yours cancelled several times.

schrodie

Atos_Healthcare_representative wrote: »

Hi Simmouk


We try to avoid cancelling appointments. I’m sorry that you ended up having yours cancelled several times.

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Stop deliberately overbooking appointments then, it's not rocket science.

Atos_Healthcare_representative

schrodie wrote: »

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Stop deliberately overbooking appointments then, it's not rocket science.

Hi schrodie

Unfortunately, not everyone attends their appointment. We attempt to make the optimum use of medical resource each day while trying to maintain the best possible customer service. This is a balance which we strive to get right, in consultation with the DWP. We have to anticipate the number of people who will not attend their appointments, which can be difficult to predict and varies from day to day. Sometimes this does result in waiting times or cancellations, which we always aim to minimise.

Our booking policy for each assessment centre is constantly reviewed and adapted in the light of local attendance rates and circumstances.

I-Owe-You

I was due my medical assessment at home this morning - I am profoundly deaf (it is explained quite clearly all over my application that I cannot hear nor use the telephone) but I still received calls from the Dr which I was unable to answer. At first he was running late, then he decided to just not show up.

After asking someone to contact Atos on my behalf, the Dr said they couldn't come down my road as it was blocked off. I maybe disabled but I'm not silly. I can look out of the window and traffic is and has been running through all day. (I originally posted on the forum here)

I now have to wait for another appointment which prolongs my claim further. I'm really struggling at the moment and could do without the delay/stress. I'm so upset. (I know I also have to be careful what I say, and I hope I don't offend anyone - but sending someone who has broken English/English not being their first language to a profoundly deaf persons house is a little insensitive also)

I had an assessment around 2 years ago at an assessment centre for ESA (this current assessment is for my DLA renewal) my illness has got worse and it makes it harder for me to travel hence the home visit. Is there anyway my previous ATOS assessment can be used to support my DLA claim, rather than having to endure a succession of cancelled appointments?

Thank you.

Simmouk_3

Atos_Healthcare_representative wrote: »

Hi schrodie

Unfortunately, not everyone attends their appointment. We attempt to make the optimum use of medical resource each day while trying to maintain the best possible customer service. This is a balance which we strive to get right, in consultation with the DWP. We have to anticipate the number of people who will not attend their appointments, which can be difficult to predict and varies from day to day. Sometimes this does result in waiting times or cancellations, which we always aim to minimise.

Our booking policy for each assessment centre is constantly reviewed and adapted in the light of local attendance rates and circumstances.

Every time my appointment was cancelled it was on the day and less than 2 hours before the appointment, to say it took me to the limits of my anxiety is an understatement. Remember that was cancelled 3 times and they tried a 4th but i point blank refused saying it was effecting my health and well being

schrodie

Atos_Healthcare_representative wrote: »

Hi schrodie

Unfortunately, not everyone attends their appointment. We attempt to make the optimum use of medical resource each day while trying to maintain the best possible customer service. This is a balance which we strive to get right, in consultation with the DWP. We have to anticipate the number of people who will not attend their appointments, which can be difficult to predict and varies from day to day. Sometimes this does result in waiting times or cancellations, which we always aim to minimise.

Our booking policy for each assessment centre is constantly reviewed and adapted in the light of local attendance rates and circumstances.

Very very poor management is what it boils down to. Don't forget as well have getting targets from the DWP to throw people off their benefits atos gets paid per [poor] assessment.

You may like to comment (a pre-prepared one of course) on this damning case concerning atos.

This Upper Tribunal decision certainly shows atos in a negative (but typical light) Here

A telling part of the judgement was this:-

"The claimant was then assessed by an approved disability analyst on 10 January 2012. Somewhat remarkably, considering that the claimant’s problems were entirely mental ones, the disability analyst in question was, as I have noted, a registered physiotherapist, with no apparent professional expertise in mental health matters beyond what she may have gleaned from whatever training she was provided to become a disability analyst. The entire examination took 15 minutes and as usual the analyst had no access to the claimant’s medical records."

The Judge went on to say:-

"I can only express my surprise that in a case where the only issue was the mental health of the claimant and its effect in relation to the mental health descriptors, the report was prepared by a physiotherapist following a 15 minute interview. It is plainly important that questions of mental health should be assessed by a disability analyst with appropriate mental health qualifications if their opinion is to be of any evidential value."


QUESTION
So what's happened to all these so called Mental Health Champions atos are supposed to be using???????

Atos_Healthcare_representative

I-Owe-You wrote: »

I was due my medical assessment at home this morning - I am profoundly deaf (it is explained quite clearly all over my application that I cannot hear nor use the telephone) but I still received calls from the Dr which I was unable to answer. At first he was running late, then he decided to just not show up.

After asking someone to contact Atos on my behalf, the Dr said they couldn't come down my road as it was blocked off. I maybe disabled but I'm not silly. I can look out of the window and traffic is and has been running through all day. (I originally posted on the forum here)

I now have to wait for another appointment which prolongs my claim further. I'm really struggling at the moment and could do without the delay/stress. I'm so upset. (I know I also have to be careful what I say, and I hope I don't offend anyone - but sending someone who has broken English/English not being their first language to a profoundly deaf persons house is a little insensitive also)

I had an assessment around 2 years ago at an assessment centre for ESA (this current assessment is for my DLA renewal) my illness has got worse and it makes it harder for me to travel hence the home visit. Is there anyway my previous ATOS assessment can be used to support my DLA claim, rather than having to endure a succession of cancelled appointments?

Thank you.

Hi I-Owe-You

Firstly, as you have indicated you will in your other thread, if you contact us we can look into what happened yesterday.

Regarding us looking at previous ESA reports instead of visiting you as part of your DLA claim. This isn’t something that we can do instead of a visit if DWP have asked us to do one. The DWP decision maker may do so though if there are recent reports that contain information useful to them. It is important to remember that the criteria for DLA and ESA are different. It might be worth discussing it with them.