Ask Atos Healthcare disability assessment questions

photomad1975

I ask again. Are atos hcp on peacework?

Atos_Healthcare_representative

Nick_Libetta wrote: »

Why are ATOS not asking for medical evidence from G.P.'s and other health care professionals? Why are ATOS expecting the claimants to do this? It is costing the claimants a lot of money, where it is free if asked for by ATOS.

Nick, many patients already have copies of outpatient letters, test results and so on, as they are often sent copies routinely as part of their medical care. This sort of information can be very useful as it helps the Atos Healthcare professional to understand the claimant’s health problems and may allow advice to be given to DWP without a face-to-face assessment. Claimants are only asked to send in any medical information that they already have available; they are not expected to request that a new medical report is produced by their GP for the purposes of the WCA as some GPs may charge for this type of service. If the claimant has no medical evidence to send in, and the information that is provided on their questionnaire suggests that advice could be provided to DWP without the need for a face to face assessment, a request will be sent from Atos Healthcare to the GP for more information.

sicknotethefirst

Atos_Healthcare_company_representative wrote: »

If the claimant has no medical evidence to send in, and the information that is provided on their questionnaire suggests that advice could be provided to DWP without the need for a face to face assessment, a request will be sent from Atos Healthcare to the GP for more information.

Why is this not done as standard?? i.e in many cases the HCP can not determine without a face to face assessment, so why not at this point get a report from the person who knows the claimant best... THE GP.

Atos_Healthcare_representative

JS477 wrote: »

And if your "audit" shows that a practitioner has a higher than average number of SG recommendations what happens to them!!

If our statistics show that a practitioner has a higher – or lower – than average number of recommendations in a particular category, we would look at their work to make sure that they were giving good quality advice and following the correct procedures. It may simply be that they had a higher – or lower – than average number of cases in that category and that the recommendations given were correct. That is quite likely, and if that is the reason then no further action is needed.

If the practitioner is outside of the average because of the way they do things rather than because of the mix of people they are seeing, we would look at why and we would provide guidance and possibly additional training.

This way of assuring quality is common in clinical environments. It’s just acknowledging that there are often good reasons for being outside of an expected norm, but that these cases should still be checked to make sure there are no quality issues.

JS477

Atos_Healthcare_company_representative wrote: »

If the practitioner is outside of the average because of the way they do things rather than because of the mix of people they are seeing, we would look at why and we would provide guidance and possibly additional training.

And presumably if the so called "practitioner" is outside of the average due to them having placed too many people into the Support Group contrary to what Atos's targets have indicated then the possible retaining may comprise of them being told not to place as many people into the Support Group as this goes contrary to Atos's target driven regime of assessments.

In other words "guidance and possibly additional training" = a verbal bollocking and told to come into line!

halight

halight wrote: »

Dear Atos Healthcare company representative

How long do you hold info about past medicals ? Also what other info you you hold about your "customers" ? And how long do you hold this for ?

Could you also please tell me how I and others can go about finding out what personal data you hold about us?

Many thanks for taking the time to read this.

I and i'm sure others look forward to your replay,

Just giving this a 2nd bump as the Atos Healthcare company representative seems to have missed my post.

sicknotethefirst

halight wrote: »

Just giving this a 2nd bump as the Atos Healthcare company representative seems to have missed my post.

No not missed? but maybe selective memory syndrome .

isolation

Atos_Healthcare_company_representative wrote: »

The discussion that takes place with an HCP for a WCA is, in some places, very different from the discussion you are used to having with your GP, for example. A lot of the conversation will focus on your day-to-day life and what you manage/struggle to do in your daily routine because of your health problems. This helps the HCP to write a report that explains the effects of your conditions in your own situation. There is often, relatively speaking, less of a focus on talking through the details of your medical symptoms, treatments and test results that you will be used to with other professionals. This is because the purpose of the assessment is very different.

Dear ATOS Rep, above you say " This helps the HCP to write a report that explains the effects of your conditions" - would it be possible for you to explain that if this is the case why do your HCPs often say exactly the opposite in their report?

To give a few examples, my partner has severe pancolitis and explained that she has emitted only liquid faeces, blood, intestinal lining and pus for 3 years - This was interpreted as "Has Diarrhoea every so often"

She spoke of her poor continence issues due to the reason above. She described that one year she was comissioning tv programmes and the next she was defacating on the floor of Wilkinsons as the shop assistant wouldnt let her use the staff toilet before hardly going out at all - This was very difficult for to admit and upset her greatly at the assessment. This was interpreted as "Has no problems with continence". (Though then said she has to rush to the toilet lest she has "accidents"!). I find this one of the most disgusting things I have witnessed.

The HCP did not discuss going shopping at all, yet he wrote that she 'walks to local shops every day' 'walks to local shops when there is a need' (when in fact she has not walked to a local shop in a year and a half and personally, I don't know of anyone who goes to the shop everyday) and also 'drives 10 minutes to local supermarket' (when even if this conversation took place, which it did not, our supermarket is literally 200 yards away).

During a discussion of hobbies, my partner said that she used to like to read but struggles to concentrate de to her medication which was translated to 'reads for about half an hour at a time' when no time at all was discussed.

She also said that she cannot follow knitting patterns any more but likes to knit squares for blankets for the cats home when she is able. This was translated to "Does needlework and knitting most days"

She stated that I deal with her affairs like banking and so on and the medical reasons why - this was translated to "Had no difficulty completing ESA50 form and Deals with letters and correspondence without difficulty"


She stated that at the time of the assessment, she had recently had a long stay in hospital after admittance in emergency circumstances the previous month due to medium term malnutrition and severe rectal bleeding. This was translated to "(condition) has not changed for several months"

She told of the fantastic treatment at her specialist colo rectal hospital which was translated to 'there is no specialist input at present'.

and so on...

Would it perhaps not be better if your HCPs are so poor at remembering conversations that they perhaps record them and are given time to write them out in a proper and professional manner ?

(Needless to say that this farcical report was later withdrawn but was used to deny ESA for 7 months and is still being used to deny DLA - far worse than this was the emotional effect that this had on her that someone could write this about her condition which has destroyed her life but yet say that she doesnt have these problems and is also fit for work (when she is due to have her bowels, colon and rectum removed in February or March)).


Hopefully you will be able to answer these 2 questions.

Dee

sicknotethefirst

I have another question:

When I get to the assessment centre will I be able to ask the HCP if they are a doctor or other? and can I also ask for their name and GMC number?

halight

sicknotethefirst wrote: »

No not missed? but maybe selective memory syndrome .

Well I will keep on bumping it.

If they are the good company that's cares for its "Customers" Like that say they are then they will answer it.

It is after all a simple question and one that I believe we all have a right to know the answer too.

It's my understanding that company's have too tell people if and what Data that hold about them if they ask ? I might be wrong on this but I think I'm right.

I will keep bumping it up. Then a least I will know that the good person that posts as the Atos Healthcare company representative Will not have missed my post. That they Just choose not to answer it. Because they don't wont us to know the answer.