Campaign group 38 Degrees are looking for personal stories to get ATOS tests changed

Seakay

For hundreds of thousands of sick and disabled people, being called in by ATOS to be assessed for whether they are fit to work is a terrifying experience. What makes it even more terrifying is the fact that ATOS keeps getting it wrong. [1] ATOS’ deeply flawed system has led to thousands of people being forced to try to work when they physically can’t.

So far the government has failed to deal with the big mistakes ATOS repeatedly makes. It has done little to sort out the disability benefit tests which medical experts have described as ‘not fit for purpose’. [2]

Personal stories can often be the most powerful tool in persuading politicians to do the right thing. Michael Meacher, MP, is arranging a meeting with Iain Duncan Smith, Minister for Work and Pensions who has the power to sort out these problems. So he needs stories of ATOS getting it wrong to help convince him to act.

Can you help? Have you or someone you know been tested by ATOS? Would you be happy to share your experience? The more people who share their stories, the more powerful the message to the minister.

Help Michael Meacher convince Iain Duncan Smith to stand up to ATOS. Send in your story:
[EMAIL="belinda-atos@38degrees.org.uk"]belinda-atos@38degrees.org.uk[/EMAIL]

Michael Meacher recently held a debate in parliament about ATOS’ work capability assessments. He talked about one of his voters who had been told he could work by ATOS and had his benefits cut. The 24 year old, who suffered from severe epilepsy, appealed, but was worried and depressed about how to pay his rent or buy food. [3]

Three months after seeing ATOS he died from a major seizure. The month after his death, his parents were informed that a mistake had been made and his benefits were being restored.

Iain Duncan Smith has the power to stand up to ATOS and demand these tests are changed. But so far he hasn’t been convinced. Michael Meacher is trying to set up a meeting with him to change this. He is going to present a dossier of stories from sick and disabled people who have been told they are fit to work.

Many sick and disabled people would love to work, but due to their illness they simply can’t. ATOS needs to change the way it assesses people, but they will only do this if forced to by the government.

Share your story:
[EMAIL="belinda-atos@38degrees.org.uk"]belinda-atos@38degrees.org.uk[/EMAIL]


Thanks for being involved

Belinda, Hannah, James and the 38 Degrees team


NOTES:
[1] A Guardian article, "NAO criticise Atos benefits contract": http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/aug/17/nao-criticises-atos-benefits-contract?newsfeed=true
[2] The British Medical Association, Work Capability Assessments harm patients and should be scrapped, say GPs: http://bma.org.uk/news-views-analysis/media-centre/press-releases/work-capability-assessments
[3] Michael Meacher MP, My speech on ATOS work capability assessments: http://www.michaelmeacher.info/weblog/2013/01/my-speech-on-atos-work-capability-assessments/

[Deleted User]

whilst in theory i support any such action i sadly doubt it will have much if any effect

miduck

I would suggest that anyone who wishes to contribute to the discussion contact Michael Meacher directly. There is no need to go through a third party, especially when giving personal information.

Dunroamin

I hope that this group would also welcome reports of positive experiences with ATOS or this is all going to be deeply flawed.

strangeotron

38Degrees should have got involved months if not years ago. They really are useless.

LunaLady

Dunroamin wrote: »

I hope that this group would also welcome reports of positive experiences with ATOS or this is all going to be deeply flawed.

Agreed - as with anything people are more likely to share bad experiences than good.

osdset

Convince IDS to act against ATOS? Don't make me laugh, he is one of the reasons they are still in business.
This government is ideologically driven, infected with the determination to crush the lower echelon of our society.

Convince the ConDems to do the right thing? More chance of winning the Euro lottery!

SPELLKASTER

My experience with ATOS was fine. They treated me with respect, and the lady nurse I had was very kind, caring and sympathetic. My ATOS report recommended me immediately for the support group with a review in the medium term (every 2 years). I had no problems with ATOS whatsoever.

satarical

SPELLKASTER wrote: »

My experience with ATOS was fine. They treated me with respect, and the lady nurse I had was very kind, caring and sympathetic. My ATOS report recommended me immediately for the support group with a review in the medium term (every 2 years). I had no problems with ATOS whatsoever.

I had no problem either with ATOS when you actually consider that when you manage to disprove what they write with medical evidence, things seem to go the right way.

Failed with 0 points - medical evidence supplied to the DWP - placed in the Support Group for three years!

I strongly believe that as Sunnyone has said on the subject, you have to lead them by the hand from start to finish, furnish all of the evidence that YOU have to gather, then WRITE a submission to the DWP to get the correct result.

Given that, could someone please explain why ATOS is involved in the first place either in the assessment phase or in the supposed position as the DWP's Medical Services Dept providing good quality advice to the DWP?

You might as well bypass them altogether and deal direct with the DWP.

Surely ATOS are there to gather evidence if they are to fulfill their role.

So this time round I have told them that it's not my job.
If they seriously want to give top quality advice then they have a duty to make sure that they obtain the required evidence to support it and not just rely on people who are more often than not too sick to act as solicitors clerks.