Calling all disabled people on ESA that have had a raw deal with ATOS it's time to fight back.

[mikebach]

The law states a valid medical assessment needs to be carried out. The details are defined in the Contract between the DWP and Atos. I do not have a problem with the law or the contract. The problem is that Atos does not conform to the contract and the DWP does not enforce the contract as yet (in my case).

 

It is important to insist that the DWP enforce the contract between the DWP and Atos. Clearly Atos wine and dine senior figures in the DoH and the DWP. Look at the pictures they publish of the Atos AGM, dressed to the nines, quaffing champagne and caviar.

Here is a link to my letter that is still being processed.

Medical Examination Government and Other Letters

If the DWP does not enforce the contract or does not explain why it does not enforce the contract it becomes an NAO matter and perhaps a Police matter. The Police would need to investigate if there is evidence of corruption.

 

In addition I like the following approach which attacks the future business opportunities of Atos Origin.

Search the European Tender Notices TED

In the search box enter "UK Medical" or "UK NHS" or similar.

Check project by project and find the contact email.

Email the contact for the tender. Insist they carry out

due diligence on Atos Origin. Make them aware of the following.

 

Dec 2009: Seriously ill cancer patients are being forced to undergo "cruel" back-to-work interviews despite the fact they should be exempt.

 

Nov 2008: Inquiry into loss of confidential data on 12 million website users.

 

April 2007: 900 patients to be recalled for scans so NHS bosses suspended tests being carried out by Atos Origin.

 

May 2006: Almost 80,000 sick and disabled people a year are being wrongly denied benefits, according to a BBC investigation for Radio Five Live.

 

March 2005: UK DWP hires Atos Origin to provide medical assessments.

 

Point out that if Atos are awarded the contract this decision may be subject to Judicial Review. You are concerned how poor Atos has performed. You are concerned at the apparent influence of Atos.

 

This will take a long time. Look how long it took for women to be given the vote. I will be long dead before justice is obtained but others will pick up the fight. Each day I get weaker and have to take more pain.

I am pleased to note that the latest accounts from Atos shows that all is not going as well as they would like. Ask them for explanations as I have done and published on my website. Chase them when they do not respond within the 2 days. Formally complain. Involve your MP. Make them work for the millions that Atos are paid by the DWP. Most of us are ill patients we can only do what we can. Anything you can do to add to Atos costs and to help Atos lose business helps all of us. Nil desperandum. Take comfort in small victories.

Edited May 12, 2010 by mikebach
Spelling and layout

[patrickq1]

VERY VERY WELL WRITEN MIKE REALLY PLEASED TO SEE THIS ON THE FORUM,AS YOU WILL GATHER IVE HAD MY FIGHTS WITH ATOS SINCE 1999 AND FORWARD SINCE,IF YOU LOOK MY TESTS WITH ATOS CONSISTED OF 15 MINITS NIL POINTS AWARDED...TEN DAYS LATER I WAS IN HOSPITAL FOR A MAJOR CARDIAC OPERATION TO MY STOMACH AND LEGS AND STILL AWAITING A HEART TRIPPLE BYPASS ,I USED A MP AND GOT NOWHERE REASON FOR THIS IS WHEN I MET WITH THE SENIOUR MANAGEMENT I OVERHEARD THE COMMENTS "WE HAD A FANTASTIC EVENING THE OTHER NIGHT" MEANING THE SENIOR MANAGER FROM DWP WAS AT AN ATOS FUNCTION WITH THE EURO MP (CONS) DURING THE MEETING I HAD A SERIOUS ANGINA ATTACK AND NOT ONE OF THEM OFFERED ANY ASSISTANCE THANKFULLY MY WIFE HAD MY SPRAY IN HER BAG, SO I SACKED HIM,I AM STILL AWAITING THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION FROM ATOS WHICH THEY REFUSE TO SEND SAYING THEY ARE EXEMPT AND THE MP AGREEING WITH THIS AND THE DWP CONFIRMING THIS.....BUT TO PACIFY ME THEY HAVE REWARDED ME MY DISSABILITY BACKDATED TO 2006 ..BUT I AM STILL ANGRY WITH THEM AND CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE LOCAL DWP's DO NOT INTERVENE AND STOP THE ABUSE BY ATOS AFTER ALL THEY ARE THE FRONTLINE OF OUR DEFENSE OR SO WE THOUGHT I THINK THEIR JOB NOW IS TO DENY THE CLIENT THEIR ENTITLEMENTS UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THEY ARE FORCED TO PAY UP...

PATRICKQ1

I WILL GET OF MY SOAP BOX BUT SUPERB WRITE UP MIKE

[patrickq1]

Manchester Health Watchdog are keen to hear patient experiences, comments and views on this issue. Have your say by calling our Health Issues Hotline on 0845 601 8047 - all calls are charged at local rates or write to Manchester Health Watchdog, FREEPOST NAT14073

[Surfer01]

I am on ESA at present due to medical issues and no doubt will be requested to go for a medicla assessment. I would like to work but my RA, back and bowels problems get in the way. I probably will get passed fit for work althoug I have to carry two or three changes fo underwear with me. problem is even if I can work according to them, who will give a sixty year old with a disability a job and I have been trying for several months?

[General Mannerheim]

Just found this thread.

My own experience with Atos is two fold.....firstly I work for Royal Mail and we have these idiots as occupational health,last year I had them trying to finish me from my job I`d done for 22 years on ill health despite me saying that I wanted to return with a few reasonable adjustments under the DDA.

Whilst this was going on my sick pay ran out and I was told to claim ESA which I did,I got the assessment rate and then the dreaded questionaire which I filled in telling them all about my brain disorder and how it affected me,I then had to go for a medical with one of their quacks and was in 20mins top,during this time I wasn`t asked how my conditions affected me,was just asked the usual can you make a cup of tea bull,when I got my letter off them I had scored NIL points and was fit to do any work!

 

So I actually had two reports off them....one from work saying I should be ill health retired on a full pension as it was doubtful I'd find gainful employment anytime soon and one off the DWP saying nothing wrong with me and I am fit to work!

I had by this time been issued with my notice to be finished from work,so I got onto my union who once again had me going for a medical with you`ve guessed it Atos...I go into the quack who still says I should be finished so I showed her the report off the DWP saying FIT for work,she then told me to go back out of the room to the waiting area but I could see through the glass door that she was on the phone(I can only speculate that it was to Atos)hey presto 5 mins later I`m told to report to work on the following Monday.

I have subject access them and was amused to find on one of the business referral form that `his future sickness abscence should improve dramatically.`Something that is amazing as there is no cure for my medical condition:rolleyes:

Since being back at work they have not done a risk assessment and would not even allow my disability advisor from the shaw trust to come in and do a work based assessment either or offered me ANY reasonable adjustment....I`m now feeling very ill again and going in tomorrow and once again going to ask for a indoor duty until my condition levels out,I expect the usual brush off.

[honeybee13]

Heil General, welcome. I hope my school German is somewhere near the mark. Welcome to the forum.

 

I can't say too much about what I think about Atos without having most of it edited for bad language, but it must be the pits having them for OH as well. There are other caggers who've mentioned this with Royal Mail, on other forums.

 

The whole thing is completely illogical, as is a lot of the benefits system.

 

I hope we can help you achieve justice.

 

HB x

[Nix25hobbs]

BBC iPlayer - BBC Scotland Investigates: 2010: Who's Cheating Who?

[45002]

I don't think the 3 main parties will give a hoot anyway because ATOS are doing there job,less people on IB/ESA and More on JSA or working.

Have a read of this it makes for shocking read http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/esa_wca/esa_wca_19012010.pdf and this just one quarter/3 month period last year.

 

9 per cent have been assessed as Support Group

23 per cent have been assessed as Work Related Activity

68 per cent have been deemed Fit for Work

 

What's is going to happen and is happening More people will be forced off IB/ESA to JSA and work and more people getting into debt.

 

I'm sorry,but we all need to get a reality check

 

 

April 2010 is now out,doesn't make you good reading

http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/esa_wca/esa_wca_27042010.pdf

 

Right click and "Save as" to your desktop on the above link

 

• For all new ESA Claims from 27th October 2008 to 31st August 2009, the result of the initial WCA is as follows:
  
  • 5 per cent have been assessed by the WCA as suitable for the ESA Support Group.
    
  • 13 per cent have been assessed as suitable for the ESA Work Related Activity Group.
    
  • 39 per cent have been assessed as fit for work.
    
  • 5 per cent have an assessment currently in progress.
    
  • 37 per cent left ESA before the completing the assessment.
    

 

http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/esa_wca/esa_wca_arc.asp

[XarliATalOS]

I've had a lot to say about ATOS and for what it is worth will lend my moral support to this thread. If I can add anything directly constructive to the cause then I shall.

 

In the meantime I just failed my first tier tribunal hearing and am facing up to another period without money especially as I have become aware that this may have a snowball effect to my DLA.

 

The examples of ATOS ESA reports contradicting their own occie health decisions says it all about the right/left hand co-ordination of the entire benefits system: not fit for purpose.

 

One piece of information that has come my way which may be of some use to anyone in a similar position is that their is a loophole in ESA regs which allows you to re-apply after a decision. (apologies if this has been covered elsewhere on the forum as I am new here). If I am correct doing so within 6 months you have to have a worsened condition whereas after 6 months you have to be assessed afresh. In either case you need a med cert. This was confirmed over the telephone as I re-applied straight after the tribunal but it is 'pending' and can be turned down upon filling in the initial form.

 

After arriving at ESA following 9 months going nowhere on JSA (the last 3 months of which I waited in vain for a 'Work Trial' to be arranged), I was not assessed completely in the first place. Despite a number of enquiries on my part, no personal advisor was appointed, no work focussed interviews were conducted and the 13 week assessment phase lasted 27 weeks without any further consultation with the HCP on the medical report (as no personal advisor). I visited the broker (A4e) in person but nothing happened despite telephoning head office. And my mental health employment support agency were not contacted once by anyone involved in this assessment despite being provided with all the relevant details right from the off. So guess how many points they scored lol.

 

Perhaps this area of 'procedure' would be the easiest logical place to start. Although having tried that above didn't get me very far.

 

As far as politics goes, Danny Alexander being promoted is an encouraging sign.

 

Michael

[Yet_Another_Atos_Victim]

Hi Rae,

 

Yes, a good suggestion to start a facebook page, I'm sure your post put the idea in my mind at the time. I've just started such a page (with a Group too ):

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001146878837

 

I think the above link will take you there (and not 'Save the puppies' lol - am still embarrassed about that one )

 

Take Care,

 

John x

[Yet_Another_Atos_Victim]

@ wycombe

(With thanks to wycombe for suggesting a new thread)

 

Here are some thoughts on what might be done:

1. Sign and ask everyone else you can to sign up at Sack Atos Healthcare Immediately Petition

2. Add the above link to your CAG signature (if you don't mind)

3. Email your local M.P.; e.g. via http://www.whatdotheyknow.com

4. Use or create your own profile & links at Welcome to Facebook

5. Join Facebook group "Sack Atos Healthcare" Welcome to Facebook

6. Join Facebook group "Atos Origin"

7. E-mail the charities which support patients with the conditions most targeted by Atos yet again Mike Bach's great site provides the data we need: DWP Atos Healthcare Medical Services Contract

Once there, the categories are about 3/4 of the way down that page, but if you do a Ctrl+f to search for >75 that will take you right there. I'll try to post on CAG a list of e-mail addies together with the condition/s which they aim to help.

8. Find, and post on, forums in addition to CAG (a great suggestion by @ wycombe)

9. Send your own Atos experience story to your local paper (another great suggestion by @ wycombe)

10. E-mail your local Welfare rights organisation (caution regarding moderation here though, as whilst I believe the organisations grass roots are on message, their webhosting and funding comes from .gov.uk, I think - any feedback on this from anyone. please?)

11. Have petition and forum links on small slips of paper ready to hand out or leave laying around at Jobcentres and Atos premises, libraries, etc etc.

12. Try to get a free-hosted website of your own and capture an Atossy type name e.g. AtosHealthcareNO.com. This might work like the anti-RyanAir site did for the guy who was sick of being fobbed-off by the airline. It drove them mad! I've had a quick look into free websites but there's a lot to do with FTP only - any info here, please?

13. Getting a free e-mail address from yahoo/google etc using SackAtosNow@..... or similar as an addy

14. Writing letters to key government ministers and e-mailing them intheir capacity as ministers

15. Asking newspapers to publish an open letter to a minister or M.P.

16. Using the free telephones in Jobcentres to ring DWP and moan about Atos - if enough of us do that it might cause some upwards backlash within DWP.

 

That's all I can list for now. Take care all x

Edited June 10, 2010 by Yet_Another_Atos_Victim
Two incorrect links

[wycombe]

Subbing.

 

Some great ideas and suggestions. If we sit quietly and do nothing we are going to be stomped on and walked all over. Unfortunately the public perception is that we are all welfare scroungers and thieves - the more we can dispel ideas like this the better. The post war government of Clement Attlee provided the basis of the Welfare State and I will not see it being systematically dismantled - because of the greed and downfall of our banking system that got us into this current mess - without a fight.

Edited June 10, 2010 by wycombe
typo

[Yet_Another_Atos_Victim]

' wycombe

 

Hi m8, totally agree with you about the greed of the banking system. It has cost this country billions. As well as the banking bailouts there are other areas of madness: greedy M.P.s, greedy plcs and their fat cat bosses are also leeching us dry:

Edited June 10, 2010 by Yet_Another_Atos_Victim
Not the best thread for the whole original response

[debt4get]

Email reply I got today from the office of the LIB DEM leader

 

Dear Mr C,

Many thanks for your email to the Liberal Democrats.

Liberal Democrats know how dedicated and self-sacrificing carers throughout the country are and we have proposals to recognise and support the invaluable work they do. Between them, carers save the country an estimated £87 billion a year. They are a hidden army of heroes: some of the most committed, hard-working and under-valued people in Britain today.

 

The Liberal Democrats have plans to deliver immediate help to carers who need it. In government we would provide a week’s respite care to the million carers in England who currently provide more than 50 hours of care every week. Each carer would be entitled to receive a personal budget each year, equivalent to the cost of a care home’s weekly charge, to redeem with whichever local service they choose. We would do this by using the money set aside for Labour’s flawed care bill, which actually risks cutting care budgets for some of the most vulnerable elderly. This policy would give a million carers the time they so desperately need to rest, recuperate, or simply have a holiday.

 

We’re very much aware that the Carer’s Allowance is set at a very low level and that it doesn’t reflect the important work that carers do. The Liberal Democrats have pledged to review the level of the allowance, and will consider the best way to improve support for carers to reflect the personal and financial cost of care. Of course, this would be a chance to review the overlapping benefit rule too. Another crucial part of giving carers a fairer deal would be to ensure that pensioner carers receive a higher income by re-linking the basic state pension to earnings, which we’d do immediately. This would be a step towards introducing a Citizen’s Pension based on residency rather than contributions, which would also benefit carers, many of whom have gaps in their national insurance records.

 

Finally, the whole question of long-term care has been bedevilled by partisan politics for too long. We badly need a consensus on this issue so that we can find a solution which will last – so we would establish a commission, with cross-party support, to develop proposals for long-term care of the elderly, so that this crucial issue doesn’t become a political football in future.

Thank you once again for emailing.

Best wishes,

 

Bess Mayhew

General Election Response Team

Liberal Democrats

well that is an interesting letter in light of this coalition governments stance this week that dla is to reviewed for all claiments after 3 years even after some of us have been awarded dla for life..but will now have to jump through hoops every 3 years in order to justify our award

[pompeyfaith]

well that is an interesting letter in light of this coalition governments stance this week that dla is to reviewed for all claiments after 3 years even after some of us have been awarded dla for life..but will now have to jump through hoops every 3 years in order to justify our award

 

Indeed perhaps I should email them back and say thanks for the £ull$hite letter.

 

PF

[debt4get]

it would certainly be interesting to read their latest reply in light of what they wrote in email pre-election..we promise etc etc..i expect though that they will come up with the party line..we didnt know the extent of the monetary problem that we inherited from labour...bullwarks...they are tory lap dogs and they are going to get the blame big time when the next election comes along..in fact i would go as far as to say this will spell the death knoll of the liberal/democratic party as we know it...they will be blamed for propping up this government and its evil attack on the sick, poor and unemployed

[pompeyfaith]

I totally agree debt4get

 

Ok I will send off another email in the morning inviting them to respond to the above.

 

As you say the reply would be interesting.

 

PF

[Laura Cooke]

I think before they ut any dla proposals into action they might be fighting another election I would imagine even if Labour got back in they would stick with the new proposals by the coalition as I think it was something they were hoping would happen but hadn`t got round to fully implementing it

 

I read in paper last week that the conservatives were stunned to see that some people were on DLA for life but if your health isn`t going to improve why should you not be awarded this for life as my hubbie as, I`d like to see the severity of the new claim and medical in 3 years if it ever takes off!!!

[ee-bee]

on bbc ouch web site ,there asking for all people that have had dealings with atos for esa to fill in a survey,it would be good for lots of people to do it

[45002]

April 2010 is now out,doesn't make you good reading

http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/esa_wca/esa_wca_27042010.pdf

 

Right click and "Save as" to your desktop on the above link

 

 

 

http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/esa_wca/esa_wca_arc.asp

 

This is the official statistics publication of Work Capability Assessment (WCA) figures relating to Employment and Support Allowance Claims (ESA). It contains figures on ESA claims to November 2009 and WCAs to May 2010

Right click and "Save as" to your desktop on the above link

 

http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/esa_wca/esa_wca_27072010.pdf

 

?

[cerberusalert]

If you want to edit anything just click the edit button and remove. You can't leave a post completely blank so just type 'edited' & it'll be o.k.

[Laura Cooke]

It`s only showing Quote so can`t edit anything want post 96 removing as well I never know how to remove a post only how to alter it someone told me how once I forgot sorry about this

[cerberusalert]

I never know how to remove a post only how to alter it

To completely remove a post you have to go into the 'edit' & then delete what you want. If there isn't any text remaining just type 'edited' and post as normal.

[45002]

Official Statistics August 2010

 

Right click and "Save as" to your desktop on the below link

 

http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/esa_wca/WCA_by_Health_Condition_and_Functional_Impairment.pdf

[Markb73]

Hi guys and gals , long time since i posted last but hey , depression and pain stopping me most of the time.

I have been going through ATOS complaint procedure and they are absolute plonkers, really they are.

I have been fobbed off with the fact that the people whom have taken the assessments for them were not qualified in any area of what they would need be to understand what my conditions affect me in everyday life and I put it to them that they are basically using carpenters to fix cars, which is exactly what they are doing in a way.

They have told me that the people whom dealt with me are classroom educated nurses and doctors, although they do not have quallys in nuerolgy, orthapaedic and cervical spine, which in any common sense assessment they would need knowledge of them to understand what I have and how it affecs me.

ATOS have in my eyes deliberatly fabricated two reports on myself and even in one of the reports gave me 6 points in an area that wasnt even talked about of tested which is an absolute joke.

They are ignoring all other evidence that they have been given as well which Ihave seen they have don to quite a few here so far.

I did post a while back stateing that we need a people powered assault on both ATOS and the DWP and count me in for any or all of what you guys get going.

I have done a bit of research myself and was aondering has any body managed to get anything about the ATOS fraud cases against them from USA as I have read they were sued for fraud in the usa and would be interested to know if what they had been sued for had any relavence to what they are doing to thousands of people in the uk.

If anyopne knows of anything about this please post it up on here so we can all look at it.

I on the other hand have no doubt that I will win both tribunals, and just so that we all know here the tribunal service does come to your home for the process as they are for mine, all you need to do is write in to the service dealing with your side of things and ask them for it and they will oblige.

I firmly do believe that these measures that ATOS are failing people on are a political field rather than anything else as the more people they have waiting for tribunals , the less they have actually being passed into the relavent areas i.e support group and work related group, so the figures look good for them, but hurting the most vulnerable of society in the process.

After reading the part in here where someone suggested a march or protest, yes that would be a great idea , but if you think about it this would hit the media and also do us harm as well as good as they will only start saying things like " if they can do a march and protest then they can work " so worth bearing that in mind as anything physical we do will be used against us if you like so we would have to be very careful how we went about it.

An idea that has been in my mind for sometime would be if we could get a celebrity status symbol in on this with us so it would hold more of a wack so to speak.

Personally I am trying to get ATOS to take my complaint to an independant tier but at present they are refusing to do so which is a joke, also they have told me on the phone that the assessments are an opinion only and the HCP who do them cannot be held responsible for their opinions, again another laugh and a joke on their part.

I also asked them about the figures they have put out there and the person I was speaking to basically had a stuck up opinion on them until I said what about the people whom have not got it in them to argue back? and also what about all the people whom should be in those figures that are waiting for tribunal outcomes? to which she hung the phone up on me .

ATOS are an absolute disgrace and we all need to get together and fight them in a group as they will then find it harder to fob us off in numbers like they are doing to people now and getting away with it.

Chin up people we will get there in the end.