IB to ESA migration

[**Margaret**]

reallymad woman:

 

They short of the doctor, the recording machine, or both?

 

Another nugget for :nolegion: and reassessees.

 

Best wishes, Margaret.

[**Margaret**]

reallymadwoman:

 

Tut, tut, ye of little faith.

 

No faith the Atossers will have a clue about my condition either.

We prepared the ESA50 as a potential statement for a tribunal.

 

Best wishes, Margaret

[**Margaret**]

Hi reallymadwoman:

 

For me personally, no news is good news. I'm in no hurry to darken their doors.

Nevertheless I fully understand that we all have different ways of trying to cope with this persecution.

 

On a practical note:

Several years ago, we had a ten months gap between an IB50 and seeing the Atossers. Jobcentreplus refused to issue a new questionnaire but accepted an up to date statement about changes in the claimant's condition. Sounds like you've got some very recent medical evidence to sling at them as well.

 

Wishing you luck with your complaint, Margaret.

Edited August 30, 2012 by **Margaret**

[**Margaret**]

'special arrangements needed for the assessment, so why bother asking?'

 

A very good question to which I've yet to find an answer. Invariably, the appointment clerk's explanation is, 'I don't get to see the IB/ESA50'.

 

Margaret.

[**Margaret**]

reallymadwoman:

 

Out of interest did you contact Atos electronically or via snail mail? Unless it was 2nd class snail mail they've missed another target! 'We will acknowledge your complaint within 2 working days', so says their customer service booklet. Yes, they claim to care about customer service.

 

Came across another 'we don't get to see ...... yesterday'. Nothing important, just a list of special arrangements for an assessment, sent directly from a decision maker.

 

Margaret.

[**Margaret**]

:reallymadwoman:

 

Well ...... :debt4get: did notice a crystal ball on the Atosser's desk.

 

And they're making it up as they go along, again!!

 

Having jumped off the callcentre roundabout, I was wondering about the pros/cons of electronic mail.

 

Ten (ish?) working days left for them to explain their non-existest system? They're gonna need that crystal ball.

 

Thanks for the info. Margaret.

Edited September 17, 2012 by **Margaret**

[**Margaret**]

:Hi reallymadwoman:

 

Well done you for getting a response from the Atossers. Spect it'll be a stressful wait for yet another appointment. Here's hoping that this time they finally manage to get a doctor, with an audio recorder, to your home on a date and at a time that you've agreed to.

 

Still considering the electronic mail malarky for when they catch up with me again.

 

Best wishes, Margaret.

[**Margaret**]

:Hiya reallymadwoman:

 

Just to let you know that I've noted your non events. Nowt useful to say so;

 

:frusty: . Frusties shall speak louder than words.

 

Hope you hear something soon.

Best wishes, Margaret.

Edited October 10, 2012 by **Margaret**

[**Margaret**]

:Hiya reallymadwoman:

 

Sounds par for the course. Would you like another or should we just .

 

First time we complained to the Astressors was 2008 when an astressor with an attitude problem made the right recommendation to the decision maker for all the wrong reasons! Reply was a patronising; there there dear, don't worry about it. Mistakes and mis-interpretation of mental health descriptors? They couldn't have cared less.

 

This time last year we had to make them care cos of an outstanding appeal. Ten months, dozens of letters, and a formal statement from the pinocchio later, we received their final response. The upheld part of the complaint can be summarised as;

 

The pinocchio made mistakes with basic anatomy and mis-interpreted mental health descriptors because she may have misunderstood what the claimant said.

 

Unbelievably, from the final para of their response;

 

'I ...... hope that any future dealings that you may have with our service will not give cause for concern.'

 

Back to one of the themes of this thread:

 

Audio recorded messicals may, or may not, improve the integrity of the Astressors and their pinocchios. Tis my sincere belief that recorded evidence will help claimants and appellants to dispute the findings of a pinocchio's report. And if we're really lucky, avert a few angst ridden tribunals.

 

As you've found out, complaints to the Astressors, like requests for audio recorded messicals, are dammed hard work, frustrating and incredibly stressful. As I've said many times, each of us has to do what's right for us at the time. For the mo I'm out of energy for complaints. Should the Astressors fall into your hole, I'll gladly help you to fill it in.

 

Sincerely, Margaret.

Edited October 12, 2012 by **Margaret**

[**Margaret**]

:reallymadwoman:

 

Given that the eventual outcome of my reassessment will affect my family, we have discussions about what to do for the best in our house as well. Apart from anything else I need my daughter to keep the technology working and my husband to courier everything to the Post Office.

 

It has occurred to me that in the midst of my complaining about complaining to the Astressors I forgot to ask if there was a hint of anything useful in their response. Now I understand that it's entirely your fault you've been waiting nine months for a messical, entirely your fault that DWATO don't have enough recording machines or a ground floor assessment centre near your home, but praps they gave you a clue as to what they're going to do about it

 

Take care of yourself, Margaret.

Edited October 24, 2012 by **Margaret**

[**Margaret**]

:reallymadwoman:

 

'...... that's because they don't know either!'

 

Another comment that's probably spot on. Could offer a few suggestions but doubt the Astressors'd like em; might dent their obscene profits. Can't be having that now can we?

 

Was sort of hoping against hope they'd be sensible and give you some inkling cos I know you want it over and done with, but clearly twas too big an ask.

 

Take care, Margaret.

[**Margaret**]

:Hiya reallymadwoman:

 

You heading for another sleepless night? What you've described is offensive n underhand even by the Astressors standards, which are already lower than the lowest of the low. One of my first thoughts is that the :lie: strengthen the argument for audio recorded messicals.

 

Have a careful re-read of page 19 of an ESA50. (Seem to have spent all day dealing with ESA50s for one reason or another) Does what the Astressors have written come under 'info which is needed to deal with this claim for benefit'? They've decided on a home visit cos they haven't got a chair accessible centre. You want an audio recorded messical. Not sure either issue has any relevance to eligibility for benefit?

 

Of course the pinocchios could end all this aggro by getting your messical over n done with but as that seems beyond them, good luck to your doc.

 

Sincerely, Margaret.

Edited November 1, 2012 by **Margaret**

[**Margaret**]

:Hi reallymadwoman:

 

Wow! Hold onto that doctor (metaphorically). Is he going to take over the complaint for you? Or is he starting another one? Like lots of others, our doc's practice won't have anything to do with DWATO. Unless they've no choice, cos it's via an ESA113.

 

Astressor induced paranoia? Use of aids and appliances has to be reasonable and some activities/descriptors have to be done without help, no matter how many aids you've got.

 

CSE/151/2012 (not yet on the decisions database but can be Googled).

 

And for those who've not seen it CE/1217/2011 which lead to memo DMG 24/12.

Careful with that scooter. Pinocchio'll magic it into a manual chair.

 

Sincerely, Margaret.

Edited November 6, 2012 by **Margaret**

[**Margaret**]

:reallymadwoman:

Didn't this particular dose of the DWATO debacle begin with a resources clerk in Bristol?

Margaret.

[**Margaret**]

:reallymadwoman:

 

Desperately need some downtime at the mo but you may be interested in;

 

The title of 'Doctors and HCP's willing to conduct recorded ...... ESA assessments', on :what do they know: An annotation, by S J Kirtly, talks about Atos at Bristol. Sorry, can't ref it cos DWATO, just for a change not, are overdue with their response. Put 'atos audio recording' into the keywords and search all requests.

 

The news item in the following annotation www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19912820 is just as pathetic.

 

Sincerely, Margaret.

Edited November 19, 2012 by **Margaret**

[**Margaret**]

:Hi reallymadwoman:

 

So pleased for you that there's finally some good news.

 

Sincerely, Margaret.

[**Margaret**]

:Hiya reallymadwoman:

 

 

Just as well : Dilizjo: hasn't used all the :frusty:, yet!

 

 

Best guess translation?

 

 

For anywhere that's south of Birmingham, Shatos simply can't recruit enough doctors to do planned home visits. Probably found themselves with a spare doc this morning cos of two neurological no shows and decided to chance their luck. Said doc was almost certainly reluctant to do the visit and used the lack of direct assess to your front door as a get out clause. Bet s/he wasn't carrying a Neal audio recorder either!

 

This is a very appealable 'failure to attend' but it has to be your decision.

 

For others who find themselves in this situation or similar circumstances;

 

Decision Makers' Guide Volume 8 on the Work n Pensions website.

Chapter 42, sections 42265 - 42272.

 

Sincerely, Margaret.

[**Margaret**]

:Hi reallymadwoman:

 

Is the form you've received a (very overdue) BF223? Nowadays they're usually sent out by Shatos on behalf of Work n Pensions, who've probably not read your letter yet.

 

If I've sussed correctly, a copy of your letter (with proof of delivery if you've got it) attached to the form shows clean hands n all that.

 

Good luck, Margaret.

 

Probably doesn't happen very often, but when I was in your situation (chaperone issue) it took Jobcentreplus nine months to collate my original letter of explanation with the BF223!

Edited January 25, 2013 by **Margaret**

[**Margaret**]

:Hiya reallymadwoman:

Nowt useful left to say, cept fingers crossed n .

Margaret.

[**Margaret**]

:Seriously :

 

You n me both. There's never any respite!

 

Once upon a time, now long forgotten, our self-help group met for lunch n afternoons out. Twice a month we'd get tips from a benefits advisor or a specialist nurse or a psychologist. All we do now is lurch from ESA50s to disability living claim packs, with a sprinkling of tribunal subs for variety! Afternoons out are chaperoning someone's (hopefully recorded) messical!

 

Margaret's advice for anyone who's tempted to try and complete a GL24 during a pub lunch? Don't! Unless it's due back the following day!

 

You got any groups in your area that you could join for support n letting off steam?

 

Take care, sincerely, Margaret.

Edited January 29, 2013 by **Margaret**

[**Margaret**]

:reallymadwoman:

 

I'd say it's more to do with what Shatos can't get to your front door.

 

Appointment letter

 

Audio recorder :?:

 

Doctor :?:

 

Take care, have a cheery , Margaret.

[**Margaret**]

:Hi reallymadwoman:

 

Praps I under guesstimated the capabilities of Jobcentreplus to collate letters with BF223s? Was sorta thinking that for most miscreants it doesn't take months? Or possibly they're waiting for the appointments printout from Tatos? If they do disallow you're unlikely to get any warning. First thing I knew was when the credit transfer didn't go through, nine months after the event!

 

Suggestions:?: Well, 'fraid there's only two choices. Either no news is good news, always my preferred option so long as they're paying me but we're not all the same, or find out what's happening. From what you've written in the past I'd be inclined to try one call (with your husband's help) to your benefit delivery centre. From that you'll maybe have more of an idea as to the worth of further complaint in terms of your health and the stress on your family.

 

Doubt Tatos'll ever get their act together. Between us, Starryeyes n I've had either a farcical or a tribunal on the go, without a break, since September 10. (Still some way behind :RaeUK: ) And it's cost a fortune, to us personally and the taxpayer!

 

Should this chapter of your saga end with good cause, Tatos backlogs may avert another attempt at a face to face, particularly if you copped for a personal capability interview. Cos of personnel problems they've had to relax the 'we're seeing almost everyone'.

 

Hugs, Margaret. :hug:

Edited April 21, 2013 by **Margaret**

[**Margaret**]

:Hi reallymadwoman:

 

On yer marks...... Get set...... Get .

 

N if you need a break for a :rant:we're listening.

 

Margaret n Starryeyes.

Edited April 24, 2013 by **Margaret**

[**Margaret**]

:reallymadwoman:

 

Complaint or essay:?:

 

The Shortcomings of Shatos:?: Discuss:?:

Nah, we'd get .

 

So hope you get 'What I want the DWP to do'

N congrats on finishing the err...... dissertation:?:

 

Margaret.

 

Final letter of complaint from Starryeyes ran to nine sides of A4.

I've just counted 'em!

Edited April 28, 2013 by **Margaret**

[**Margaret**]

:Hiya reallymadwoman:

 

Oh, I've plenty of opinions but I doubt Tatos'll share many of 'em!

 

Err ...... Congrats:?: That you're back to square one with the interview:?: It's my personal opinion that pre-emptive action usually helps (eventually) with the good cause bit, and there's certainly nowt lost by trying it.

 

The extended time slot's a new one on me. Personally, I don't think you've to be up and waiting for him/her. Sounds like you need to lie down frequently (even more frequently while you're recovering from surgery ) so I'd do just that and stay put. Your carers can answer the door and supervise the paperwork. Might be one of the shortest interviews on record!

 

Good luck with the surgery, Margaret.

 

(It's fifteen working days)

Edited May 13, 2013 by **Margaret**