ATOS appeals: GP's charging £130

[Laird_Scooby]

In nearly five years of dealing with the DWP, I'm yet to come across one that isn't polite, intelligent and very helpful*. Guess I'm just lucky!

*touches wood.

 

 

Thanks - i think!

[claire1981]

I know exactly how you feel! Friend request sent by the way!

 

Much appreciated, but sorry I don't accept friend requests- I can't cope with friends. Shame though as I'm sure you'd make a good one.

[Laird_Scooby]

No worries and i reckon you'd make a good friend too.

[dragonkeeper]

hello folks

 

:-)good to see that Antone on the site:-)

 

through illness I have not kept up with CAG bar for email updates. On receiving this update I thought I would read this thread as seemed to be relevant.

Alas it degraded quite quickly, the more latitude Antone (site team) gave the more it sank.

 

Antone sorry you tried in post #11 and lost

 

The advice given by antone on numerous posting I found to be useful, unbiased and to the point.

 

 

regards

 

dk

[antone]

That is kind of you, DK, thanks.

[Invalidation]

In nearly five years of dealing with the DWP, I'm yet to come across one that isn't polite, intelligent and very helpful*. Guess I'm just lucky!

*touches wood.

 

On that point I have to agree with you. Every person I have dealt with via a Telephone has been polite and efficient and in most cases sympathetic.

 

However, its the people you DONT talk to who are totally the other way.

How can two DM's make life changing decisions about people's future when in my case they had NO ESA50, NO medical records, and NO staments from myself as they lost the lot before the ATOS HCP even had a chance to invent his utter rubbish?. How can they? well they cant, they made it up. They confirmed that by stating "On the available evidence" yet there was no 'Available evidence' they both lied and I have it on paper.

 

In actuallity what the DM's did do was break most every one of their own rules and as far as I can tell, one Law as well. Im just sitting back and waiting for my appeal before I pounce on the DM's, the DWP and ATOS, individually and severally

[osdset]

The first point of contact at the DWP is a phone jockey, all they can really do is look at the claim, tell you what's on the screen, make sympathetic overtures, then refer to a higher authority. It's part of their job I guess to be 'nice'.

 

As Invalidation has pointed out, the people with the finger on the button rarely if ever speak to claimants.

[wildm]

To clarify. The pigs in trough comment was aimed at doctors, I get fed up with people receiving extras for doing their jobs or not as the case may be. Case in point bankers and their fabulous bonus scheme.

Watching the 1949 benefit scheme programme really brought home what the Tories are after .......they had such a long to do list compiled when not in power and they are certainly ploughing their way through it. This country feels more like a fascist state daily.

[sadone]

This country feels more like a fascist state daily.

 

I totally agree. It terrifies me what these sods are going to do next, and as for that appauling channel 4 series, god, the government really are back seat driving the media these days aren't they?

 

I mean can you imagine any of these TV stations making the likes of a 'Cathy Comes Home' type play these days? If they did it would be more among the lines of how Cathy deserved everything she got and how much of a sponger she was and how her kid would be better off living in a workhouse.......

Edited August 30, 2013 by sadone

[mr_mastiff]

wilm + sadone, As I stated in my previous post I have been on both sides of the fence, I was in the military and then worked as a nurse for over twenty years and now on benefits due to disability. Yes there some some doctors who charge but I have worked in the American health system. We have problems I know but if you want to see charges take a trip over there.

[Laird_Scooby]

wilm + sadone, As I stated in my previous post I have been on both sides of the fence, I was in the military and then worked as a nurse for over twenty years and now on benefits due to disability. Yes there some some doctors who charge but I have worked in the American health system. We have problems I know but if you want to see charges take a trip over there.

 

Correct me if i'm wrong but i don't think the Americans pay any sort of NI contributions through their pay/tax system? As such that leaves a gaping hole to be plugged in the cost of medical treatment?

[mr_mastiff]

True, They pay through insurance medi- card etc, The first action when admitting a patient is insurance or credit card details. If you have not got the money you will be treated but there are big holes in the quality. Every detail is about money its for profit. At the top end the treatment is superb but at the other end its misery. Complain about G.Ps as much as you like but I know which side of the Atlantic I want to be on when it comes to Healthcare.

[banjo67xxx]

Complain about G.Ps as much as you like but I know which side of the Atlantic I want to be on when it comes to Healthcare.

I just know I'm gonna get flamed for this ...

 

I prefer the Healthcare system the opposite direction round the globe. In China its just like the American system but 1/10th the price. I injured my head and had to have stitches over there. There was absolutely no queue in A&E because not everyone can afford the 50p entrance fee, and I was treated and on my way in less than 20minutes with a bill so small it didn't get anywhere near the excess on my insurance (just under £20).

[mr_mastiff]

banjo67xxx, That is fine if you can pay, Loose your wallet and insurance card and see how quick you are treated. Or make a complaint I am sure in china you would get a Great amount of understanding followed by a period of detention:lol:

[estellyn]

Wow, I'm in hospital for a few weeks and miss all the drama!

 

I think the point is that with introducing charges for doctor's evidence combined with ATOS' difficulty in making the correct decision regarding fitness to work means there is a two tier system when it comes to challenging a 'fit for work' decision.

 

Legal aid is being withdrawn for benefit matters, and assistance with appeals will become more difficult to access. Out of work benefit specialists will undoubtedly be able to offer a pay service to those who can afford it for help with appealing, add to that the fact that those who can afford it will be able to pay for a decent medical report, maybe in a format determined by their paid for benefit adviser to be most appropriate to the ESA (or PIP) descriptors, and what you have is people with the same conditions, but in different financial circumstances being able to use money in order to assist with a benefit challenge, and to ensure a greater chance of success.

 

Three things most determine appeal success - being able to attend the Tribunal, providing good medical evidence and having someone experienced help prepare your case and represent you.

 

having money, now gives people an advantage in being able to access vital benefits - how ironic.

[Nystagmite]

Wow, I'm in hospital for a few weeks and miss all the drama!

 

Hope you're ok.

[mr_mastiff]

Estellyn, I agree. I was first placed in the WRAG group.I appealed and was then placed in the Support Group the only evidence that i gave was the information in the ESA form and appeal letter. There was no doctors letter or other supporting evidence except a diary I kept whilst on CBT. My GP offered to give me a letter however I had already sent my Appeal. Over the last two months I have helped four people fill in their forms and helped to appeal another (which was won). I assessed them as i would have done if they had come to me as a patient. I based my assessment on the act ivies of daily living. Each one took about 3 hours to complete. One of these as come back and they were placed into the support group without assessment by atos. Perhaps having a nurse with twenty odd years of experience helps when form filling. I hope to produce a guide based the the principles I used it my be of some use.

[Lilly_Monroe]

We asked a doctor at our practice for a screen print which she refused to do, directing us to reception who would be pleased to handle a request if money exchanged hands. We also asked our GP to sign a form agreeing my husband had a said medical condition which gave us reduced water bills - the GP asked for £25 which I said I couldnt afford. She then said she would not agree to my husbands condition needing excess water (although she agreed he does have the condition stated). Im damned sure if I had paid the fee she would have agreed to it.

 

 

 

The last GP we saw didnt even know what ESA was - how are these people meant to be in a position to help us when they are so removed from normal life?

 

That is what I keep getting told by my GP (I am not familiar with how ESA works).

She even told me she did not know the procedure for DLA!

[estellyn]

Hope you're ok.

 

Feeling a bit better now, thanks, Nystagmite, getting well slowly at home now.

 

Thanks for the concern.

[banjo67xxx]

banjo67xxx, That is fine if you can pay, Loose your wallet and insurance card and see how quick you are treated. Or make a complaint I am sure in china you would get a Great amount of understanding followed by a period of detention:lol:

I'm lucky that I'll be subject to positive racial discrimination (I look foreign so I must be rich), and there's no problem about making complaints. You can even go to the local press with your complaint if it has nothing to do with politics.

 

BTW, you only get detention for trying to publish political viewpoints in books, films, radio, TV or internet. They dont even care about you talking about politics openly in a restaurant, as your audience is insignificant.

[antone]

Feeling a bit better now, thanks, Nystagmite, getting well slowly at home now.

 

Thanks for the concern.

 

Yay! I haven't checked with my colleagues, but I think I'm safe in wishing you all the best on behalf of the orange people.

[estellyn]

Yay! I haven't checked with my colleagues, but I think I'm safe in wishing you all the best on behalf of the orange people.

 

Thanks, Antone and the orange people!!

[RaeUK]

And a heartfelt 'glad you're getting better, estellyn' from those of us who aren't around as often as we were.

[claire1981]

Estellyn, I agree. I was first placed in the WRAG group.I appealed and was then placed in the Support Group the only evidence that i gave was the information in the ESA form and appeal letter. There was no doctors letter or other supporting evidence except a diary I kept whilst on CBT. My GP offered to give me a letter however I had already sent my Appeal. Over the last two months I have helped four people fill in their forms and helped to appeal another (which was won). I assessed them as i would have done if they had come to me as a patient. I based my assessment on the act ivies of daily living. Each one took about 3 hours to complete. One of these as come back and they were placed into the support group without assessment by atos. Perhaps having a nurse with twenty odd years of experience helps when form filling. I hope to produce a guide based the the principles I used it my be of some use.

 

 

Lucky they had your help then, as there really doesn't seem to be much easy to understand help out there.

 

Especially if you're disabled, with a disability that affects memory/how you process information.

 

All I could find was the guide below, which was not exactly the same as the internet version of ESA50, I had to complete recently- but seemed to have some useful hints that I wouldn't have thought of. Maybe it could be improved upon though.

 

http://a4e2aande.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/herts-county-council-esa50-guide.pdf

[caro]

Yay! I haven't checked with my colleagues, but I think I'm safe in wishing you all the best on behalf of the orange people.

 

Definitely antone. Hope you continue to improve estellyn