Anti ATOS/WCA campaigner Sue Marsh joins Maximus as "Head of Customer Experience"

[martindn]

http://diaryofabenefitscrounger.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/new-job.html

 

The worst part of this is she went from being deemed unfit for work indefinitely to a £60k salaried management position, a nice point for IDS to press i am sure.

 

Is she a sellout or could she do some good from within? (Her own words)

[tommy456]

As some one has said on her blog, she won't be able to do a lot, and here credibility as far as a campaigner goes has gone down the pan forever, Some have said that she has done a lot of harm by going from being in the esa support group to full time employment

and that the likes of Mc vey will use this as an example that no one is too sick to work ect ect, and it's proof that the WCA is fit for purpose and doesn't need change which i can see as a possibility i can actually her her saying the words now,

being someone who didn't know of this campaigner before today, based on what people who claim to have respected her and trusted her have wrote, i would say yes she sold them out

[honeybee13]

This transition from Support Group to executive is unbelievable. I haven't read enough to be sure if that's what happened, but it doesn't ring true to me.

 

HB

[*RainbowTears*]

http://diaryofabenefitscrounger.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/new-job.html

 

The worst part of this is she went from being deemed unfit for work indefinitely to a £60k salaried management position, a nice point for IDS to press i am sure.

 

Is she a sellout or could she do some good from within? (Her own words)

 

 

From reading her own words, I'd say she sold out as the £60k salary sure beats the £108 a week she was on!!

 

After reading her "excuses" for taking the job, I read her blog on her own ESA experience.

 

These are also her own words;

for many years, my condition was considered so serious, that I was largely left alone. For 9 years, I received Incapacity Benefit, and my only input was to fill in the dreaded 40 page form every three years. Some had to fill them in more regularly or attend an "assessment", but some logic in the system somewhere meant that I was not troubled.

 

So her illness/condition was so serious, yet she has now had a miraculous recovery....

 

If only I could have the same cure!!

 

http://diaryofabenefitscrounger.blogspot.co.uk/2010/10/how-sick-is-sick-enough.html?m=1

 

Things that make me go Hmmmmmm!!

[osdset]

Sue Marsh, the author of 'Diary of a Benefit Scrounger' is taking up the role of Head of Customer Experience with none other than Maximus, who for the tiny minority that don't know, are taking over administering WCA's from ATOS in March.

 

Salary details aren't on Sue Marsh's web site, but according to Johhny Void https://johnnyvoid.wordpress.com/author/johnnyvoid/ it's £75k.

 

Is this the same Sue Marsh that has been fighting the current system of WCA's for years? Does she imagine that she's now well placed to make a difference from the inside?

Maximus have bought her off, plain and simple. Dangled £75 grands worth of carrots in front of her nose knowing full well it's an offer too good to turn down.

 

I've had just 3 weeks to think about all of this and come to terms with it. I've already done my worrying and wondering and weighing up. I've already had to decide to change absolutely every last thing about my life and take this step. My husband will give up work - he's already resigned to support me and care for us all, amazing man. I will be working full time, I will lose almost every bit of support I currently get from the social system, I will face criticism, I might hurt people who are disappointed. These are all huge considerations.

She adds

 

Someone is going to do it. I can do it

Which should read

 

"someone's got to do it, it might just as well be me".

 

She's betrayed every benefits rights worker and campaigner across the board, a Judas taking her thirty pieces of silver in return for a gag on the back bench.

 

What does this say about those in Support Group? Offer enough money and it's get up off thy bed and work? She's just undermined every single ESA claim in the country.

[SWLABR9]

Nonsense. She's improved markedly and entirely unexpectedly after a recent op and anyway, arguably some folk in the SG actually could probably work if they were given enough support a la, say, Hawking. It's unreasonable to expect they will be though - Tesco don't offer that support for their checkout girls, for example - so they're considered to fit the criteria. People are in the SG because they meet the necessary criteria, not because they can't work ever at all in any way, shape or form. That said, I think she's taken on far too much myself, and the only reason Maximus are hiring her, the biggest, most articulate thorn in Atos' side, is so she can't be that for them. Time will tell! Meanwhile, it's apparent there's a whole new game in town so we'd all best be getting geared up for it

[osdset]

She's improved markedly and entirely unexpectedly after a recent op

No doubt right after she opened the 'congratulations, you've got the job letter'.

She'll last a year in the role, maybe two before either her condition deteriorates or Maximus decide they've had enough playing silly buggers and send her on her way.

 

What then? Will she resume tilting at windmills whilst shoving in another claim for ESA? Start the blog up again and set up another Sue Marsh fund for new laptops and holidays?

[tommy456]

She probably wouldn't be able to, no doubt it will be in her contract of employment or there will be some sort of gagging order so she can't start campaigning against them

[oleg]

Methinks you'd find more than a few who would sell their soul for £75K.

 

"Present company excepted, of course."

 

Oh and as for "tiny minority" not knowing about Maximus, well the majority of the population who are employed, retired or children, are unlikely to know. Or care. It will pass in one ear, out the other, if they hear about it in the news.

[tomtom256]

Maybe we just and wait and see what she does.

 

Benefit of the doubt is she may actually be trying to change it for the good and Maximus may have the forsight to try and get it right going in and save money in the long run. Unlikely I know, but until it happens it's just jackanory.

[osdset]

Maybe we just and wait and see what she does.

I've no doubt she'll be doing loads, choosing new colour schemes for assessment centres, designing brightly coloured eye catching posters. That's if she gets any spare time off from being IDS/McVey's new poster girl.

 

I note from her responses to comments on her blog she's already put a parting shot across the bows by stating (in her own defence) that she used £400 per month of her benefit entitlement to support her site, I expect a concerted campaign to get ESA benefits reduced forthwith.

[oleg]

I have a hunch that she'll give it her damned best. Just hope she doesn't rebrand as the Jamie Oliver of joblessness.

[Shoelover]

Why don't we wait and see? She might be a force for good.

 

There are not many 75k jobs around for disabled or that matter those that do not have a disability. I'm sure she will require some adjustments but she's saying loud & clear that disabled people can & do succeed.

 

Sorry but I think it utterly sucks that you have posted on multiple forums & are not giving her a chance

[osdset]

 

Sorry but I think it utterly sucks that you have posted on multiple forums & are not giving her a chance

Multiple forums? Two to be precise, lets not get carried away.

It utterly sucks that she's sold her supporters down the river.

[think about it]

It's clear from her blog that she's a very articulate, intelligent person - finding a role that takes account of that rather than her physical abilities albeit unlikely for most ought to be celebrated, not criticised.

 

I've said before how I've worked with people with debilitating illnesses who've been just as good at their job as anyone else, can an office worker now work remotely from home during flare-ups - of course, the difficult bit is finding the job that lets you.

 

Potentially, this lady will take in to the meetings and organisation the voice and message that this forum and so many others like it have been screaming about at the top of their lungs. So often we get to hear about how organisations don't / won't listen or engage with people who've been involved in the process and yet now they are the only reaction is suspicion and derision. By supporting her you may even have the avenue to take that message further still. This isn't about selling out, it's not the indie music scene, it's about doing what's right for her and her family and frankly in the face of an opportunity like that I defy many people to do the exactly the same.

[think about it]

Duplicate post removed.

[Shoelover]

Multiple forums? Two to be precise, lets not get carried away.

It utterly sucks that she's sold her supporters down the river.

 

How has she sold anyone down the river?

[silverfox1961]

Can I ask before this thread goes off track that we try to keep it civil.

 

I don't know Sue Marsh but I do read the occasional blog. last October she had another operation which (as she says) left her without much pain so on the assumption that recovery is going well, she is entitled to get a job if she feels she can do it.

 

What we don't know is:

 

1. What will Maximus expect of her?

 

2 Is it a full time job or flexi hours?

 

3 Will she be able to challenge Maximus from the inside?

 

4 Will she get access to the top bods within Maximus and the Gov?

 

Some poeple are casting stones before knowing the full picture. I don't know Sue (and I don't think I will ever meet her)

 

I have Crohns Disease. I have the occasional good day and the rest of the time I spend chewing painkillers just to try and live a normal life.

 

Would I like to work. A resounding yes! Most of the day I cannot go out as my backside issues stop me. I have very expensive drugs that help keep me going (Humira)

 

I mention all that because I don't have the nous to be able to take on the bigwigs. It seems (yet to be proved) that Sue may be that person. Let us wait and see before condemning her.

[honeybee13]

Threads on the same issue merged.

 

HB

[think about it]

 

1. What will Maximus expect of her? I'd hope the same of any Head of Customer Experience, her role takes responsibilty for shaping the way people are treated as they move through the system from first contact to completion.

 

2 Is it a full time job or flexi hours? Probably flexi, makes sense at that level and with her past that a certain level of flexibility would be built in to any contract. Especially if she's to be consulting with people out of business hours etc

 

3 Will she be able to challenge Maximus from the inside? I'd think that's her job, pointless appointing a Head of Customer Experience without the autonomy to make changes in that experience.

 

4 Will she get access to the top bods within Maximus and the Gov? Probably yes, as an exec it seems perfectly reasonable that she'd be in contact with the top level management and clients, after all she's responsible for the customer experience.

 

Having been vocal as she has makes her an ideal person to shape the claimant / customer experience. Regardless of your take on it, Maximus are only ever going to administer the contract that they've got. They're not in a position to change or potentially even influence the government set criteria, simply measure claimants against that criteria.

[estellyn]

I think there's been a lot of 'going off the deep end' about this.

 

I can understand how people feel betrayed and see her as 'working for the enemy'. However I can also see that if her intentions are good, that she may feel that this might give her an opportunity to change some things and help people from the inside.

 

Regarding her illness - if her recent op has improved things for her such that she feels she can take on a supported role with an employer willing to work round her condition, then I don't see a problem with that. I'm in the support group myself and dream of having some miracle cures for my conditions and being able to work. I think that many if not most people too sick or disabled to work, wish that they could and for such a position might return to the workforce earlier than maybe they should.

 

I hope that she can make a difference, but my experience with the DWP, ATOS and other government departments and contractors make me very skeptical of how much influence she will be allowed to have The problems with the ESA are much more than just the 'customer experience' of it. Improving letters, better explanations, less intimidating rooms and a better complaint process won't take away from the horror that is flawed descriptors, an assessment process that doesn't assess the flawed descriptors and at worst is completely inaccurate, targets for staff (already mentioned in her blog 'too many in the support group') and too much emphasis (almost total) on the 'evidence' gathered at the flawed assessment. That's before we even get to mandatory reconsiderations while having to claim JSA, and lack of qualified support available for appeals.

 

I have qualifications and experience to do this type of job (though not the health), but it's not one that I would apply for or accept on principle. I would see it as supporting a corrupt system that I was expected to put a 'gloss' on. I would foresee either huge pressure to paper over cracks, or worse, a job that meant I had no influence at all. I don't see how anyone who truly wants to help people can keep their sanity while working for such a system. A good person probably takes the job envisaging that they can help people, and I truly hope she can. A less good person would see such a job as political stepping stone - maybe even still hoping that in getting into politics they can then help people. A not so good person would see the job as a means to an end - furthering their own interests and wouldn't care much who they help. Personally I would rather just help as many individuals as I could through the system and work for policy change at the legislative level - maybe that's Sue Marsh's ultimate goal, who knows?

 

I don't know Sue Marsh, I don't know what type of person she is. Only time will tell.

[osdset]

I would see it as supporting a corrupt system that I was expected to put a 'gloss' on. I would foresee either huge pressure to paper over cracks, or worse, a job that meant I had no influence at all. I don't see how anyone who truly wants to help people can keep their sanity while working for such a system. A good person probably takes the job envisaging that they can help people, and I truly hope she can. A less good person would see such a job as political stepping stone - maybe even still hoping that in getting into politics they can then help people. A not so good person would see the job as a means to an end - furthering their own interests and wouldn't care much who they help. Personally I would rather just help as many individuals as I could through the system and work for policy change at the legislative level - maybe that's Sue Marsh's ultimate goal, who knows?

 

I don't know Sue Marsh, I don't know what type of person she is. Only time will tell.

 

My take on this?

 

Sue Marsh is paving the way to Westminster, she wants to be a career politician.

 

I cannot understand how someone so vehemently against the system would suddenly decide to be part of it. She is not so naive as to think she can actually make some kind of difference from within surely?

 

The road to hell is paved with good intent, but I'm not convinced Sue Marsh has any conviction left. I've accused her of selling out, taking thirty pieces of silver, because I'm so disappointed that someone could be bought so easily. Maybe she's fed up with tilting at windmills from the sidelines and the pen turned out to be not mightier than someone's chequebook?

[martindn]

As regular readers will know, I've always been adamant that I can't take money for campaigning. I don't even have advertising on my blog.

The moment I accept the offer of some well-meaning charity, union, politician or corporation, I would become fettered by them, compromised. They would have control over what I can say or do

http://diaryofabenefitscrounger.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/a-cry-for-help.html

 

Found an interesting quote. I don't know what she can expect to accomplish, it is still the same system run by a private company of shareholders who has a financial incentive in these assessments. One person cant stop the machine of capitalism, and what this does is now silence a big part of the opposition. Are we really to believe this company would employ a vehement critic just to improve the system that in doing so would inevitably lead to conflict with the ideals of profit?