An Ex Atos Nurse contacted me with her account of what she was expected to do during her employment carrying out Assessments. Her account confirms what we’ve known for years in that the system is target driven, her account also reveals that those running the Atos contract care not one bit about the wellbeing of those they call for assessment.
As this Nurse say’s at the end of her account, “ This is not a job any nurse should do, if their NMC registration means anything to them.”.
J.Stoker is an alias that this Nurse has used for her own protection
Paul Smith – Founder Atos Victims Group News
I resigned from Atos in 2012.
As a nurse, I was taught to care and be compassionate about the people I was in contact with. This was not the case with Atos.
It was very much a target driven role and you were under constant pressure to meet these targets. We had to see a minimum of 6 clients per day, some nurses were managing 10 and I often wondered how. I was warned, on a number of occasions, about this. If another nurse asked for help, I was more than happy to help or discuss a difficult case. My manager had a firm, but polite, word with me in a quiet corner, and reminded me of my role, which was to meet targets, not have general chit chat with colleagues. We were not allowed to offer any advice to our clients and we were not supposed to engage in a conversation, unless it was about the assessment. This was extremely hard to avoid, especially with a client with learning difficulties, who would often love to chat!
The doctors would ‘cherry pick’ the easy clients, as they were paid per case and often saw, on average, 14 cases per day. Very good, considering they worked office hours.
We were monitored closely on how many clients we put into Support Group . If our totals were above the national average, we would have to ask an ‘experienced’ member of staff for permission to put a client into a support group, even if it was plainly obvious they could not return to work. Those members of staff who had a low number of support group additions, were praised.
I assessed a client with mental health issues who I entered into the support group. I was so concerned about her I stayed with her, in the waiting room, until a family member came to collect her to take her home. I was instructed to attend a meeting with my manager and was given a verbal warning for costing Atos money – when I asked how this was possible, I was informed that during the time I was with this client in the waiting room, I could have assessed somebody else.
I assessed a client with visual problems, due to her diabetes, who could not read 16 point print, nor could she see hazards in the street. Although not registered blind, she was under the care of a consultant, was receiving treatment and needed constant support from her family. Although there was not a suitable support group for her, I put her in a higher group and recommended she was recalled in 18 months, after she had received treatment from her consultant, to assess her condition. I was instructed, by my manager, to downgrade her. I was told to add her to a lower group and recall her in 6 months. I strongly disagreed, due to her current condition and underlying medical problems, but was told, in no uncertain terms, not to question my managers judgement. It was at this point I decided to resign.
I could not live with the knowledge of what I was doing and the effect this could have on somebody’s life. Although there are a number of people who are more than capable of work, the majority are genuine, sick people who need our help, not to be demoralised in this way. I saw so many people who would cry in front of me, because they want to work so much, but couldn’t.
Atos Healthcare do not care about their staff and more importantly, do not care about their clients. They are more interested in making money and I believe they should be stripped of this contact with DWP. This is not a job any nurse should do, if their NMC registration means anything to them.
J. Stoker. RGN
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Thank you so much for speaking up Ms Stoker, sorry you had to leave your job and I sincerely hope you manage to get a much better job a.s.a.p. that allows you to do the work that you were trained for, you obviously care, respect to you!
It’s intersting that she mentions choosing what group to put people into (and her manager overruling her on it), isn’t is supposed to be the DWP who make those decisions?
I thought the same thing. Clarification anyone?
The way I read it, the ‘nurse’ does the assessment and then decides what ‘group’ to place them in, bearing in mind ATOS want them all to fail. Obviously the group she placed this person didn’t suit ATOS. DWP are only there as NAME to give authority.
The code referenced in the article:
http://www.nmc-uk.org/Publications/Standards/The-code/Introduction/
“The people in your care must be able to trust you with their health and wellbeing.
To justify that trust, you must
make the care of people your first concern, treating them as individuals and respecting their dignity
work with others to protect and promote the health and wellbeing of those in your care, their families and carers, and the wider community
provide a high standard of practice and care at all times
be open and honest, act with integrity and uphold the reputation of your profession
As a professional, you are personally accountable for actions and omissions in your practice and must always be able to justify your decisions. You must always act lawfully, whether those laws relate to your professional practice or personal life.
Failure to comply with this code may bring your fitness to practise into question and endanger your registration.”
Seems a pretty blatant breach of the code. You can email them at:
fitness.to.practise@nmc-uk.org
agree but at atos dwp they got a cose of practice get as many through their doors and no care as it can you bend a leg or arm then fit to work and whot ever yo utell them is just a waste of time as ones put down as ftw so complain but bet nothings done as loads of us have found out they get away with murder at the atos dwp factory so it just makes mr mad you right on nurses care but then there is no care only greed jeff3
Another testimony of just how profit-motivated ATOS is. This company is being paid hundreds of millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money to lie and cheat the sick and disabled by an uncaring Government whose sole aim is cut the welfare bill. How they are allowed to continually get away with it, baffles me? Yet it goes on and on. The sooner that Iain Duncan Smith is kicked into touch, the better.
Whoever this lovely lady is, well done for speaking out! Better yet, for stating; “This is not a job any nurse should do, if their NMC registration means anything to them.”
Same goes for Doctors & anyone else employed by this shameless, ruthless, greedy company!
They should all be tried for crimes against Humanity !!!!!!!
And the people working there should be ashamed of themselves as they are just as much to blame for going along with this MAJOR CRIME
This follows Tory policy on AUSTERITY does not matter how disabled or other illnesses may be involved ATOS profits come first.
The majority will loss any dignity they may havewith loosing benefits which enable them to function.
Until every health worker band together and say no to these unfair assessments they will continue. Sadly this will not happen as the majority doctors, nurses are driven by earning as much as they can for their own life chances with a minority who care making a stand.
totally wrong surely this gov should be taken to court for breaching human right laws
Jesus Christ,that just sounds harrowing
when you hear nurses speaking out like this it makes you realise what real cold callous evil bastards the majority of the people who work for ATOS are.
also remember with the exception of a few,most of the mps could not care less.
Any Christian interviewer would be able to successfully stop such worker-bullying by clearly stating that they consider such treatment of claimants as being severely against their religious beliefs.
ATOS would not dare to get into one of those, because they know that they would lose. Several different forms of evidence, also, could be gathered, at some length, to strengthen and hasten the workers’ complaints and their triggered litigation against the ATOS Death Squad supervisors or managers.
It’s time for all good and religious workers in ATOS to come to the aid of the claimants – and, their religion is a perfectly fair and respectable platform from which, in good conscience, they could launch such laudible action.
It’s true that no good nurse, with a conscience, would continue to permit claimants to be treated in this manner and it’s equally true that no good Faith holder would allow it, either. A lawsuit against ATOS, on such a basis, would be very well handled, could be excellently well media-covered – and, very likely to succeed, thereby setting a precedent for other ATOS workers to do the same, all over the UK.
Well done “J Stoker” for exposing the French IT firm Atos Profit Care, it’s reassuring to know there are REAL nurses out there! Good people, if you had a car crash, you would not take your car to McDonalds to let someone assess the damage, so why let an IT firm assess your medical condition? #commonsense
No consent, no contract, I am not engaging in your ridiculous farce of an assessment! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H735ecdi8QA
http://mzolobajluk.wordpress.com/2013/01/27/sink-of-swim-part-2-a-look-at-atos/ I was sent this link last week, and then looked into the financial cost to us all of Atos
ATOS ARE A DISGRACE.THEY SHOULD BE RELIVED OF THIS CONTRACT RIGHT NOW.WELL DONE TO THE NURSE FOR HAVING THE GUTS TO TELL US ALL WHAT IS HAPPENING. I PERSONALLY BLAME THIS GOVERMENT FOR LETTING THESE SCUM BAGS HAVE THIS CONTRACT.THE DR’S ARE NOT REAL DR’S FOR LETTING THIS HAPPEN,THEY SHOULD ALL STAND UP & TELL ATOS WHAT THEY THINK OR GROW A PAIR OF BALLS
i had a facebook friend (disabled) who was passed fit by atos,lost money . had a heart attack and died,i know she was stressed over this ,but i dont know if it caused her heart attack, but i’m sure it didn’t help
If every person that reads and shared this, wrote to their local MP and urged every person they know to do the same, stressing that we as a community have no confidence in DWP/ATOS process MAYBE something could be done.
In fact if we could encourage each local MP to call a vote of NO CONFIDENCE and then encourage every person to vote in General Elections it would be possible to out this Government, before they cripple society completely … excuse the Pun.
you are worthy of a job anywhere ms stoker,good luck for the future….and goodbye to the uncaring scumbags
Ms. Stoker, you should be in government! We need honest people like you.
Good on her just hope more come out and tell the real story of working with atos, all these actions come with consequences and we, the mentally ill or disabled are having our lives turned upside down, D.W.P get rid of this shower before there are more deaths caused.
Ian- surely moral beliefs are as important, if not more so, than religious ones? There are plenty of compassionate athiests.
There is little success in trying to sue a company you’re forced, by your conscience, to leave on moral grounds and the law has little provision for doing so.
This Government is delighting in moral grounds litigation being unable to stop their juggernautic actions. Hit them any way that you can, and hit them right now. In British Law, the most successful way is the most controversial and media-hot way – racial or religious discrimination.
This will serve to not only make ATOS revise their approach, but will further the cause of bringing ATOS’ disgraceful treatment of the vulnerable into the public’s awareness and keeping it there!
The Daily Mail, and other such newspapers, still have some use outside our toilets.
Well i have just had my incapacity benefit stopped after 15 years, i went for a medical assesment with ATOS in January and it was the most pathetic medical examination ever, if you can use a computer, pick up a pen and use a phone and drive a car it means you have failled your medical and you are capable of work i scored 0 points on my assesment not even with the fact that my knee gives way every step and i use crutches, i fall ocassionally, and am waiting for more treatment.
Hi From what I know just turning up means your fit to work.
Had like you assessment which was a joke, and guess what got 0 points, like most people, My appeal takes place 26th of feb, more stress and worry.
Also ATOS also use struck off doctors, and so called medical staff from east europ, who according to our standards, are not recognised by our doctor or nurses bodies, in this country,as they fall well below standards, but ATOS have no problem taking them on.
I hope one day these Nazis, there is no other description for those who dehumanise in order to persecute, get their just reward.
The words of an old song sum up my feelings toward Atos employees involved in this:-
“ Go tell that long tongue liar,
go and tell that midnight rider,
tell the rambler, the gambler, the back biter,
tell ‘em that God’s gonna cut ‘em down.
”
http://youtu.be/guocvS7XQW0
A “Back Biter” is someone who makes false accusations.
God Bless!
Fair play to her. Last ATOS fiasco I attended I asked the nurse who was conducting the farce if she had met her quota for the day. I cant understand for the life of me understand why I got Zero points. Tribunal is on Tuesday.
Hi good luck hope you win and make them pay
I understand that all ATOS staff are now required to sign official secrets act to stop them whistleblowing. The ATOS related deaths and suicides should be evidence enough to charge those involved in the ongoing horror to be charged with crimes against humanity. The international community should be made aware of this human misery inflicted upon the sick and disabled in britain by their own government. It is an outrage that requires international coverage and condemnation.
this is a misues of the Official Secrets Act in fact, which you sign to say that you won’t give away any information learned while in a privileged positon, i.e. Military, policitians etc although I am sure that the way ATOS conducts themselves at the behest of the DWP is one secret that the government certainly don’t want to become public knowledge! However if this brave lady was employed prior to the requirement of having to sign the paper, then they can’t touch her.
I know a senior assessment training manager for the South East region. She has 2 daughters in receipt of DLA. One has a slight curvature of the spine which is not debilitating in the fact that she is completely mobile. The other is a binge drinker. At one stage one of her daughters ex boyfriends was also awarded DLA for back injuries that he never had. The woman in question managed to secure DLA for all three in addition to securing a carers allowance for herself to care for one of her daughters! I have contacted DWP on numerous occasions to ask them to look into this but nothing has happened. I am utterly disgusted that she is allowed to continue especially so when I read all of the posts on here about decent needing people! ATOS stink!
Thank you everybody, for your kind words.
David – you are correct – we did have to sign an ‘official secrets act’ – although I question the legality of this.
It took a lot of courage for me to write this article but I am glad I did. It is totally wrong what Atos do and I genuinly feel guilty for the effect this has on people.
The assessment criteria is very strict and I can now honestly say that if a claimant scored under threshold but my medical knowledge and gut reaction told me otherwise, then I would ‘find’ some points to ensure their benefits were not stopped. The only time I smiled when working for Atos was when I’d assessed a claimant and they shook my hand on the way out and said “Thank you for being so kind”
I will continue to speak out, in a hope that the government change this process – and soon.
Thank you for speaking out, it was very brave. I hope your bravery will encourage others to follow suit. Obviously, some will feel resentment towards you, that’s understandable as ATOS have destroyed lives. But, the point is, you have spoken out and that goes a long way. Now, please use your knowledge to expose ATOS for what they really are. A profit driven organisation making money off the back of sick and disabled people.
Thank you again.
Hi J Stoker,
Well done for speaking out,My GP and other medical staff think it is wrong ATOS think they know better than them.
What`s the point of People training to be Doctors, if they are ignored, or considered by this goverment as not knowing anything about medicine, and other know better than them.
Also been told by my GP that people applying for disabled freedom passes have no chance of getting them, goverment has told councils to blanket ban issuing them.
well done..your only stating what so many of us know and the cold hard driven atos who put targets before human lives…i to went through this and had to fight them every step of the way…it took a year to win my appeal and the cost to my health…i wish more like you would come forward…they and duncan smith have always said no targets are met..how stupid do they think we are…i hope you find work very soon good luck to you…regards…sandra.
All these replies have given me the strength to stand up to ATOS and I will now appeal their decision ,the “nurse” wrote in her report that I am overweight !!!!! I don’t understand how she did this as she didn’t weigh or take my height ?there were many other untruths and like someone else has said ATOS have put me in a group not DWP ….how strange
yes john they got us walking on water perhaps jesus was in the other room helping you with the atos assesment more lickly atos lies as this is all they can do were reality goes out of the door atos were fibs are told daily by them but dont give in fight back they starting to understand that sick and disabled are not going quietly jeff3
I just blogged Sink or Swim part 2
An excellent report and although it does not tell us anything we didn’t know, the more the evidence grows the better.
Dee
http://dwpnegligence.wordpress.com
Well done speaking out& I hope you get future work that you enjoy & is ethically decent. I have had many care jobs in the past non ATOS related, but the way that staff are forced to treat vulnerable clients is shocking in any care home, supported living situation that I have been involved in. I lost a job once as I had to ( on more then 1 occasion ) remove a button from a 3 yr old austic child’s throat as the Council employee running the team kept a tin of buttons which came out of her pocket, given to the child & putting him in a room of his own to ” calm down” when he was stimming! So many good carers out there, but they are just not allowed to do decent, caring job anymore it seems. Very sad.
It’s great that nurse came forward I have friend who worked for atos in Glasgow and she’s going to tell house a great story soon is an total disgrace this government should be jailed and atos too
Karen
If your friend would like to have her story published here then by all means get her to contact me, I’d be more than happy to assist her in any way I can?
I worked at Atos, Glasgow and whistleblew. If this other nurse makes contact can admin please pass my details to her.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/nurse-makes-heartfelt-apology-after-1340838
I will do that Joyce If she get’s in touch with me, I hope your keeping well?…
I’m waiting for my 3rd Tribunal on Wed. 3 Atos “medicals” 0 points at any. 2 decisions overturned at Tribunal, 3rd imminent! In response to Jane’s article, I support everything she says. And Atos can refute all they want. They are the liars, and they have plenty money to sue me, if they dare. I’d happily have my day in court with them! Joyce.
atos you dams busting and thanks to another person who can tell the truth whots happening at the lie factory thanks jeff3
hello all..would just like to add my experience of atos..attended medical april 2012..benefits stopped..two heart attacks unsatble angina two blood clots removed from brain mild stroke and diagnosed with ms..on recieving the copys of my medical was very suprised to see many..in fact eight in total what i can only say are blatant lies on the forms by the doctor who conducted my medical..so today i am going to call atos and ask why..i wil be telling them that i am going to not only take legal action but also talk to both localpress and local tv media..i am told that to lie on a government paper is in fact a criminal offence so imagine my dismay when the police inform me that they would not get involved…am i being thick or is a criminal offence no longer the police responsibility..very frotunatley for me all the falsehoods stated by this so called doctor….who may i add could hardly speak english..and also did not know what co dydromol and tramodol were…lol.are provable to be lies..i have waited for over a year for an appeal date and am still waiting..i have disciverd that there seems to be no legal help from solicitors on this matter but have been told had it been a case of me defrauding the benefit system i could have got up to thousand pounds in legal aid..i like many have paid high taxes as a self employed person all my life and served my country as both a soldier seeing combat and as a fire fighter.i am fortunate to be able to fight this but what happens to people that cant for what ever reason.thank you for reading my short rant about atos for any one that is interested i will post an update of my call to both atos and the general medical counsel this evening..good luck to all that are also taking on atos..keep up the fight and a huge huge thank you to the nurse that spoke up.
rocky there are thousands been treated this way by our atos .while the goverment took our legel aid away to fight against it as we are winning to many cases against them so you not the only one please if you need help with your fight against atos dwp then join with us at http://www.dwpexamination.org were daily we fight agaisnt them find squardies there also as im a ex but many are we helping each other through this shitte jeff3
I also had 0 points at my atos assessment, even tho i have osteoarthritis in my knees, and awaiting a knee replacement. atos do not do medicals they do what is called [ movement and co-ordination tests,hold your hands in the air, make a cup of tea, pick up a empty box you get 0 points. it is all based on a tick box programme on the screen in front of the assessor, my assessor was polish with a very strong accent, myself and my daughter had a hell of a job understanding her. atos are on a £170 million pound contract with the DWP, and have too fail at least 90% of all assessments, and then they get a financial bonus. the whole system is corrupt,
Thankyou ms Stoker for speaking out about ATOS i am sure it took a lot of courage for you to do so. And i wish you the very best for the future. It is so unfair that this is allowed to happen so so many people have to go through these medicals which r very stressful to begin with let alone be told “yeah you are fit for work ” when it is obvious you r not ” Its like them saying right no.1 person fit for work , no. 2 person yeah why not fit for work etc. The system is so so wrong in so many ways. ATOS should be STOPPED and brought before a judge for them to be told YOU ARE WRONG YOU ARE OUT OF A JOB ,, how would they feel ????? No One should be treated the way ATOS is treating people let alone people who r sick. Its all to do with money money money they ATOS r a profit driven organisition making money of the sick disabled people .
You should ask Xerox about the bogus disabled african migrants who’s disability assessments they’re currently translating for the DWP.
The only way Italy and France can pass on some of the 2,000 or so african migrants landing from pirate ships along the coastline and claiming asylum, is if they have a medical need that cannot be met in the EU country they land in first.
Xerox are DWP contractors for translation services as well as documentation.
Phone up and ask whether ATOS are doing the assessments in Italy and France – and which ‘government’ department its for.
Karin Wiggins
Translation Recruitment Specialist, CTC Europe
Creative and Technical Communications
Xerox Global Document Outsourcing
Aquasulis, 10-14 Bath Road
Slough, Berkshire, SL1 3SA, UK
Phone: +44 (0) 1753 70 4914 (Int. 8 692 4914)
Fax: +44 (0) 1753 70 4897 (Int. 8 692 4897)
karin.wiggins@xerox.com
…I doubt if they are ‘disabled’ at all…so the assessments can be rigged either way, for the sake of expediency! They are getting your money by pretending to be disabled, to keep the EU entente cordiale happy….
It seems it never occurred to the government that a foreign it company doesn’t care about British disabled/sick people. As long as they get their £100 million every year. It actually pays them to find everyone fit to work. It makes them look good in the governments eyes. But then when Iain Duncan Smith makes comment’s such as ‘The 2 million people PARKED on Incapacity’ (Question Time), what can we expect. Perhaps someone shoulf tell him that the genuinely sick and disabled are not parked but in dire need of the benefits, the arrogant fool.
When and if this farce ever gets sorted and justice to the sick and disabled who have been so very wronged is established, every nurse, doctor and other health professionals that have worked as assessors for Atos, should be stripped of their right to continue to practice! God bless you for coming forward Ms Stoker, hopefully many more will follow your example!
10/10 for caring for patient welfare rather than targets. I also have a daughter who is at high risk of sudden death, but told she must work. Seems like 2 mins with an assessor determines whether they can claim benefits or not. Does GP, Hospital specialists x 5 years knowledge mean nothing? I too am a nurse whom also became a target of an evil money orientated system, because i refused to comply with evil practices. Thank you for not covering up, you can hold your head high.
This is causing me severe problems with my mental health, every morning when my post is delivered my head is a mess with fear and anxiety at the thought of picking up an envelope with atos on the back, surely this cant be allowed to continue in 21st century Britain.
As many have said, it is very courageous of you to speak out. In my own case i was taken off IB, which i had been on for 8 years, in July 2012 and was placed in WRAG. When i appealed it was ignored and i am awaiting a tribunal appeal.
The nurse that did my assessment said that within 18 months i would be able to resume working again. This is despite my medical records, and those held by the DWP for other benefits that i get, confirming my health is deteriorating not getting better.
The nurse that decided this? I have never met her in my life!! I wasn’t asked to attend a medical for ESA, although i have been for 4 medicals regarding other benefits over the last 5 years. It doesn’t take a genius to work out they are on piece rate and the more they get in to WRAG, or better still back on to JobSeekers allowance the better their bonuses.
I’ve seen first hand the disgusting treatment that ATOS dish out. Clearly not driven to help those in need, but to remove these people from the support group budget – whether they are capable of work or not.
My father fought the might of ATOS and the DWP for THREE years. He was seriously ill with several conditions – suspected to include cancer although it was never found. Of his conditions, one was that his arteries in his neck were blocked – 1×100% and 1×89%. He had lost 1/2 his bodyweight and gone from a muscular 16 stone down to a frail 7 1/2 stone in just 2 1/2 years. During his assessments with ATOS he could not walk unaided by another person, could not stand without being helped up. He was weak, frail, very poorly and looked like a dead man walking. He had reams of medical evidence (his actual medical notes which he paid for) to support his case – despite this ATOS refused him access to support group monies and deemed he was fit to work. He FINALLY won a tribunal at the 3rd attempt and was granted support group status – within FOUR weeks of his tribunal win, he DIED from the condition that ATOS had stated he was perfectly fit for work whilst suffering from.
SICK and DISABLED people are being treated terribly by our government. My Dad was frail, weak and he looked like he had already died LONG before the end. How can these people classify these people as fit to work when they have SO MUCH wrong with them? It;s a disgrace.
Something needs to happen – writing to our MPs has got us nowhere. We haven’t even received a response from our local MP (who was familiar with my Dads case as my Dad had been writing to him throughout!)
People need to stand and do something, and make their feelings known. I will be the first one standing on the line should people decide to make their feeling known. It’s a disgrace – a dying man was deemed fit to go to work, just to save a few quid. He had worked from 14 years old until he was 57 and got ill. It’s a disgrace
http://www.tellmystory.org.uk/index.html
Please look at this site and if you feel that you can contribute then tell your story.
I find myself asking myself is this some kind of disabled and sick people’s cleansing?
I congratulate the nurse for blowing the whistle. If only more health professionals made a stand against ATOS.
It’s a form of social cleansing Nick, similar to that which the Nazis in pre WW2 Germany perpetrated on the country’s sick and disabled. They did this quite a while before they finally picked on the Jewish population, but people now either don’t know about it or it gets lost in the horror of the holocaust. The Tory government are clearly perpetrating the same sort of pogrom on the sick, disabled and elderly of Britain. However, I have a feeling that if the Tories are allowed to stay in power it will affect a lot more than the sick and disabled.
Yes agree it is social cleansing, seems we have leart nothing from what happened in the 2nd world war, thought this country which trys to tell the rest of the world how to behave, now behaves the same as nazi germany, where will this end up I ask myself?
If you read the history book, history is repeating itself only in this country, which i never thought it would,after what happened before.
This nurse is a good lady and I am sorry she lost her faith though rightly so with ATOS. I darest not say what I would have done on resigning if in her shoes but the manager would not have been happy with me. Then again I am disabled. I have had a few medicals one with a doctor which lasted about 5 minutes. I read somewhere about “cherry picking” and I can only assume I was cherry picked. Truth is ATOS sanctioned by the DWP are committing fraud (should I spell it freud) at every medical of this I am sure. It is time medical professionals were struck off their college registers once they take up employment with ATOS for committing this freud – they are supposed to work in positions of care, nothing else.
thank you micheal walsh I don’t get many laughs but yours did freud yep but sadly its too true they kill more of us daily with their abuse jeff3
anyone that works for ATOS should be named and shamed
I too am a nurse, I praise you greatly for your compassion, and your empathy with these people. You are really brave, informing everyone about this. I was wondering about the doctors, they should be struck off immediately, they are certainly not fit for practise. It will always be the nurse who is struck off never the Dr. I wish you all the best.
Congratulations on your brave stand. As a retired mental health nurse it concerns me how people with mental health problems have been treated. Does anyone know if ATOS has any connection with the job advisory groups some of which are sub contractors to G4S? If so is it possible that the reason so many are placed in the WRAG is to ensure they get their premium payments. There is a definite whiff if not stink of corruption going on at the expense of the weak and defenceless. Is there anyone out there investigating this?
A very principled and brave lady. My HCP a nurse said as I left assessment. “I hope you go on alright” she then sat and wrote a report that is totally skewed, full of mistakes and lies. I just couldn’t do that
at the end of my appeal process I am going to make an official complaint. I have contacted my MP and MEP.
I have been wondering what would happen if everyone who was given an report, which had inaccurate or blatent lies included, made an offical complaint against the person making it. If a doctor to the GMA if a nurse to their regulatory authority. Wold they be so quick to complete ATOS’ bias software package if they risked being disciplined or even struck off the Doctor’s or Nurse’s registers?
I can’t understand how anyone can carry out such work and still remain registered by the GMC. As has already been stated surely their actions are against the ethos of this organisation. I would think that when they sign their name it should be followed by Former registered nurse.
If everyone did. I’m sure that it would go a long way towards bringing ATOS to their knees. Not only should doctors and nurses employed by ATOS be struck off the register but bearing in mind 11,000 people have died they should be facing manslaughter charges and the police should be involved. If it was your general practitioner he or she would face manslaughter charges and a prison sentence.
I have that dreaded appointment with ATOS on Monday morning. If I don’t get the result that I want. I shall be appealing and my MP and MEP shall get to hear of it too.
One thing Id like to know… DO these managers hold a medical Qualification and if not what gave them the right to over ride a Qualified Medical Person
The answer to that question I think is a definite no. What right they have to override a medical professional is something that is baffling me.
I found this onthe NMC website under codes of practice and standards required of nurses.
Record keeping: Guidance for nurses and midwives
42. You must keep clear and accurate records of the discussions you have, the assessments you make, the treatment and medicines you give and how effective these have been
I don’t think any ATOS nurse meets these conditions.
I’ve got my so called medical check up tomorrow and I shall most certainly be keeping a record.
Good luck Nick. I was knocked off last year. They even refused to rearrange my tribunal as it clashed with a MRI scan on the same day. The nurse told a pack of lies, and the tribunal weren’t much better. Luckily I have a good occupational pension and will receive my OAP soon. So I’ve told the DWP what to do with their benefit. One thing take a note pad. If you see a nurse (which most assessor are now) ask her for her full name, amd HMC pin number (registration number). Make it quite clear that you expect your replies to be fully recorded, not one of their tick the box choices, on the lima software. And if they are not them you will lodge a complaint with the NMC for breach of their code in relation to accurate record keeping.
wish you well Nick. I hope you are taking someone with you. I am similar to you Stephen. I haven’t had my tribunal yet. If I lose I will live on my savings until I get my pension. I have felt like chucking it in but I am so incensed by the injustice I will carry on. If I can give support to anyone else I will do so even when it is over. I have been driven to the point where suicide was a serious option.
Wishing you well for your Tribunal. If the first Tribunal fails, there is a 2nd Tier you can appeal to. That’s what I’m waiting for at the moment. I think for this you may need a lawyer, as the appeal has to be on a point of law as far as I am aware. The whole system is cruel and someone should be held to account.
Joyce Drummond on March 17, 2013 at 11:42 pm said:
Wishing you well for your Tribunal. If the first Tribunal fails, there is a 2nd Tier you can appeal to. That’s what I’m waiting for at the moment. I think for this you may need a lawyer….
As of the 1st April legal aid has been cancelled. My lawyer fees are going to be £105ph as I suspect out of the reach of most peoples income.
Thank you Stephen, RG and Joyce for your kind well wishes. I shall let you know how I got on later.
I am writing a letter to my MP with a string of questions and I want straight answers and I won’t let go until I get them.
I also want to start a campaign to bring these ATOS nurses to justice and struck off the medical register. They are under oath to save lives not sign death warrants.
I would urge anyone who maybe contemplating suicide. Please, please don’t do it. Think of your families and friends and how it shall impact upon them. See your doctor straight away. Why give these evil politicians and ATOS the satisfaction? There is help available and the majority of NHS doctors and the BMC are to say the least scathing of this cruel and unfair system.
I am optimistic that the tide shall turn and the time shall come when ATOS nurses and doctors are held to account.
Would you believe it. I was on my way down to ATOS and then my mobile rang and it was a woman from ATOS to say that my appointment was cancelled because the doctor was off sick! Is the doctor stressed out by any chance? Unsurprisingly there is a huge turnover among ATOS and DWP employees.
Bad luck Nick, more weeks of worry until you get another appointment. I am expecting my welfare adviser this afternoon. She rang to say she was full of cold but did I still want her to come. You bet I do, it is this being in limbo that is getting to me. I have printed off the template letters to show her, but as I have previously stated I can’t get a GP appointment until next month. I find posting on here helps, I have no one other than my wife to confide in.
As I have said elsewhere, my advisor, came did all the paper work then dropped the bombshell that they have altered her contract and she is no longer allowed to attend tribunals. I have spent yesterday afternoon and all day today trying to get someone to help me at the tribunal. I have not been able to find anyone. At this stage I am letting the appeal run and I will have to see on the day whether I am fit enough to attend unrepresented. I should have been an alcoholic, drug abuser, assylum seeker, a convict, or terrorist to mention just a few then I may have got some help.
The doctor was sick? Do ATOS employ any doctors? All I’ve seen is nurses who haven’t a clue what they’re doing.
ATOS do indeed employ doctors, last two who i saw that supplied DWP with signed custom made pointless medical reports were registered GP’s (you can check details of licensed practitioners on GMC website), they both chose to use deception during exam to create false Mental State Examination findings to present as fact-based medical evidence that allows giving 0 MH points for too. One was also working as a GP at a city about 25 miles away, no mystery as to why he travels so far to do his dodgy part time work. GMC say that to be registered you must follow their rules & guidelines but they won’t do anything about doctors who are working for atos when they breach rules, they will tell you it is the employer who must investigate malpractice allegations, unless they choose not to.
Have a look at this website http://issuu.com/atosvictims/docs/lima-v2-technical-manual?mode=window&pageNumber=2. It’s the computer manual for the LIMA software used by ATOS for assessments. It proves that it’s easier for the assessor just to pick one of the answers suggested by the software than actually record the paients replies verbatum. In other words it makes the assessors lazy. After all it’s a lott easier to click a mouse to tick a box rather then type what the paient replied.
Any doctors or nurses employed by ATOS are probably quacks and they should be struck off the register. They are a disgrace to their profession and any doctor or nurse employed by ATOS are not worth their weight in gold.
Did I read correctly? An Atos doctor OFF SICK. Surely that cannot be true. Is he dead? I reckon he must be considering this same doctor will have passed as fit for work, people with no limbs , people with brain tumours and other cancers , people totally immobile as a result of arthritis and people with one foot in the grave. My heart bleeds for this doctor, when is his funeral. Or as suspected he has a cold and a runny nose. Makes me sick.
Yes, you did read it correctly.I was just about to get on the bus to go to my appointment and then my cell phone rang. I was told that the doctor (that’s if he really is a doctor)was off sick. I have my appointment rescheduled for Monday 8th April. A friend shall be coming with me and she knows how to answer and ask the awkward questions.
I have been trying to apply for ESA for the last 2 years, unsuccessfully, despite having an enduring genetic mental health disorder and musculo-skeletal problems. I received the result of my second ESA assessment this morning. I received 0 points and will have to appeal again.
My health began to improve a few years ago when I was receiving contributory IB and was allowed to do 2 hours a week supported, permitted work. This helped boost my self esteem. Over the last year, it has been noticed that my health has deteriorated due to the stress of trying to apply for ESA. I have become so ill that I have had to leave my supported work, with a great knock to my self esteem. How on Earth can the Govt, the DWP and Atos justify this? I have become more ill, but I am apparently ‘fit for work.’
Thats really bad. I hope you can successfully get the ESA soon. My friend is having a right battle with it at the moment.
Thank you.
holly come accrosss to dwpexamination.org it doesn’t cost and get help filling in your esa or dla forms its free and will help you throu jeff3
Thank you. Yes, I will take a look.
http://slightlypeevedoff.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/esa-tribunal-result-its-not-easy-being.html
This is a facebook friends blog post about her tribunal. She too scored nil points despite them being told she has agraphobia and ptsd. I think they seem to really miss out mental health problems.
Karen, I’m sorry to hear of your friend’s outcome at the tribunal. Again, this is another example of government cost-cutting at the expense of the sick and the disabled. What angers me is the hypocrisy in which it is delivered. Cameron & Co. have no qualms in taking money out of the pockets of the needy and then blowing £10 million on the sycophantic, kowtowing spectacle which will be Margaret Thatcher’s funeral. ‘Discretion’ is a word that seems to elude the Tory Party.
I went for re-assessment for my IB a few years ago and the DR. examining me said ‘Off the record, you shouldn’t be here. You need to be left in peace.’ I passed and was given IB again. It was the same DR. who did my Atos ESA application exam a few years later, and I failed. The test completely ignores the written evidence from mental health consultants. I can only say that mental health and the associated physical health problems are wilfully ignored by the DWP. I hope your friend gets the help she is entitled to and is treated with the respect she deserves. That goes for all of us.
I Sill have not heard when my tribunal is. My GP was shocked when I said I was going by myself because I had no one to go with me. I have decided to go even if I am on my hands and knees
its OK coming forward now, but why go against the code in the first place,they only work for atos for self gain, these health care nurses are not above the law as atos would have people believe, my last assessment was a complete sham, the hcp twisted everything i said, the medical report was not within evidence based protocols,i have no sympathy for these nurses and i will never trust a nurse again as long as i live, and the next nurse that falsifies a medical report on mine then i am tacking legal advise.
what an aptley named company because they dont give ATOS. I recently went with my husband who suffers mental health issues along with back problems.we took medical evidence with us. but it appears hes fit for work according to their assesment he scored … wait for it… 0. everything we said has been twisted and distorted. no wonder a lot of the public think all people on benefit are faking. What a disgrace this is when we went there was a cardboard notice on the floor by the assesment room that read bomb drop ? is this another of there sick jokes.
we came in on monday to find the letter from dwp to say our last payment for IB will be on the 26th of this month. AT 59 I now cant sleep feel constanly sick with worry for our future or lack of it. I have phoned them straight away to lodge an appeal and spent the last couple of days on the phone trying to get help CAB and WR have both been good. but my husband has a history of suiside attemps when stressed as he cant cope with pressure. how is this a caring equal society. this govement and all concerned with these changes should hang their heads in shame. yes changes are needed but not like this. this whole system is a sham and not fit for purpose.
at 59 i have osteoarthritus in both knees can hardly walk have other problems now have all this worry on top.and by the way I
claim no benefits what so ever at the moment but am waiting to hear if i can get dla.
then again I suppose I can crawl the streets with a begging bowl or will they say that means I, fit for work!?
The sign by the door was probably put there by a disabled person, as a joke. Whatever the reason it’s there, I’d've phoned the police and told them about it, mentioning that I thought it was some sort of protest measure and that it’s uncertain what it really means. I’d ask them if they could come and take a look at it. THAT WOULD MAKE IT INTO THE NEWSPAPERS! It would be even more likely to make it into a newspaper if someone photographed it with their phone, or camera. Oh, yeah!
this hcp should have come forward sooner rather than latter,i have no sympathy for here what so ever, they should all be struck of, they only work for atos for self gain, they do no adhere to the code of practice, then they look for sympathy, i for one will not trust another nurse ever again.
I do not expect your, or anyone’s sympathy.
You are wrong to be critical of other healthcare professionals who work very hard and are extremely caring.
Why is it wrong to be critical of HealthCare Professionals who do not adhere to the code of practice?
Why is it wrong to critical of Nurses or anyone else for that matter who work in the caring professions who are below par in their jobs?
In mine and thousands of others opinions those nurses and Doctors who work for Atos and any other so called assessment companies are betraying their profession and more importantly the patients/customers?
As for castigating those who work as HCPs, I think you’ll find that we only despise those who take money from such companies as Atos and proclaim to be offering a good service, a service which in the end has led to over 1400 deaths so far?
I think anyone’s ability to practice be it either as a nurse or a doctor who decides that a paraplegic who needs 24/7 care cannot speak and is doubly incontinent that this person is “Fit for Work” is an utter monster and should be hounded from the profession?
The case I mention above is not a one off, cases like and similar to this are a regular occurence so please don’t defend these people?
Maybe If more people in the so called caring professions were held to account then their wouldn’t be horrendous cases of elderly people starving in hospitals, or being so bloody thirsty that they have to drink from flower vases, sure there are some great nurses and doctors but the ones who take money for making fraudulent fitness to work reports are disgusting vermin nothing more and nothing less…..
Neither Jane or I look for, or expect sympathy.
We took jobs, in good faith, and left as soon as we realised that there was no way to beat the system.
Life would have been much easier for us both if we hadn’t spoken out.
As for self gain- Had I stayed another 1 month in the employ of Atos I would have been entitled to 5 years sick pay.
It was the fact that we did care that led to our resignations and whistleblowing.
Both of us were advised that we were “too nice” to claimants, Jane in England 20012, me in Scotland 2009.
Joyce Drummond.
Joyce
I have praised you 100% for what you did, it must have taken loads of courage but for someone to tell others that they have no right to be critical of HCPs is absolutely ludicrous?
She should not have made that comment do you not agree? I have no intention of falling out with you over this as I admire what you did?
I am unsure which HCP’s Jane referred to. There are caring compassionate Health Care Professionals throughout the caring professions.They include doctors, nurses, and all professionals allied to medicine.
In the cast of HCPs who work for Atos. I can offer no defense, if they stay after they realise what is expected of them. It is so different from nursing, as we know it, that it takes a while to realise what is expected of you.
joyce..i will tell you what is expected…to fiddle any report that the atos scum deem has to be…not care a danm about the human being sitting there…and when it comes to mental health issues for example then to be qualified not just trained(there is a difference)since it is all about money atos is an i.t company driven by profit and nothing else…PROFIT NOT COMPASSION…your in trouble if you do because it’s a waste of the conpany’s time.
Hi Joyce I have 100% admiration for you for blowing the whistle on ATOS. Blowing the whistle on huge organistions is not easy to do and you deserve praise not condemnation. We need more people like you.
I wouldn’t of sent you details of a TV Company looking for people who understand and know the inside workings of Atos If I disrespected you or any other whistleblower Joyce?
My opinions are mine and everyone else’s are theirs?
Just a question Joyce? Why would a Nurse who enters a caring profession go and work for such a company with a poor reputation in the first place? I think people find it strange that anyone in the so called caring professions would allow themselves to be used by such a corporate monster?…
joyce..atos never say their nurses are qualified in mental health issues only trained..so this does not give them the right to assess anyone at all unless they are qualified to do so and so the next i intend to demand to see their credentials in full..to have it recorded and to inform anyone else going through this travesty that they to have legal rights and that these money grabbing bastards HAVE NO RIGHT to deny them…how many more dead bodies do they want..and why do so many as what i can loosely call nurses with to work for these scumbags…THE FIGHT GOES ON.
Atos’ get out clause for that is that HCPs do not carry out physical or mental health assessments- they carry out functional assessments.
Atos provide training on assessing people’s ability to function.
I know it sounds bizarre, it was bizarre to me at first as well, until I realised what it actually meant, in real life terms.
Sorry, just catching up with emails.
Ican’t speak for anyone else, but in my case I applied for a job with Atos in 2009. In all honesty at that time I had heard nothing about the company. The job seemed fairly straightforward as it was explained to me. You assessed people for benefit. It took several months for the penny to drop, that everyone was set up to fail. You have to understand, everyone else seemed to have no problem with what they were being asked to do. I believed that it was a failing on my part,in the beginning, to grasp the concept of this kind of “functional assessment”. I make no excuse, but I hope this serves as an explanation.
Allot of people don’t know anything about ATOS and you did what you did in good faith as you said. If you had have been even remotely aware of what was going on. You would have never taken on the job. It is those who continue to work for ATOS and knowingly partake in sending hapless claimants to early graves that should be under scrutiny, not you or any other former ATOS nurses who blow the whistle on these evil people.
This whole ATOS examination process is corrupt. Does anyone know if they receive a bonus for the number of people they find fit to work. If they do I suggest they are obtaining money by false pretences. I do not know of any other organisation whether, in the employ of the government or not,
who are allowed to get away with peddling lies. Where are all the civil rights lawyers???? I can accept if someone has a different opinion about my work capability. What I don’t accept is that someone interviews me and then writes a report that is full of lies and distortions. My report contains observations that were dreamed up and
findings from examinations that never took place. Sadly I think the protests about PIP have pushed WCA on the back burner. I will no doubt be subjected to a PIP assessment, this time I won’t be screwed over by a professional Liar.
@RG I don’t know if ATOS receives a bonus for the number of people that they find fit for work but I would hazard a guess that they do. No other organisation would get away with fabricating such lies. If doctors and nurses working within the NHS concocted such lies then the you know what would soon hit the pan. Google Samuel Miller disability expert. When you are called by ATOS again take someone with you.
It was not your place to have to recognise what ATOS were up to with those assessments any more than it was up to the builders of shower blocks in German extermination plants to have premonitions about what they would be used for, later. They were told to build shower blocks for people to have large group showers in. Okay…they built them. What they wouldn’t've realised, because they couldn’t've realised, was…the shower units would go on to be used to gas hundreds of thousands of Jews to death, instead of getting them clean.
You are guilty of precisely nothing! If ATOS had a chance, they’d gas everybody on benefit and reach out for their handshakes and their bonuses! You went for a job…it was nothing more sinister or ill-intentioned than that.
I am currently holding evidence that staff in at least one “JobCentre +” establishment is DEFINITELY WORKING TO INTERNALLY SET TARGETS, in their interviews of claimants! Problem is…I am unsure as to what to do about it.
Publish that info Ian? If you don’t wish to for whatever reasons then I’m more than willing to do so?????
It would show as being traceable back to me. Can you imagine what arrest would be like for a guy whose agoraphobia has housebound him for the past 13 years? If I send it to you, or to any other recommended place, it’s still back-traceable to me, even indirectly and that would then make me an accessory to any crime reached for by the desperate State oppression system.
In the end, it’s a game of consequences: if I don’t, I have less to worry about and, if I do, I have plenty to make the other 8 psychiatric ailments from which I suffer far, far worse than they currently are.
However, would you like me to check with the source of the evidence and ask them if they would forward it to you? My guess is, from knowing them, that they would agree with a resounding YES! In the meantime, I’m going to need a less public communications resource, TO YOU, (E Mail address or other) so that I can send it. Any E Mail address to which you have access will suffice, I’m sure. Create a disposable one, if you prefer to.
I’d love to see this become public knowledge, especially in the face of Governmental denials of there being no targets involved in the process. Trust me…get me a contact address of some form. Nothing postal.
Ian
If you contact me through the contacts page I’ll give you some contact details for possible interested parties who would make very good use of this, even better than myself publishing it?
Okay.
i just like many thousands of sick and disabled have suffered a the hands of these caring Health care professionals, 15 abnormality’s to the upper body suddenly diaper, ex-ray and medical evidence from hospital consultants, and doctors reports totally ignored, your treated just like scum from the moment that you enter the building, every word that you speak is turned against you, atos state we do not conduct medicals it is an assessment, you as a registered nurse knows full well that you have a duty of care to your patient, is that not what you agree to when your issued your license to practice, i commend you for speaking out, but i do not commend you or anyone else for there participation in degrading and demoralizing and the inhumane destruction of the most vulnerable, and you have the audacity to tell me not to be critical of the caring hcp that work for atos, tell that to the thousands that have lost there lives or there loved-ones.
Hello,
I’m new here but have also suffered at the hands of ATOS and the DWP.
I’ve had three assessment done by ATOS, the first one I went to with a fractured ankle and was deemed unfit for work. The second which in 2010 I was deemed fit for work even though I suffer with depression, anxiety/agoraphobia and need someone to come with me when I go outside.. I appealed that and had to wait a year for the appeal in the meantime my mental health was getting worse due to financial issues. I won the appeal which was in March 2011… they left me from then until May before sending me yet another form to fill in, again the same thing happened, I attended the medical and was deemed fit for work, so again I appealed, my mental state was getting worse and in the end I was put on pills and reffered for CBT, I had to wait 18 months for this appeal because the tribunal services lost my paperwork and only realised when I decied to chase it up and ask how much longer I’d be waiting.. I’ve just won my appeal in January 2013, today I get another form to fill out *sigh* So we can guess what’s going to happen again only this time if it does happen I really will be in the crap, I won’t be entitled to child benefit or family allowance because my son is 20 this year. So now I’m sat here worrying how I’m going to cope if they do this again to me.
I’m going to get a medical report from my doctor stating my problems and I also have a letter with the diagnoses for my mental issues. Does anyone think this will help me at all and is there anything else I can do to avoid them saying I’m well enough to work? They always base it on the fact that I don’t rock in my chair and that I speak properly to them lol.
Do I need to sit and rock and pretend not to understand them! *Sigh* Fed up of it now, why don’t they get the real culprits who fraud them and the illegal immigrants over here instead of picking on proper ill people!
Hello Kerrie and welcome.
Additional evidence is often not looked at whatsoever, the DWP and Atos use the excuse that wrong decisions are made because people fail to provide them with enough evidence, we all know this is pure bullshit.
The majority of people take evidence with them to their assessments but it’s never looked at even though the Atos HCP should read it and phot copy it and add it to your file, my suggestion is one to always go with someone and also DEMAND that your assessment be audio recorded, you have to request this from Atos, also put this request in any forms you have to fill out.
Many people are now covertly audio/video recording their assessments because we know Atos and the DWP cannot be trusted.
I would also contact your local MP and local media like radio,newspapers, even go to the national press, it’s worked for quite a few people?
I would also put it in writing to Atos and the DWP that you beleive that you are being harrassed and that you will not hesitate to take legal action if the harrassment continues, this sometimes works but is not guaranteed?
Your story is like the vast majority of peoples, don’t give up though, don’t let the bastards grind you down.
Another suggestion is that you make sure you have a paper trail, I personally won’t talk to the DWP or Atos, I demand that any communication from them is in writing, that way they cannot dent saying things that they then deny later on, Hope this may of been some use?
Glad your here with the rest of us people fighting for Justice….
Ahh some good advice there, well I’ll put that on my form about it being recorded but otherwise I’ll try and do what others do just in case and take my phone and record it on that.
So if I contact my local MP and the press do I just explain what ATOS and the DWP have done to me and that I feel harassed and victimized?
I’ll also do what you suggested about sending letters to DWP and ATOS saying about the legal action.
At my last appeal I wasn’t well at all, the panel could see I wasn’t, I produced a letter with the diagnoses of my mental problems, they asked me some questions, I would say I was in that room for about 10 minutes before the appeal was over. They could see I was ill, they had read my report from my doctor. My Mum went back into the room to get the decsion and when she came back out she looked a bit teary, she had told the panel that she felt that I was being victimised and harrassed, she’d explained what had happened previously with the last appeal, that I’d won it and no sooner had I won it they were taking my money from me again and they sat there and looked gob smacked. So if they can see that I am ill, why can’t the medical assessors see it? Why should I have to act worse than I already am just so they will listen and acknowledge that I’m not well. I don’t want to be ill, I’d gladly go and get a job, I’m bored half of the time, but is someone going to take someone who can’t handle being in social situations, who needs to have someone with them? I don’t think so.
I’m not a dole scrounger and I could understand if I was, I’m someone who has health issues and I’m trying my very best to sort them but each and every time this happens it just knocks me back down because I end up financially hard up again.
Thanks very much for the info, I’m going to see if my local MP has an email address and see if I can get any job that way, I’ll also look up the local paper. Sorry for rambling but I really am tired of it all now, I just want ATOS and the DWP to leave me alone and accept I’m not well.Plus who are they to say that I’m fit for work when it’s a 20 minute appointment that concentrates on your skeletal structure rather than your mental well being! They don’t even know me.
Hi Kerry,
When you write to your MP just explain to him or her exactly what has happened. He or she shall have to take notice. I think the more that those who have been unfairly treated by ATOS they need to contact their MPs and if people inundate them with letters, they shall have to take notice. I would go as far to say that you should arrange a meeting with your MP when he or she next has his or her surgery. I wish you the very best of luck.
Thanks btw it’s Kerrie!
So many people do that hehe.
Well I’ve just emailed him and explained what has happened since 2009 and that I feel that I’m not being listened to and that I’m being harassed and victimized.
The problem with arranging a meeting with him is, I have agoraphobia and find it hard to go out at the best of times, I don’t converse with people too well because I’ve now become sort of jittery? and almost cry when I’m talking to someone I don’t know :/ Makes me feel really stupid sometimes.
Kerrie I know exactley how you feel. I care for my husband who has back and mental health issues, Atos has declared with DWP that he is fit for work. We received a letter in the middle of april that our last payment for IB would be 26th april, I have had to fill in forms and trying to cope with appealing plus pay bills. I have been worried sick how we are going to manage, I have been so bad now the DR. is treating me for stress. Welfare rights have been a big help and are going to represent us when we finally get an appeal. I c\n see I will also be appealing my claim for DLA that has been turned down despite the fact I have severe osteoarthritus in both knees and cant stand let alone walk without pain or discomfort even after taking painkillers. I know its hard but dont give in try and get help if possiable. If you havent already try welfare rights they really are helpful.
Hi Kerrie. What about if someone comes with you and when you are called by ATOS you should definatelly take someone with you and record everything if you can.
Kerrie, You are not alone. It is callous and wrong, what they put people through. By being so brave and speaking out, we can turn this trickle of condemnation, into a flood.
So when I write the letters to ATOS and the DWP am I sending them to complaints?
Hi Kerrie. I sympathise with what you’ve been put through. You are ill and you are clearly being victimised but the ”powers that be” will plead that “it’s the computer” and it’s “nothing personal”. In my opinion, blaming the computer for everything is a poor excuse. It’s only as good as the idiot pressing the keys. They only have to check your records to know that you’ve been assessed enough times. They’ll keep calling people back, time after time until they get the result that they want. This is bullying: pure and simple. They are taking money from the weak and vulnerable because they are too scared to go after the real culprits: the corporate tax avoiders and the overpaid company directors who rake in obscene salaries and bonuses. Effectively, they are taking money from the sick and disabled and giving it to ATOS so they can take more off the sick and disabled. This Government and its departments are rife with malfeasance (the abuse of power and wealth in order to profit illegally). The only crumb of comfort that I can offer is that you are not alone in your suffering at the hands of these bullies.
Lol yeah, I mean the decision maker messed up the last time, I scored 0 when I ought to have gotten 9, my solicitor at the time made them look at it again! Useless, I mean ATOS have passed the buck and said well we don’t make the decisions that’s the dwp but the dwp when they don’t mess up are only going off the information that the person who assessed you as provided lol, so to me they are both to blame, not just one of them.
It is out of order Kerrie, I am sure the Govt said they were going to stop the endless repeating of WCA, then again they said a lot which are lies. I am still surprised that civil rights lawyers haven’t taken up our cause. In this day and age it cannot be right that an official body, the DWP, in collusion with a Govt contractor, ATOS can repeatedly use lies, tricks and down right dishonesty when dealing with the genuine sick and disabled. If this was taking place in any other country in the world Britain would be the first to lead an outcry
Yeah they are pretty sad really, you cannot tell after a 20 minute appointment that a person doesn’t have a mental problem and to base on the fact that they aren’t rocking in their cheer is stupid, mental illness manifests in different way, just because he didn’t think I was showing any signs of it when I was actually sat sweating and said numerous times to my Mum that I felt ill, doesn’t mean that I’ve got nothing wrong with me, it just means he wasn’t paying attention and was looking at his paperwork for the best part! also why would he have gotten me a drink of water if he thought I was ok? lol. Stupid person xD
I have an appointment later this month at the Chelmsford assessment centre,for what I cannot understand why.I took myself off the ESA claimant register from 25th,March,2013…..the letter ATOS sent warned of having my benefit payments stopped if I don’t attend!…..pray tell me,how can they stop something I NO LONGER receive?
In applying for JSA(because I WANT TO WORK)the DWP said NO payment available as my wife is in full time employment.It beggars belief that having paid my taxes in full since 1972,that this Government see fit to let an Englishman live on fresh air!……I can’t afford bread and water as I have no money.
God help the assessor when we are in the room together.
Go for it tjay, In July this year if I haven’t had a tribunal or I lose, I will be the same as you. I won’t get a job it isn’t worth even trying I have a medical record longer than the Magna Carta. I will have to manage until I draw my pension 14 months after that. When I sent my appeal papers back, I wasn’t so bad for a couple of weeks. Now that my appeal is close I am falling apart. I had an appointment with my GP on Wednesday, but I wasn’t well enough to attend. I desperately wanted to see her to find out where my promised report is. I cannot get an appointment with her for another 4 weeks!!!!!
ATOS has ruined the lives of many disabled people and ended the lives of some.
I would love to know how the change of system for benefits is supposed to save money, all it seems to be doing is causing unbelievable stress and suffering let alone how much its costing in appeals. Also the cost to the NHS in time and money from the sick and disabled in appointment and statements for appeals. What is wrong with a qualified doctor doing a proper assesment with medical records. Yes there will always be the few who will try and defraud the system, the same as in the workplace who fiddle expenses ect;(mentioning no names (MPs)). My husbands back problems are degenerate so the mental health issues go along with this, The magic alternate reality called ATOS/DWP should realise they can not cure peoples problems in the REAL world. I just get so angry that no mp or news group are making the general public more aware of the suffering going on.they are more interested in portraying anyone on benefit as scroungers with fags and booze in hand and upteen kids trailing behind.
How I’de love for cameron or IDS to swap with my hubby when he’s back goes into spasms or he feels so low because of the pain or how about swapping with me just trying to get round the supermarket when I’m in so much pain in my knees I want to cry.Sorry they cant they probably can afford private health care and the good old boys network of well paid jobs. ggggrrrr time to take another pill I think.
Some of your comments are really sad
I’ve even emailed number 10 about thier crap benefit system. I’ve also emailed my MP like someone above advised, I’m going to my doctors to ask her to do a medical report or whatever for me, I know it may not work but when I send the evidence and form I’m going to put in a nice letter telling them if they don’t look at my medical evidence properly and deem me fit for work once more that I’m going to sue them. I will not be harassed and victimized by people who don’t know me and think that I am fit for work after a crappy 20 – 30 medical where all the bloody well do is focus on your skeletal structure, I’ll also state in my letter that they need to learn about mental illnesses before deeming someone fit just because they aren’t rocking in their damn chair. What bothers me is, I’ve won both of my appeals, the 2nd appeal couldn’t have lasted anymore than 10 minutes and why? because my medical evidence told it all and because they could see I was in a state and almost crying, if this panel of people can look at me and my evidence and decide that I am unfit for work in less than 15 – 20 minutes then wtf is going wrong with ATOS and the DWP! The DWP screwed up in the first place, gave me 0 points and then they were asked to look at it again and gave me 9… ATOS medical person did nothing but contradict himself in my report, all he was focused on was me weight and me not rocking in my chair lol and yet he offered me a drink when I walked into the room, go figure. It’s not like I’m sat here not trying to help myself, I’ve had meds, non worked, I’ve had counselling, didn’t work, I’ve been for CBT worked with my past issues to a degree and I’ve now contacted cruse bereavement counselling because I believe the death of my Dad in 2008 has cause the anxiety/agoraphobia that I have, I have not been able to grieve for him properly because of certain things, but I’m willing to try and help myself, I also get gout and since July 2013 the attacks are more frequent and the doctors don’t have a clue on how to help me lol, I’ve so many problems and my weight is blamed for them each and every time, but I was losing weight up until my Dad died, it’s a big vicious circle, I don’t want to be on any form of benefits and be harassed but why should I force myself into work when I know full well that I won’t even make it to the job lol. It’s like they find it easier to pick on disabled people. What about the immigrants why not send them back then this country may have more money, they only come here because they can get money easier here, they’ve admitted to it! I’ve also emailed number 10 about that too LOL. I’m not going to give up, I’m more determined this time than I was the last two. So when I go to my medical I am going to rock in my chair like a lunatic, I’m not going to wash, because that’s another they use, if your clean your ok lol. Does anyone know of a solicitor that would help sue ATOS/DWP for harassment?
ATOS willy nilly classify people fit for work regardless of how bad ones disability or illness. They are being to the tune of one hundred and ten million a year to get people off benifits.
That’s silly though because it’s not really saving the government money when people like myself are appealing! The government need to catch themselves on and realise that ATOS are just using them as cash cow really.
I just have a question, someone suggested that I put in writing to ATOS and the DWP that I believe I’m being harassed and that I’ll take legal action if they continue with it, but what do you guys think I ought to say? I’m not exactly brilliant at writing letters to idiots like ATOS and DWP lol.
Thanks in advance
Hi,cant belive what is going on with this,i have just got the forms to fill in and the stress is already killing me,i have been on a lot of sites but this one seems to be the most informative thanks to a kindly nurse,Why should people who are sick and unable to work have to live with this kind of stress,i myself have several things wrong with me,Partialy sighted due to tumour removal,left with permanent double vision,neuropathy in most of my body due to diabetes,Major hormone problems due to a pituitary problem,and much more,my mental state is sucidal at the best of times,and this is just taking my mind to another level,These evil people who dont understand illness are turning this into life or death situations,they dont understand tablet side affects,peoples state of mind etc!!Because they DONT WANT TO,AND DONT CARE!!!
I understand your frustration at the Welfare system.
Immigrants are not the enemy- Westminster/DWP/ Atos are. We must remember that this is a class war and stand together in Solidarity with each other.
Hi im having the same problems atos scored me no points told lies in my report the decision maker failed me to with nil points they dismissed the lies in atos report now its just going to appeal.. very sad and distresd over all this how can they get away with lieing my daughter was with me and they said they couldn’t take her word neither!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Please help ive no idear what to do next..
Ann
First of all welcome.
Just like the majority of people who come to this site they’ve all experienced the same problems as yourself and that includes myself.
You have to treat Atos/DWP as an enemy, the lie that’s put about by themselves that they are there to help is a complete load of hogwash, the assessment process is there to trip you up, to deny you your rightful entitlement to your benefits, to deny you your disability or sickness?
I would make a formal complaint to Atos and to the DWP, I would send a copy of your complaints also to your local MP and get him to look into your case also, sometimes a letter arriving from an MP on headed paper will make a difference sometimes it won’t but it’s worth trying.
You could also try contacting local and national press about your situation, the newspapers and the media in general are publishing more and more stories surrounding this issue?
In future I would also demand that your assessment is audio recorded, you need to request this to Atos, any form you fill in let them know you want your assessment recorded, many of us also covertly record our assessments for protection, if you get caught doing that they will stop the assessment, they will tell you all sorts of things about privacy etc and that it’s illegal, it isn’t ILLEGAL whatsoever, that’s an entirely personal choice you make about covert recording?
Also you need to get a paper trail going if you have not already done so, Atos/DWP are the biggest bunch of liars, do not talk to them on the phone, they can deny what they said, get them to put everything in writing, that way you have written evidence that you can later produce if needed.
Keep copies of everything, put together as much evidence as you can, from your GP, your hospital consultants, anyone who has treated you for anything, also get a copy of your medical records from your GP and the hospital, that can be invaluable, I did that a while ago.
Whenever you see a consultant at hospital and they write a letter to your GP etc get them to send you a copy, sometimes you can learn quite a lot and it can be very useful?
You will also find some useful links on my blogroll at the side of my website, many very useful info sites for people fighting the DWP and Atos, hope that’s been helpful and I’m glad your on board with the rest of us, please keep in touch and let us no how things develope.
ann please come accros to http://www.dwpexamination.org theres more to answer you on this abuse of our loving government its no cost its free and find people like us there jeff3
Great advice by Ann, sadly apart from forums such as these there is lttle support, CAB are overloaded, my local disability group has had their funding cut. I can’t get anyone to represent me at my upcoming tribunal, luckily I did get help in submitting my appeal papers. My GP has been supportive until it came to signing papers, I am having to chase these up again today. You are setting out on along journey, I am 10 months in. You will get fed up and feel like throwing the towel in, this is exactly what they want you to do.
This whole assessment system is a disgrace, it is corrupt, devious, and encourages so called health professionals to lie. The government know the opposition parties know, the BMA know, but due to adverse publicity against the sick and disabled the public appear to support action against our group.
listen theres still help out there but its hard to find it look to your councils a lot are now providing it whot cab use to do also your respective charitys mind heart old age cancer they all can help you its just looking for it jeff3