Atos benefit claimants face biased medical assessments, doctor alleges. Evidence for claims was never put forward by the company.

[esagestapo]

Now you know what you are up against, medical evidence you submit is hidden from doctors by ATOS, shower of bastards.

Medical assessments of benefit applicants at Atos Healthcare were designed to incorrectly assess claimants as being fit for work, one of the company's former senior doctors has claimed.

Greg Wood, a GP who worked at the company as a senior adviser on mental health issues, said claimants were not assessed in an "even-handed way", that evidence for claims was never put forward by the company for doctors to use, and that medical staff were told to change reports if they were too favourable to claimants.

The doctor claimed he resigned in disgust at what was going on, saying that many doctors he had spoken to shared his concerns. "I think the Department for Work and Pensions is the real culprit here. It's the government training that makes Atos assessors do this."

The work capability assessment is used for the government's employment and support allowance, a benefit paid to those too sick to work. Wood said that the assessors were trained in such a way that they expected claimants to score too few points to qualify for ESA, and to award points "begrudgingly".

The attitude drilled into assessors "leans towards finding reasons not to award points", he claimed. The result was a bias against the disabled, he said.

Last year the British Medical Association called for the tests to be scrapped to prevent harm to the most vulnerable people in society. Wood said that although his contract with Atos had a confidentiality clause, he was breaking it in the "public interest". He told the Guardian: "In my experience [Atos assessors] are not free to make independent recommendations, important evidence is frequently missing or never sought in the first place, medical knowledge is twisted and points are often wrongly withheld through the use of an erroneously high standard of proof."

He said if Atos assessors "show deviation from the official line they are instructed to change the report. In about a quarter of assessments important documentary evidence such as the claimant's own GP assessment is missing but the assessments go ahead regardless."

Although work capability tests were introduced by Labour in 2008, the coalition has rapidly expanded their use.

Atos – which last year processed almost 20,000 incapacity benefit claimants a week – has faced criticism after it emerged that a third (37%) of decisions appealed against were successfully overturned.

There have also been repeated claims that people with terminal cancer have been denied benefits as a result of Atos assessments and that the company sets out to strip people of benefits by making the tests arduous and degrading.

Labour MP Tom Greatrex, who has campaigned for reforms to Atos and the fitness to work test, said: "These are very serious and shocking allegations which must be urgently looked at. I have written to the prime minister today asking him to personally order an investigation.

"Those who can work should be helped into employment through effective back-to-work schemes, and those who can't through illness or disability should be supported. It's about helping people, not hounding them. Based on the evidence of Dr Wood this system is failing us all in the worst possible way."

In a statement Atos said it "completely refuted allegations made by Dr Wood that Atos Healthcare acts inappropriately or unethically. We never ask healthcare professionals to make any changes to a report unless there are specific clinical quality issues identified within it. A report that may need to be revised could, for example, be one where there is insufficient justification recorded to support the advice given.

"We do not deviate from government guidelines in our training. We do not have targets for getting people on or off benefits. We are a professional and ethical organisation which has carried out this work on behalf of the department for over a decade.

"Atos Healthcare conducts its business based on a code of ethics and a strong legal compliance culture. Like any other organisation we are, quite properly, subject to scrutiny. However, Atos Healthcare will take appropriate legal steps to defend itself and its employees where false and damaging allegations are made."

The Department for Work and Pensions said the claims had been "well-aired before". "A decision on whether someone is well enough to work is taken after a thorough assessment and consideration of all the supporting medical evidence provided by the claimant."

"There are absolutely no targets regarding how many people should be found fit for work and since 2010 we have considerably improved the work capability assessment (WCA) process. The percentage of people entitled to employment and support allowance is now at its highest level with over half of people completing a WCA eligible for the benefit."

[Hidden]

Yes over half are.... AFTER they have appealed

VG

[ladymoth]

I'm glad this brave doctor has blown the whistle!

There's nothing wrong with work capability assessments, if they are carried out in a fair and dignified manner, but we have all seen in the last few months how degrading and humiliating they have been.

Let's hope there will soon be a change for the better!

Moffy x

[tulips123]

They really do take the biscuit!..Every time that we hear of another ex-employee whistleblower, all telling the same tale, we hear the same song from ATOS, usually using dodgy well-spun numbers as 'evidence'.

If you are caught out basically liying time and time again, a 5 year old child will eventually get the idea that perhaps it's not the way to go!!

[SilkyJ]

The Government and Atos keep harping on about there being 'no targets' but why would the Government pay so much to a private company to assess the ill if they do not at least request that a certain number of people are refused incapacity, so that the Government can get the number of people claiming disability down for their own political motives. I would think that it was written into the contract so Atos would have to honour it. If we had a copy of the contract made between the DWP and Atos, I'm sure we would find written in there - possibly in the fine print.

It would be so much easier for Atos to just to let people be... so why would they cause such bad publicity for themselves unless the DWP/Government HAD set them targets.

It's all so very corrupt... but then most Governments are... it just seems this one is particularly so.

Silky x

[Hidden]

Regarding medical evidence supplied by the claimant, at my so called medical the letters i took with me which i offered to the inquisitor were declined as he said he didn't need to see them. Details of medication I was prescribed were incorrectly entered as was my relationship status and family details. Much of what I said was ignored or deflected or recorded inaccurately. In other words namely theirs I am AS FIT AS A FIDDLE, living the life of Riley. My heart aches for severely disabled people. The whole process is misleading, it is very difficult to find any advice, at times advice is contradictory. I cannot understand how a general medical practioner has the qualifications to judge illness or disability that at times a neurologist or rheumotologist or even senior pain consultants find hard to fathom. And an ordinary person is expected to explain why their body does what it does or doesn't or why they are tired in pain or just cannot lift bend sit etc. etc. The funny side is half the time feeling so foggy in the head makes it almost laughable.

[spidey in reply to Hidden]

I just hope that more ex or even current ATOS staff come forward to blow their whistles too. This doc is great for speaking out.

[soulsusie]

Bravo to the lovely Doctor for resigning.

[esagestapo]

Well if you want proof that ATOS is lying, look no further than the statement;

"We are a professional and ethical organisation which has carried out this work on behalf of the department for over a decade"

ATOS started doing WCA medicals in 2008, where did they get OVER A DECADE from?

At least we now know it is a waste of time sending medical evidence with the ESA/50 form, the best way round it is, make a note on the form that you will present your medical evidence in person when you get to the medical, to whoever is doing your assessment.

[mooo1967]

So dwp want to save money by getting us with genuine illness/disability off benefit? They spend how many millions/billions bringing in these agencies to discount our lives.......they did this a few years ago using A4E - didn't they gain millions in payment with barely any body securing gainful employment before going bust? I am sure something has to give especially with the brave whistleblowers speaking out xx

[suffolklass]

It's good to hear an "insider" speak out.

If Atos (and any other Government hired private contractor, eg Capita) assessed people reasonably and accurately the Government would save the cost of all the appeals which are submitted as a result of the poorly made judgements. Then independent assessments wouldn't be needed, not sure if these are used for ATOS but they are by Capita, saving even MORE money for the Government.

Perhaps the Serious Fraud Office should have a look at these contractors?

[mistymeana]

Saw a bit of the interview with him - poor guy was almost in tears at one point. Just hope his bravery and morality inspires others to come forward and tell the truth so the powers that be are forced to take notice.

[rivermountaindreamer]

So grateful to the courageous Doctor who has spoken out regarding the modus operandi of ATOS. All the predictable denials from DWP, ATOS, etc. but there is more and more evidence reaching the public domain about the corrupt practices of this company; in the end it will become like a leak that cannot be plugged and turns into a torrent. Meanwhile, I fear for everyone caught up in this inhumane system, I know it has brought a great deal of extra financial hardship, even more sleepless nights & emotional stress into my life, and it hasn't had a positive effect on my depression.

[dizzyduck]

I'd heard of this before. You must insist on you assessment being recorded. This way its recorded wwhen you say to the assessor "here are copies of all the evidece fron consultants and gps". This gives you the evedence to appeal ( taking an extra copy ) and send it in with your appeal slips. DWP will soon sit up and listen!!!!..also get in touch witk local mp and give them a copy too. Always protect yourself. Otherwise they will continue to assess people with crib shhet/tisc box. This absoluotly disgusting...wht should sick people always have b one hunp ahead. NOW WE ARE THE VUNERABLE,SICK,