Atos Quits :-)

[Kirby]

welfarenewsservice.com/atos...

Confirmation that Atos have quit. Now the DWP are looking for a new provider but I won't hold my breath that they'll be any better. I just hope lessons have been learned

Best wishes to all

[Hidden]

Just read about this on twitter Kirby.

I don't envy the next company coming in to do the job after witnessing what's happened to ATOS I am glad to see them go

How are you doing my friend?

Wishing you wellness and sending you healing and warming fluffies

xxxsianxxx

[Kirby in reply to Hidden]

Hi Sian

Yes I am glad to see them go but if we get another Atos in the form of G4S or Serco then it will be no victory. It's really the DWP who are the ones who need to get their act together, they make the rules after all.

I have a bit of a migraine today, trying to zap it!

How are you? Hope you're having a good day.

Healing wishes being sent your way and lots of furry meows

XX K XX

[Hidden in reply to Kirby]

Sorry about the migraine, fluffies will do their best to help bust it

Shall keep the furry meows away from from the hammies but thank you I do miss my moggy even though its been 7yrs since he went

I agree about DWP too but I think 'let's wait and see what happens'

xxxsianxxx

[Kirby in reply to Hidden]

Thanks - migraine bit better now! Took some Syndol (I have a few left still) and your fluffies must have helped too Feeling a bit washed out now still. Sorry about your moggy Always sad to lose a pet and you still miss them years after, bless their paws.

K xxx

[Hidden in reply to Kirby]

yep sure do xxx

[Kirby in reply to Hidden]

x x

[fenbadger in reply to Kirby]

Complete agreement Kirby. Someone said of the Russian Revolution - nothing's really changed, we just have different oppressors. It's only a win if they really do learn something. It was a good vote catcher at the time.

[Kirby in reply to fenbadger]

Good way of putting it, Fenbadger - different oppressors! We need the whole system to change, don't we? Not the name of the oppressors!

[fenbadger in reply to Kirby]

As Fairycake said on another thread "*fist pump*! We are fibro hear us roar!"

[Kirby in reply to fenbadger]

Yay! Love it

[Celticmoon in reply to fenbadger]

Totally agree... I do so wish they would reconsider everything. "Protocol" may gave been followed but the protocol needs to be reconsidered/changed!! If the questions asked don't cover things like FM & other "hidden" disabilities then no progress will have been made. It could be a case of being out of the frying pan & into the fire!!

Let's all hope some reforms are submitted & we are all treated fairly. That's all I hope, to be treated fairly - oh & with a little respect would be nice.

Wishing you well. xx

[Kirby in reply to Celticmoon]

I so agree with you, Celticmoon. We can but hope and continue to call for it. Bright blessings K xx

[Celticmoon in reply to Kirby]

Ah do I detect a kindred spirit here...? How lovely!! <3 Brightest Blessings are returned to you dear Kirby. xx

[Kirby in reply to Celticmoon]

You do indeed, Celticmoon! I thought you might be a kindred spirit going by your name Bright blessings xxx

[Celticmoon in reply to Kirby]

Funny how we tend to find each other!! <3

[Kirby in reply to Celticmoon]

Yes - funny or destined maybe! <3

[TheAuthor]

Hi Kirby

I have seen it on the news and I hope now that lessons have been learned, as you say.

Take care

Ken x

[Kirby in reply to TheAuthor]

Me too, Ken. Thanks - K x

[shazzap12]

It truly amazes me how people in power have so little common sense. We already have a perfectly good and accurate assessment solution in place Our Own GP's. They are trained qualified professionals who we already have access to, so no new test centres have to be made available. Just pay them the money and accept what they say, because they really know the patients and will have a true history of our disabilities. The government would save much more doing this, than they are trying to achieve with these current unfair, and demoralising practices.But I guess this is too simple a solution.

[Kirby in reply to shazzap12]

It is too simple, Shazzap, especially when the whole raison d'etre behind Atos was to strike as many people off disability benefits as possible. It was never about common sense or about fair assessments, sadly.

[Jeff1958]

The government are saying ATOS were in the wrong , yes they were , but they have both got blood on their hands , some good people have died because of these so called assessments , why didn't they just give us a thorough medical with a specialist ?

[Kirby in reply to Jeff1958]

Agreed, Jeff. It's easy for the DWP to hide behind Atos but it's the DWP who made the policies and employed Atos. So until they change their policies it'll be more of the same. As for the people who've died as a result I feel devastated for them and their families that their loved ones have died needlessly and/or prematurely. They can't get their lives back now.

[Hidden in reply to Kirby]

I'm afraid I have to agree with you Kirby, I can vouch for the fact that the government departments set unrealistic targets to cut costs, outsource the contracts, then use the contractors as a scapegoat when it all goes horribly wrong. The timescales will be identical for Atos's replacement, therefore the problem won't go away. There is just as much misery to come, and the companies bidding for the contract will be lower caliber than Atos as no decent company will want to take on such a high profile mess.

[Kirby in reply to Hidden]

This is what I fear, Shiny. Atos were awful but we could get even worse. Atos were under the spotlight. I hope the new contractors will be. Well, I think they will because disability campaigners will be monitoring them very carefully. Once bitten and all that. It will be one of the big ones who will get the contract - probably G4S or Circa or Capita and they are all much of a muchness. Mark Penning in fact talked about several companies so maybe they'll all get a piece of the pie. However, I understand Atos haven't got all their dosh for not meeting the standards so maybe we can hope for a better delivery and with an election coming up the last thing the government want is more bad publicity

[Hidden in reply to Kirby]

Hmmmm I'm not sure I have your optimism on that note. They already have contracts with all 3 in different areas of government, and they are all a joke (ex civil servant talking here), Atos were actually one of their better companies. They ought not to touch G4S with a barge pole as they could organise a piss-up in a brewery, but they'll no doubt be the cheapest bid . Capita deal with civil service pensions, ill health retirement was refused to a terminally ill colleague of mine who had under a year to live - reasoning "a cure for cancer may be found in the time and x could make a full recovery and work again" need I say more? X

[Kirby in reply to Hidden]

Yes, the G4S fiascos are well-documented. They're all much of a muchness. That's terrible what your colleague had to put up with Crapita (as they're known). I hear many personal tragedies too in Facebook campaigning groups. I've also seen the power of protest and we need to keep on until we oust the whole rotten system and replace it with something more humane. K x

[sue32]

Yippee!!!!