Hi, as you may or may not have read yesterday, had complete nightmares with PIP "we will treat you with respect" twits.
First, 15th April get an assessment letter.
17th April ring about assessment letter.
Didn't know could wait and make a proper agreed appointment so now trapped into we can move once machine.
Gave four dates, two before end April, two in May. I told them waited on another date. I have physical therapies date but didn't know when.
Get day 1st May. Fine. Rang asked for female doctor, mental health problems. Text me before arriving. No problem.
11 letters all came up to and including 30th April.
All letters the same.
Husband told his date 7th May, but time is a problem.
He was first sent to go twenty miles away although on form many reasons for home assessment. The man on phone very rude and shouting at me as I am not his appointee, although legally I am. Our rep got them to send a home assessment.
I rang on Tuesday 30th and they agreed.
One hour later they rang his number, which they are not meant to due to his memory problems and said he would have the appointment on next Tuesday or else they will send it back. I took over the phone as it was an error the first one, he should be able to move and an aggressive woman started to argue. I felt like dirt, really humiliating. She said she asked my husband about dates. That was a lie as she didn't speak to him, she spoke to our rep and nobody asked us in advance about dates.
I told her on the call an hour later dates we have now and she had agreed. Her name is Charlotte.
She was lying as she didn't speak with us before. Our rep could not have it changed so if they come that early they will have to wait an hour for him to get ready, end of story.
My assessment yesterday. Nobody turned up.
Nobody contacted me.
Today rang rep and left message.
Rang them, spoke with Kim, but she told me it was my fault the doctor didn't turn up. That's right, my own fault. Excuse me.
Oh someone tried to call me on 26th. Uh, no they never. Phone number they had down was disconnected twelve years ago. On 15th April I told them my number as I asked for a text. Are they thick or what?
I got letter today, one day after they never came saying it was now changed to 13th May.
So now it's my fault they have the wrong number, even though I gave them the new one.
I also explained it was them who didn't come, that's their fault, not mine and as I was on the phone on Tuesday, why didn't they tell me it was cancelled then?
I also told them it's not my problem you put down the old information. You were updated.
Why didn't you send me an email or letter on 26th first class?
Why did you send more letters saying 1st May after 26th and on 26th, up to 30th?
How did you leave a message on a discounted number?
I also said now I have this letter today, saying 13th May on a date they knew I was going to the clinic for physical therapy. They refused to move. They didn't have the date on their system. Well again whose fault is that?
Why didn't I say in mid April? It only came this last week because they fit me in as I need urgent treatment. Otherwise I have to wait a long time. The osteo therapist is a specialist in face and neck and back and it is hard to get an appointment. I didn't have this appointment in mid April and how is it relevant as they were coming on 1st May, so why shouldn't I accept an appointment afterwards?
I told them on Tuesday about it and Charlotte is meant to have put it on the system. Stephen has to go with me so I didn't want his appointment moved to this date.
So again, it is my fault that I accepted an appointment, even though it was after the date they should have come. That didn't make any sense. They cancelled the appointment on 1st May and didn't tell me, not the other way around. My clinical appointments are two weeks afterwards, and came only last week. How am I to know they are going to cancel? I can't not accept a hospital or clinics waiting for them when they fail to turn up. I don't forsee appointments which may come up after I ask them to change the first one.
The people just would not move it or respect a clinical appointments. My rep was on the other phone so we had this three way conversation. He was telling them it was their fault and putting the clinic off puts my health further at risk. After going round in circles, he told me to end the conversation and he would speak to them.
Half an hour later, he called again. I have now an offer of a new appointment on 21st May and took that. No wonder my doctor put me on strong high blood pressure tablets yesterday and beta blocker as I was in a state when I saw him and again today.
I have to accept a male HP but I am so fed up, I don't care anymore. I never got treated like dirt by Atos for all of their faults and when Steve was in a coma and couldn't do an assessment for ESA they were great. These twits are far worse. So much for taking out the hostility. I have information now for a formal complaint.
Boy I will enjoy it.
Written by
Banditqueen
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WOW!!!’ Sooo sorry all of that happened to you sweetie.
I just said a special prayer for you dear that you and your rep will be empowered to sort this out and that reprimands will be given to all who treated you so badly. No patient/person should ever be treated like that in any way. It’s uncalled for and truly unprofessional. Shameful.
Sending you lots of loving hugs 🤗 and empathy dear.
May your life be full of blessings and may you always have a competent and successful rep to aid in future problems dear.
How did you manage to write that without swearing?! They have treated you horrendously & made my blood boil for you😡 If you didn't have high blood pressure, anxiety problems & stress you definitely do now!?! 😣 You'd have expected (thought, hoped...) they'd treat you with more empathy with you're suffering, not like 💩 on the sole of their shoe... I hope you get an assessor who turns up May 21st & they favour reporting the truth rather than write down the opposite of what they're told 🤞🏻
I could feel my BP rising just reading. What a disgusting way to treat people.
The ( only ) good thing is you have an excellent record of their mistakes. Keep all of these, and a record of every person you speak to. At some point you might have mention the possibility of a medical negligence lawyer. They are causing you harm and they need to do their jobs correctly.
I’m so sorry both you and your husband have to put up with this cr**.
I could scream for you!! Its disgusting the way they have and continue to treat you... not acceptable at all!! Im amazed you havent gone stir crazy. Sending to a supportive hug xx
A very big thank you for all of your support and lovely virtual cakes. Someone on another thread suggested my regional manager DWP. I have them practically on speed dial lol. Is it the same with PIP or a separate department? I try not to swear on posts unless I am still angry and I had calmed down by the time I wrote it. It really helped putting it in a chronicle like that. At least now we have a long bank holiday and it's my birthday on Sunday, so they won't be disruptive.
It's pretty disgusting the way they treat everyone. They obviously don't do empathy in the training. I recently read reviews by staff working there and most appeared cheesed off, so it's not surprising they don't care.
How ridiculous to blame a customer for an appointment they cancelled! Never heard of such a thing. No apology, no explanation, just we had wrong phone number! Well that's their problem. I confirm in mid April, it wasn't on the form as I don't want it on my record, but as they need it in case of cancellation or to text me, I gave it to them. How do you leave a message on a discounted number which hasn't been in use for over a decade?
Who uses their land line anyway?
I remember going over the mobile three times as the first person could not understand me.
I remember talking to Charlotte on Tuesday about this New appointment as I have to be hee with Stephen as he has memory problems, which they have on their system. She knew about the cancellation, she must have done, she could have said something then as she accessed my claim as well.
Kim yesterday even said I haven't spoken to this number before as medical services isn't them, well it's the same number. You go through to one number, one option, to make changes or ask about needing something on the visit. The same person has spoken to me, my husband and my rep three times. Admittedly they appear to be confused as to if they spoke to me or the rep, even though we are different sexes, but again that is her problem.
I haven't even been ever put through to the schedule people.
Now I have the following email addresses
Executive David Harey @atos.net
Pip.customerservice@atos.net
pip.independentreviewdwp.gsi.gov.uk
customerrelations@atos.net which still working.
I am not certain I have David Harey or David Harley. I will check the letter he signed it on to Parliament later.
Considering they don't have any email facility, at least one is on most help forums.
Thanks again, for all your kind messages and love and support.
This lot will come back from their holidays to the complaint from hell.
💜💜💜💜💖💖💖💖 to all and lots of 💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝👑👑👑🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎂🎂🎂🎂🎀🎀🎀🎀🎀
Thank you for not using swear words even mild ones. But if you do feel the need like most of us do at times myself included. Please remember the forum rule of inserting **** if you ever feel the need xx
That is disgusting to treat you like this, if we spoke to them line that they would cancel assessment!! Sending lots of love and 🤗🤗 your way. Lynne xxxx
Wow - you have been given the runaround! This is the system at its worst. I would not bother with the complaints process to Atos and DWP, given how bad this is. Go to your Member of Parliament instead and let him/her kick them into touch. Politely ask to be compensated by Atos for the stress, inconvenience and atrocious customer service. Atos and Capita typically end up paying out £200.
Also point out that their policy that you can only move an appointment once is not what the law actually says. The law refers to:
"without good reason to attend for or participate in a consultation"
If you have a good reason, they have to change the date. DWP guidance for their staff on what constitutes a good reason can be found here
Thanks for that. If they come too early tomorrow for Steve they will be asked to wait or come back later as he may or may not be ready, it is also a bag change morning so that takes more time and if he is rushed and it leaks we have to start again, change the chothing if it goes after he is dressed, so they were told on the form after eleven and want to come between 9 and eleven and would not move it. They got it wrong by making him go 20 miles to a centre even though form said it was home and why. Said this is a second appointment even though it is moving from centre to home. Rep said make them wait if we are still helping him. Rep has also told me to emphasise his memory problems since his coma and that I have to speak a lot for him from the start. This is not going to be fun but we will get through it.
Hi everyone, still can't work out I can reply to myself. lol.😎
Steve just had his ordeal and the nurse was quite nice. Think it went well. Just a bit worried about the range of movement things as he did some, although he said he felt disoriented and it hurt. He couldn't do the more difficult ones at all and she was quite emphatic but that means nothing.
He forgot to tell her he gets up five to six times during the night with his stoma or urinary problems but we did say his stoma often needed changing and so do his clothes in the middle of the night. Also he changes pads eight times, but he goes to loo a lot in addition. No control at all. I don't know if to contact and add or if it is possible. What do you think? Cheers.
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xx
Pip awarded but no mention of backdating?
First application for pip 
Pip appeal - great news!
The CAB is no longer the helpful organisation it used to be.
you just couldn't make this up!!!!
