ATHOS HEALTH CARE "Survey" Anyone else had problems with them ?

[April414]

Has anyone else had problems with a company called Athos Health Care or Atos ? I have had 2 missed calls on my mobile, and 2 missed calls on the land line recently.

My partner 1471'd the number and got thru to the above company. They asked for his NI number which when he gave it, the lady said "You're not on our files we don't need to talk to you". He asked what it was to do with and she said they worked for the DWP and did a "Survey" on people who have applied for ESA or DLA

I applied for DLA months ago with no success, and am at the moment waiting to hear from DWP about my application for ESA.

My partner googled this company and was shocked by the amount of critical, and angry responses from people about the treatment they got from these people, who put them thru a 45 minute "survey" which, it seems at the end of it, if you haven't got enough "Points" you are declared fit to work !

I'm just wondering if anyone on here has had to deal with these people and what is your feelings regarding them?

I'd be really grateful for any answers please.

[Lioslaith]

I've never heard of Atos doing a 'survey', assessments/medicals yes, surveys nope!

I don't know how Atos/DWP get in touch for arranging a medical if they wish to put you through one during the assessment period but as the person that your partner spoke to said survey and kinda clueless.

Sorry, not much help I know, hopefully someone who has had to deal with them person or over the phone can help you out.

[Lioslaith]

I meant to say I'm kinda clueless. Drat I hate not being able to preview my responses or edit them.

[April414 in reply to Lioslaith]

Thanks Lioslaith, That's the thing, why didn't the lady my partner spoke to just say, we've been asked by the DWP to do an over the phone assessment of your partner which will take approx 45 mins. He said later, if she had just explained that, he would have called me to come and talk to her!

Just all seems a bit odd, and later when my partner did a bit of scratching around thru google he couldn't believe all these scathing comments made about the company!

[lyn-elliott]

i have delt with atos for my claim for esa and wgot a letter saying i was fit to work i had drove to the inteveiw and a 40 min drive took over 90mins as i had to stop andi was accused of trying to make my symptons seem worse than they was andi was using a walking stick on this day i was really dependent on it but was told i didnt need it and was making it all up i was awarded no points at all needless to say im appealing the decision ans over 14mnths later im still waiting for them to soryt out this appeal personally i think some of the ppl employed by atos are incompitant

[April414 in reply to lyn-elliott]

Thanks Lyn, I get the idea that they are certainly incompitant! It's no worry to them whether they tick you off on their assesment as capable of working they don't have to live in your body or cope with your day to day living! I know my daughter had a similar situation to you, she was using a stick to walk, had trouble siting down and getting back up but she was told she was over weight and if she lost some weight she wouldn't have so much trouble! She wasn't examined at all during the assesment, the woman just sat at her computer clicking various boxes! My daughter is also appealing, its been a year. Sorry to hear of your experiance Lyn x

[julie51]

Hi April-just had a Atos health care assessment at work for my scoliosis they are an independent body who are brought in to put facilities in place after assessment. they will organise a chair for me and will make my worksation more comfortable for me, i think it's just in case i put a claim in further down the line. Hope this helps xxx

[lollypop]

hi april,iv read lots&lots about atos,&im not impressed,they seem not to know about medical conditions,uncaring&not profesional!iv been disabled&now have FB for 11 yrs&tuesday 8th iv my atos assesment at home cos im a wheelchair user.im dreading it cos not many are passing...hmmm cos they get payed £80 per person they fail!i will blog on tuesday about it so everyone can get as much info as poss when its there turn!hugs x

[Hidden]

hi do you know what i have had lots of missed calls on my mobile this week a witheld number and my house phone i have got a answer phone on both so i dont pick up ever unless i know who it is so they wont be talking to me x that is not on though is it 45 min survey love to you diddle x

[Shortnsweet54]

Hi,. i've also had calls from them but not known who they are as they don't give out the number or leave messages. If i get calls with "unknown", or "withheld" , I rarely answer them as i want to know who's on the other end. That's the point of caller id!!!! And generally they are someone who has somehow got hold of my ex directory number and is selling something. Anyway spleen vented on that one lol. x

Re the dreaded Atos, as far as i'm concerned they are just total incompetents. I went for a medical with them over 2 years ago, actually scored 6 points, due to eye disease. (minor miracle there according to wonderful lady at Citizens Advice who did my appeal)(that's all she did, appeals...says something!!) it would possibly have been more points though as fibro ( was diagnosed a few months before) had kicked in on elbows caused swelling and trapped nerves to my fingers so i could not put pressure on arms to get up, and knees would not co-operate, i couldn't get up and had the indignity of having to crawl to a chair and literally struggle to get up with the less painful elbow, just brought tears to my eyes it hurt so much. The doc just looked at me and said "oh can't you get up i should have helped you"!!!!!! Scored a nil points on can get up unaided....was so furious i complained to Atos. Nil response was the answer to that. They seemed to not focus at all on my fibro, doc didn't ask me any relevant questions to eye disease and how double vision and pain affected my daily life or how fibro affected me. Just sat there clicking away on the pc and barely looked at me.

Put an appeal in and after some 14 months got a positive response and back payment last Nov.Bearing in mind I'd been on a reduced benefit of £51.00 for nearly 18 months, thanks for that one, talk about penalize someone for appealing...ppfftt still can't get over that one. Again Citizens Advice lady said i should have been put on a different benefit so they couldn't have reduced my benefit. Funny how them at the DHSS that know don't tell you.

Thought i'd put the whole shambolic episode behind me when whoosh another massive form from Atos to fill in as my "year" is up.

Not holding out much hope really, but got to go along with the "system"

joy and delight folks i can tell you, so GOOD LUCK to all who sail to ATOS and all who fall foul of her.

Ooops went on the rampage a bit there ...sorry to vent

thoughts and hugs

Jan H

xxx

[April414 in reply to Shortnsweet54]

Lol don't worry about going on the rampage Jan sounds like you've had quite a time with them ! I finally had a letter arrive this morning, I have a Medical Assessment with Atos on May 23rd which I'm dreading.

My Works Occupational Health Advisor told me it's all down to who you get and "What they've had for lunch"!! I unfortunately have good days and bad, on a bad I can barely drag myself out of bed, if it wasn't for my dogs needing to be let out I'd probably stay there all day! The pains vary with the Fibro, like you, I also have trouble if I'm on the floor trying to get up, I know that old, crawl over to a chair and pull yourself up thing, what a B*****d to say you can "Get up unaided!"

Sometimes I get the tremors in my legs when out walking and get restless legs syndrone at night, I can go to bed at 11 pm and "sleep" till 11 am but wake up exhuasted! I also suffer from Opthalmic Herpes. so I can sympathise with your eye problem, I can get acute pain like needles being put thru my eye and have trouble seeing when outside due to light sensitivity!

It's so hard isn't it to try to explain to people how you feel, I also suffer with acute Trigeminal Nueralgia and have constant pain going thru my head and face and teeth. Sometimes I can't speak properly because of the pain.

I'm worried that all of this will prove to be "Nil Points" to them.

It's not that I don't WANT to work, of course I would love to find a perfect job that I can do without feeling exhuasted, and in pain! But for now my Dr has signed me off as unfit to work !

Sorry, I've gone into a rant now lol!

But yes, as you say, Good Luck to all of us who have to confront the Demon called Atos !!!

Keep positive xxx

[Shortnsweet54 in reply to April414]

Hi April, sorry for not replying earlier, everything seems such an effort sometimes. Just had a lovely few days away with wonderful partner that cheered me up.

Hope your medical went ok, mines next Tues...eeek thought it was the week after!! Good and bad days here also, now made worse by being diagnosed with arthritis in my knees and thickening of the cartilage, excruciating pain and some when i go to straighten legs. Got a hosp appt with an osteo to see what is best to do, but have been told it may involve injections in knees.. big EEEEKKKK!! Still if it helps will just have to woman up and get on with it. Not sure what is to do with fibro and what is to do with arthritis now. something else to tell "medical expert" when i go to damn Atos. Am thinking about getting appeal forms on order and appt with citizens advice booked.

Re restless legs i'm on Robaxin muscle relaxents at night and it really helps thankfully, take a couple in the day if needed. Not much helps with sleep sadly, wake up shattered as i seem to catnap and wake up a lot, sleep tablets give me about 3 hours if i'm lucky but as legs are painful now when i move in my sleep and must go to straighten them...sharp pain wakes me up with a jump and several expletives. no win there then!!

Re eye pain...dear god, have my bad days now but before i had surgery double vision was horrendous, oddly one on top of the other..when asked to do eye tests ...which chart do i use, which is the right one, the top one or the bottom one lol, do try to see the funny side at times now, but was very very difficult before, pain was really indescribable and eye drops didn't really help. hospital are great but it's so far away and a pain to get to when you don't see very well, scary at times and very disorientating, do know the feeling of light sensative eyes, have reactions lenses and sometimes use clip on sunglasses and a golf visor with a large brim, could go on but i'm sure you know the feeling all to well...symapthies and emapthy from me to you.xx

Keep positive also, cheers and take care

Jan xx

[fedupmale]

in 1999 i had to attend an athos examination up in London arranged by DWP the doctor had been in the country less than a month, did not know about the medication i was taking (inderal) for a heart condition.

The examination took about an hour and i was duly awarded 12 points , the test which required me to pick up an object from the floor ! which caused me discomfort i scored 0 points, my total being 12 , i need 15 for dissability allowance, so i went to appeal, that took less than 15 mins and i was awarded a furher 6 points.

This week 22 nd october i had to attend another one at neasden, no doctor this time having read my notes and quizzed me over my heart condition ! which causes me to have palpitations if i lean forward , the test wasonly to test my co ordination ! could i place a hand on my shoulder, could i put a hand behind my back, at no time was i asked about bending down or leaning forward.the test was lesss than 10 mins in total.

Should i book my appeal court now ! as im sure that they will say i,m fit to work ,at almost 61 years old with a heart condition and a 92 year old mother who is prone to falling over, theres no way i could get a job, i have done over 40 years in work so im fully paid up for my retirement 65

Athos Flawed ? YOU BET