Is ATOS been investigated by BMA ?

[BlueBunny]

See bma.org.uk/images/lmcconfag..., cant make sense of it but it would seen ATOS are getting a lot of complaints and there fitness to do the assessments is been questioned, if I find more I'll post it

[Hidden]

I've just had a nosy round on Google and it seems ATOS are complaining that complaints against their doctors are being made only by benefit claimants therefore are fictitious because they have financial implications for the claimants .

There's a lot of info but from what I can make out the BMA are disagreeing with what ATOS are saying .

[Hidden]

This makes interesting reading :

dwpexamination.wordpress.co...

[BlueBunny in reply to Hidden]

Thx, really just try to get my head round it, I figure if we educate our selves we have a better chance of getting FM treated with equality ?? I dont know I just dont want to be sitting waiting and been told I can work, If I could work, trust me I would.

xx

[Butterfly54 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Helen,you need to put this up as a seperate blog,I`ve been through it and it makes for some fascinating reading.Also put it into favourites so it` there when my time comes.

Hope this finds you feeling a little better.

Love and hugs Jayne xxxxx

[Butterfly54 in reply to Hidden]

Sorry Helen see my reply 2 down.It was an excelent and informative read.

Lovee and hugs Jayne xxx

[Hidden]

makes interesting reading, my esa medical was a bloody laugh, I had a foreign doctor, that spoke very little english,and basically he put down anything on the form , he asked if I watched tv, I told him I liked to watch the history channel, on my form he d put I watch Jeremy Kyle,I could barely walk so I got 6 points for that, but was deemed fit for work

[BlueBunny in reply to Hidden]

I think we should be addressing the issue with ATOS themselves and complain to the BMA or GMC, dont just appeal, if we all start to make a bigger issue we have a better chance of this ridiculous testing system, yeh the tv is on ... so .. its not a pain reliever ??

Ooohhh anyhow its up to you

Best of luck xx

[Lima6MCT in reply to Hidden]

They apparently ask about your TV watching habits as a way of assessing how long you can sit for at a time ie you said you watch Jeremy Kyle so they assume you can remain sitting in a chair for an hour!

Behind every question at a WCA is an assumption just waiting to be made!!!

[eirwen]

how do you make a complaint against them??? the nurse that assessed me put down on observerd behavior i lifted my left hand to scratch my head,, theres nothing wrong with my left hand!!! its stated on my medical records & on my self assessment form its my right arm thats affected.. i dont think their are intrested in us, they put down what they want...

[Lima6MCT in reply to eirwen]

I accompanied my husband to his WCA. When the letter arrived it said he scored 0 for his WCA assessment so right away we appealed the decision. When we got the medical report I was disgusted at all the inaccuracies and assumptions that had been made during his assessment and medical.

We went to the CAB and they asked me to put everything into a written report for the tribunal members . At the end of my report I stated a number of complaints about the WCA & HCP that I wished to be entered into the Tribunal's report to the DWP.

(Hubby came out of the Tribunal with 18 points and was put into WRAG although he's not heard anything else from the DWP to find out what that entails for him.)

[Shortnsweet54]

Tsk, of course complaints are made by benefit claimants...they are the ones who are sent for these shambolic biased medicals. I had eye disease and lifting my arms and legs had nothing to do with vision, they virtually ignored my fibro as i'd only just been diagnosed and it "wasn't on the origional form". Got my second medical in a few weeks...have got appeal forms on standby. xx

[williej]

My home medical was a lie and even she put down I had a opp on my right eye

in fact it was on my left eye,Told she seen me go up 5 stairs Fact on the 2nd step she said I see you are in pain just sit down.Also she twisted and hurt my left leg.Who would believe this lot.

[Hidden]

I found this piece on a blog. It has been published by the ATOS Outsourcing staff union. It is in French but I translated it into English onto my blog. It is rather interesting reading:

'Multiple errors in the records, some very coarse, were found.

There is also a refusal to accept other medical documents, including specialists.

A score of 55 examination centers Atos have no disabled access, and some are over 5 minutes to 15 minutes from the nearest station.

A significant number of disabled or sick, who were receiving welfare benefits formerly, are considered employable or able to integrate a vocational rehabilitation program. This means when the judgment of the perception of their allocations.

If they do not attend a job interview (but if they are disabled and this is made impossible) their unemployment benefits are then arrested.'

When I went for my medical my Fibro was also ignored, and they claimed I opened a door with my right hand when it was my left! And ... get this ... I pushed my daughter in her pushchair ... Well come on how else would I get her out the house? They also claimed I locked my hands behind my neck ... Nope, impossible without agonising pain afterwards.

[Butterfly54]

I read that they were being investigated for fraud.Apparently they get £80 for everyone they put forward for work.

Also read a list of a whole host of othe companies tendering for the work.

All were companies that deal with criminals or people that need to be sent back to thier own countries.

One company was G4 and we all know what a pigs ear they made of things.

It`s honestly frightening.

Love and hugs Butterfly xxxx

[Sammicat15]

this agency gets millions of pounds of public money to do a head job against the very vulnerable people it is supposed to be assessing. it beggars belief that GPs cannot be responsible for signing off purposes when they are the medics who know you best and can honestly assess a patient's situation.

at the end of the day, ATOS are basically civil servants who know they'll be paid, come what may!

[Hidden]

Qualification or competence of examiners is questioned: 17 hours of training for nurses, a few days for doctors, and attractive salaries: £32,000 for nurses for a job from September to May hours without penalty, no work on weekends, etc... And I heard it was £100 they were getting for every person they were putting forward for work.

[flowerfairy]

I had mine and have been put in the fit for work category, at the moment I'm doing a small amount of voluntary permitted work, I rang the department to see if I had to stop this and they said no...so what the heck is all this, you must seek work and we'll only pay you for a year all about??? I'm doing all I can now, and the incapacity benefit is hardly a massive sum, it pays for my shopping and my yearly pre-paid prescription!

I think that the programme "Watchdog" are interested in this issue and awareness of fibro, so look at their web page. Meanwhile citizens advice and appeal for me. Good luck everyone.

[Sammicat15]

good luck to you too FF.

did anyone watch Newsnight last night and the piece about the Govt's drive to cut the welfare benefits culture to save money?