After ATOS... an interesting site I thought you'd like to see!!

[Celticmoon]

My husband has been looking for information on ATOS after their dismissal from Scottish assessments. Here is what he found...

afteratos.com/#

[summer13]

i had a medical conducted by ATOS and i found the way in which the medical was conducted was absolutely disgusting. i was asked direct closed questions and when i tried to speak i was interupted and closed down. My fibromyalgia and my osteo arthritis was briefly mentioned but not spoken about in depth or how it affects me in my day to day living. Upon receiving a copy back of the report i was even more disgusted, very frustrated and angry, upset and highly stressed. It was not factual at all for a start , it was untrue, false and contadictive. on some pages i was even called by the wrong name , it was almost as if the assesor had copy and pasted but forgot to take the name out. I was judged on the fact that i had makeup on , my hair was done and i was clean and tidy. How dare she judge me on my personal hygeine standards , what the hell has that got to do with my illness. The nurse said that i carried out certain tasks that i was never asked to do and i have a witness to this. The report she done was an insult and its about time the government sorted this out . I took mine to a tribunal whereby i won , this was only in january and already i am being pestered to attend another medical. I find this all really stressful which is no good for the fibromyalgia as you all probably well know. Its a joke and i feel sorry for the genuine people who arent able to speak up for theirselves who get lost in the system . This government has alot to be accounted for

[Ozzygirl64 in reply to summer13]

With regard to tasks done but not asked to do. My ATOS joker spoke about me having Emphysema & COPD, and claimed he had listened to my lungs and said I did not have any lung problems so that basically I was lying. He also said I read a eye test chart and passed with flying colours, not asked to read it and my glasses are so thick they are like bottle bottoms. And I also squatted to the floor and rose very quickly, had I squatted I would have been flat on my face or my back. They are total liars and I wish we could get rid of them the way the SCOTS have done. I also lost my tribunal, the judge went with ATOS award of no points, apparently the easy way out. So I am waiting for the statement of reasons from the court just so I can rant over it and make myself feel better xxxxx

[Celticmoon]

Thanks for answering summer13 - I was beginning to wonder if anyone had seen this...

I'm sorry to hear of your terrible experience! It's shocking and the whole system is terribly unfair and lacks transparency. I so very much agree that your groomed appearance shouldn't count against you!! It is disgraceful. Obviously you can only be unwell if you need a wash, haven't combed your hair and arrive sans make up!!!!! Like you, I will never go out without trying to make the best of myself and you should be praised for having taken the trouble to do so not penalised!!!

When you click on the link and read "results" then click on the PDF file "After ATOS August 2012" there is account after account with stories just like your own there. It appears that ATOS routinely lie on their "reports" and I'm sure you are not at all wrong when you say that you feel yours was "cut and pasted" complete with inaccuracies such as your name!!!

It IS about time ATOS were sorted out - they are making millions while genuine disabled people are suffering and going without ESSENTIAL money... This government needs to grow a spine and admit to making one mahoosive mistake!! Like the Scottish have done ATOS need to be sacked - and quickly! Reading the link I provided confirmed all the devastation that has been caused by their "assessments"...

While I'm very pleased that you won your claim for benefit I feel it is a wholly unacceptable stress for you to be pestered so soon to attend yet another medical - unfortunately I've read that this is not an uncommon experience though. If this government are REALLY concerned with cutting costs etc why do they support this totally pointless and also highly stressful stupidity??!!!

In my opinion - throwing money away pointlessly like this is adding insult to injury!!

Gentle hugs xx

[enazena]

I have been in exactly the same position as summer and after winning my appeal (which they omitted to tell me in writing and I found out by chance lol) I have also had forms to fill in again less than a year after.

The very first medical I had to attend (which I went to on my own) the man was so rude to me and disregarded all the paperwork I brought with which they had asked for. He made me cry and I was ready to report him. I so wish I had then and I also wish I had appealed back then too but I am much wiser now. It just saddens me when I read all these letters from poor people who have been through the mill with ATOS and are afraid to appeal incase they lose everything.

What exactly is it that they want from us? To go in looking bedraggled and smelling might be a good touch (but not of Chanel No 5). To be honest they hardly even look at you anyway as they are bashing away at their computer. No wonder their reports bare very little resemblance to us. A friend of mine on his medical report had reference to his "daughter" written on it......he has two sons but NO daughter.

Don't we have enough to contend with without being made to feel like criminals because we are not well? I have worked all my life, starting at 14 with a Saturday job. I even worked when I had my children as a registered childminder and also doing typing from home. I put myself through University when I was in my 40s and a single parent and got a teaching degree. Sadly due to illness I had to give up the job I truly loved and it was hard enough for me to get used to not being able to do what I had done all my life.......worked hard!

It's not right that I should have to feel this stressed because I am not well and I feel even more stressed for the poor people who find it difficult to stand up for themselves against these horrible people who make their life even harder than it already is.

Sorry for going on but sometimes it just gets to me and I want to scream.

Thankfully I am a positive person and I just have to keep believing that things will get better for us all and let's pray that will be sooner rather than later.

Biggest hugs to everyone who needs them today

E xxxxx

[Celticmoon in reply to enazena]

Thanks for your reply E - "go on" as much as you like as it's infuriating to read so many tales like this.

Yours is another tale of woe and of being down-trodden by ATOS and I'm glad you have found the strength to fight back. I agree wholeheartedly with everything you say and hope that people DO appeal.

I think they are putting EVERYONE THEY CAN into the WRAG... and NOT into the support group. I've read (on the link given above) that those who are going into the WRAG without having a medical (like myself) are as low as 1%!! Even people who were terminally ill are being put into the WRAG!!!!!!!!! One man attended a medical from his hospital bed (I wouldn't have gone!!!) in a wheelchair AND with his hospital drip attached... ... ...?? Utter madness. I truly believe they are just denying everyone and hoping that no one appeals!!

I'd like to see just what jobs they are going to find for us to do after our year in the WRAG is up... What concerns me is that by then there may well be "new initiatives", which effectively put us all onto JSA!! Cutting benefits time and time again of those that often cannot fight back is a cowardly and nasty thing to do! Why don't they cut their own "perks" or trim back the fat that amounts to such huge waste in other areas??? Penalising people who are unable to work for genuine reasons just causes misery, stress and a sense of despair.

I wish you well in your quest to claim ESA, it must be very stressful for you but keep going!!!! It's hard enough when you've trained so hard to get a job you love without having had to walk away from it due to ill health. The same thing happened to me so I appreciate how much you must miss working in an area that you find rewarding.

Hugs & Strength xx

[Hidden]

Unfortunately I cannot get the link to open.

I am awaiting an appeal date but trying not to think about it until I get a dare.

Hugs

Jackie

[Celticmoon]

Oh dear - that's a pain about the link, which works fine when I click on it... There is SO much information contained here so maybe try to cut and paste the link or type it into a new window letter for letter. It really is worth a read.

Very good luck with your appeal... my fingers are crossed for you.

Every good wish, xx

[Ozzygirl64]

I took a look, well I tried and the page would not load up for me. It could be that my internet is a bit iffy so I will try again tomorrow xxxxx

[enazena]

Sadly I also couldn't open it x

[Celticmoon]

My husband has just tried to open it on his Ipad and it won't open for him either - but on my laptop it's fine...??? Strange! I really hope you can access this information as there are loads of actual accounts on here with lots of results worked into percentages so that you are able to see just where your own experience fits in with others.

I'll get him to try again later... Thanks for letting me know. xx

[Hidden]

My son had everything stopped and not notified, he has a partner and a 6yr old son.

My son has suffered with 'what we were led to believe' mental health problems. Its only since his son was diagnosed with aspergers that he was further referred. He has aspergers with other aspects of autism.

ATOS was the root of all of his benefits being stopped, esa kicked him off, then using the UNSEEN medical report DLA then stopped his benefits without any notification, he has been threatened with eviction and all sorts of horrible things, but after almost two years of his partner fighting for him, ALL benefit departments reinstated his money without even having to appear at a tribunal.

They admitted they had made mistakes, but no apology.

They have been through the mill, I take my hat off to my sons partner, but no one should be put through that.

[Celticmoon]

I agree susanY ~ ATOS are simply awful!! You must have gone through hell as well... Your son's partner deserves a medal for being so loyal and determined, at least he has someone like that on his side!! Nearly two years is a hugely long time and the stress must have taken its toll on everyone concerned but it's wonderful that all benefits were reinstated.

Did you manage to open that link???

By the way... I have a son with Aspergers too - it seems to be something that quite a few of us have in common!!!

[Hidden]

Thanks for providing the link, forewarned is forearmed, oh well I can dream! All I can say is just disgusting the way people are been treated. I think when I attend I'll not wash my hair for a few weeks beforehand, and won't bother washing or using deodorant, do you think that will make them notice my arthritis and Fibromyalgia more, hardly think so they'll be more concerned with the horrendous smell emanating from me! Ah well they can't subject other employees to have to work along side me, so I'll be unfit to work? Do you agree?

[sharonissexy]

Hi i just had to comment on the personal appearence and hygeine issues. Don't they realise that some of us have loved ones that wash and clothe us because we can not do it for ourseleves, and if they did not they would be guilty of neglect!!!

[Celticmoon]

I agree with the personal hygiene thing... It's disgusting to mark someone down because they (or as sharonissexy says someone else has) have made an effort to be clean & presentable!!! If I am to be assessed I really cannot imagine going out NOT washed or presentable... What do they want us to do? Lose all sense of self respect and decency? This would only serve to increase depression etc!! They are treating us like animals!!!

I had to smile at the mental image conjured up by Stormylady!!! Thanks for that!! ;-/