Sickness benefit contractor Atos Healthcare to review letters ... BBC news today

[John_Mills]

bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19370200

[John_Mills Volunteer]

If you have had problems with an ATOS assessment or think you have been treated unfairly. Please leave a comment here or send a private message as we are collecting evidence to present to Prof Malcom Harrington by the 7th September.

[SusieMC]

I scored no points on my ATOS assessment!! As I was only entitled to £15 a week I took the easy option and opted out of the system. I was in the fortunate position of not needing the money. I am not sure how you prove constant pain,parasthesia and fatigue. They can't be measured against anything and I felt if I couldn't prove anything the first time, I couldn't do so on subsequent visits. I found the whole process so stressful I didn't want to have to go through a review every six months or so. My health has been poor this year and I am glad I don't have the additional stress of constantly worrying about being called to prove that I am ill.

The whole system is inherently unfair to people who have fluctuating long term conditions such as ours. If you have a tumour, stomach ulcer, failing kidneys, broken bones you can prove all of this by scans, x rays etc. You cannot always do that with these chronic conditions, as some days you feel you can move mountains and the next you find it difficult to get out of bed. The implication of ATOS seems to say you are just being lazy - a malingerer.

I know a lot of people would criticise me for opting out but it is difficult as an individual to fight the system. A concerted move by organisations such as ours and maybe joining forces with organisations for similar chronic conditions such as MS and ME and the like might make more impact.

I understand from what I have read that Professor Harrington has been asked to step down by the Government, as he will have been doing this for 3 years. I am not sure how much weight any campaign would have in this siutuation but all power to you. Something needs to be said and done to stop this ongoing discrimination of people who suffer from these chronic conditions.

SusieC

[SusieMC]

Further to my comment above I should have said that I scored no points when I had my ATOS medical despite my diagnosis of Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease (previously Churg Strauss Vasculitis),Paroxsmal Atrial Fibrillation, Asthma, Osteoarthritis of the spine, knee, hip, ankle and feet, Chronic Anaemia and intermittent anaphylactic reactions!!

SusieC

[John_Mills Volunteer in reply to SusieMC]

Thank you SusieC... we are collecting quite a lot of evidence, the emails and messages are coming in thick and fast.... so hopefully we can have a say along with the other 6 charities who have produced evidence of unfair treatment by ATOS assessors

take care

Susan

[SusieMC]

Thanks John and Susan. Good luck with the campaign.

SusieC

[John_Mills Volunteer]

John has sent a submission of evidence today to Prof Harrington on behalf of Vasculitis UK Thank you to everyone... we have also received emails of evidence too ...