The dreaded work capability assessment

[sheff1johnny]

It makes me wonder why atos staff are made to sign the official secrets acts, maybe people should say they have also signed it at their medical. If you are asked to go for a medical here's some useful information.

In your form, state that you want your medical recording.

It is your responsibility to get evidence from your GP, or any other professional in your care. (If you have to pay, just pay and think of the hassle it may save you in the long term.)

Don't go to the assesment centre alone, and never let the HCP, examine you without a witness.

You can have the medical performed at home, but I don't think atos do this easily. If anyone else has any advice please post it on here.

[Brin56]

It makes me wonder why atos staff are made to sign the official secrets acts, maybe people should say they have also signed it at their medical. If you are asked to go for a medical here's some useful information.

In your form, state that you want your medical recording.

It is your responsibility to get evidence from your GP, or any other professional in your care. (If you have to pay, just pay and think of the hassle it may save you in the long term.)

Don't go to the assesment centre alone, and never let the HCP, examine you without a witness.

You can have the medical performed at home, but I don't think atos do this easily. If anyone else has any advice please post it on here.

 

this from Atos website - I would suggest if there is a Home Visit that you make sure you have a witness with you in your own home - also note that they will try and look for any signs (photos, fittings etc) that give them a chance to compromise your condition.(basically they will snoop)

 

 

What is the process and requirements for home visits?

 

If you feel that you are unable to travel to an assessment centre for your ESA assessment and would like the assessment to be carried out in your home, please call our Contact Centre on 0800 2888 777. They will ask you to provide information from your treating medical professional to explain why you are unable to travel to an assessment centre. Atos Healthcare cannot help you with any charges from your medical professional for providing a letter.

This information will be considered by a healthcare professional who will decide whether a home visit is necessary. Please be aware that home visits are usually only carried out when you are unable to leave your home for any reason. If it is clear that you are able to attend GP/hospital appointments, you will normally be expected to attend an assessment centre for your ESA appointment.

Please be aware that if we do not receive the information prior to the appointment that has been arranged for you, or a home visit is not authorised, you will be expected to attend the appointment. If you do not attend your ESA appointment, you will be sent a form (BF223) asking why you did not attend to forward in an addressed envelope to the Jobcentre office dealing with your claim. If they accept ‘good cause’ for not attending the appointment, they may refer your case back to Atos Healthcare to arrange a further appointment.

Disability Living Allowance assessments and other benefits are conducted where possible in an assessment centre. However, if you need a home visit then please let us know by using the telephone number on your appointment letter.

[woodmally]

For Heading North, zippy, and any other person I thought you may wish to watch BBC or Channel 4 on Monday the 30th, as they have secretly recorded the work capabillity assesment. After watching this maybe we can all have a sensible discussion, about the merits and downside of the assesment.

 

BBC and Channel 4 investigate the work capability assessment

 

25 July 2012

 

BBC Panorama and Channel 4 Dispatches are both doing programmes on the work capability assessment (WCA) on Monday 30 July.

 

The first is Dispatches, Channel 4, which starts at 8pm and runs for half an hour.

 

“Using undercover filming, reporter Jackie Long investigates the shocking processes used to assess whether sickness and disability benefit claimants should be declared fit for work.”

 

After that you can turn over to BBC2 to watch Panorama's Disabled or Faking It, which starts at 8.30pm and also runs for half an hour.

 

“Panorama investigates the government's plans to end the so-called 'sick note culture' and their attempts to get millions of people off disability benefits and into work. In Britain's modern welfare state, millions are being paid to private companies to assess sick and disabled claimants but is the system working? Or are new tests wrongly victimising those who deserve support the most?”

 

I watched this programme with interest but at the start of the show they gave very good examples of people playing the system. One guy refereeing when he was supposed to be sick. So this begs the question. If this system isnt working. How do we stop the scroungers?

[juniee]

these were shown as examples that some parts of the media use to make out that everyone on this benefit is fiddling the system in truth it is a minority of people

unfortunately you will always get someone trying it on wherever money is concerned a fact of life

these few spoil it for the majority i hope that you watched the whole programme to get a balanced view

[Teddybare]

I watched this programme with interest but at the start of the show they gave very good examples of people playing the system. One guy refereeing when he was supposed to be sick. So this begs the question. If this system isnt working. How do we stop the scroungers?

 

If they received the exact same amount as people on the rock n roll, there would no longer be the possibility of false claimants/scroungers.

The money saved on all the benefit admin would surely cover the extra claimants. The current system is obviously not fit for purpose. Claiming benefits is a humiliating process and I believe it has been made intentionally so but it still seems there are many willing to go through with it. Extra money every fortnight and not having to attend interviews/meetings is the pay off for "passing" the ATOS test. I expect to have my third one next year after a scheduled op. they do seem pretty funny tests. I gained nine points out of required 16? I think it was during a home visit following a spinal op. as I have savings I'm not entitled to any benefits during periods of incapacity but there are several other advantages to being labelled disabled so I thought it would be worth it.

Funnily my neighbour has been signed off and passing ATOS tests for several years due to depression. She has had 2 kids whilst claiming and continued to receive it during her recent honeymoon in Mexico. She also receives 40£ a week from dla I think for cleaning her grandmas house.

If anyone is worried about "passing" it I would suggest telling the ATOS employee that you intend to commit suicide should you be sent back to work.

Another thing about the current system which seems a huge failing, is that as soon as the test is over there is no contact for a year until the next test comes up. Both parties remain silent and no closer to getting a job and the funds keep transferring every 2 weeks.

People whine and moan about benefits endlessly and the hoops they have to jump through to get them. If we lived in the middle east there'd be no safety net and we would be eating from bins.

[Tradescanthia]

Deleted by myself

[Brin56]

My Proposals for changes to ESA.

 

Ideally Atos healthcare should be stopped from doing medical reports, and disability can’t be overlooked. If ATOS have to carry on doing medical reports, these recommendation’s need to be implemented.

 

ATOS must ask a person’s GP for evidence of a person’s disability. They must also ask could a medical be dangerous to a person’s well-l being (mental health, or physical health.)

 

TIME LIMITS.

Tribunals are taking too long, if a tribunal is not heard within six months, people should be reinstated on full benefits, saving a detrimental effect on people’s well-being.

 

RECORDING OF INTERVIEWS.

All claimants should be informed that their interview can be recorded if they so wish.

 

PUNISHEMENT FOR FALSE REPORTS.

There should be an independent body, where ATOS staff can be asked about questionable medical reports.

 

DISABLED ACCESS.

No medical centre should be at no less than two hundred metres away, from where a car is permitted to drop a person off. All centres, should have disabled access for wheelchairs.

 

 

to pick up the reference to 'recorded interviews - I forward this from Benefits and work:

 

 

Atos continue to refuse to allow claimants to make their own recording on the dubious grounds of “​security and confidentiality considera​tions”​. There is no law against secretly recording your medical for your own records and nothing to prevent a tribunal accepting secretly recorded evidence if they choose. However, Atos are likely to end your medical if they discover that you are recording it. Again this could lead to your ESA being stopped and to your having to appeal with no certainty of success.

 

We would advise anyone who has had the facility to record their medical refused or cancelled to contact their MP and make as much fuss as they possibly can about the failure to provide a facility that Chris Grayling has said would be available. (On 1 February 2012, Grayling told MPs “​On audio recording, we will offer everyone who wants it the opportunity to have their session recorded.”​)

 

You might also want to ask your MP what steps are being taken to ensure that a record is being kept of every failure to provide a recording so that the trial is an honest and accurate one.

 

the DWP want this trial of recording medicals to be declared a failure on the grounds that not enough people were interested to make it worthwhile This explains the refusal to inform people of the opportunity to have their medical recorded and the failure to set up a proper system for counting how many people ask for a recording .

 

However, if it is true that Atos are now having to purchase additional machines –​ paid for by the DWP -to cope with ever rising demand, then it looks like the DWP will have to come up with a different excuse for saying the trial failed.

[juniee]

people have commited sucide because of this system and it is well documented

[old cossack]

people have commited sucide because of this system and it is well documented

 

spot on mate. esa has failed just a bangwaggon for our friends atos. make it stressful kill off the disabled saves money banks make millions off the tax payer and bailed out. god bless our goverment.

[Tradescanthia]

Deleted by myself