Former ATOS Nurse Apologises...

[RaeUK]

Not sure if it's been posted here yet, I haven't seen it but apologies if it's here somewhere...

 

From the Daily Record.

[honeybee13]

Awful reading, but thank you for posting it, Rae.

 

HB x

[RaeUK]

I think the saddest part, HB, is that we all know that's how it's operated and still nothing has been done to change it.

[postggj]

A spokeswoman said: “Our trained doctors, nurses and physiotherapists use their clinical knowledge and apply the Government’s policy and criteria to each assessment.

 

considering most of the ATOS staff are "health care advisors, which they fail to mention

 

funny how ATOS can do an ill health medical retirement from work as occupational health, then in the guise of DWP, SAY YOU ARE FIT FOR WORK

[banksarggg]

wow im shocked that its costing the goverment 50 million for the appeals process , they think they are cutting costs when in fact there costing themselves more ..idiots

 

i read somewhere too that atos had signed a 3 year contract with the DWP in scotland and england and wales got a different company which is odd ... but therefore i could be wrong

[debt4get]

nope we defo got ATOS in wales....was awarded null points from the wonderful company(one touch on my forehead by the miraculous healthcare professional, and i was cured)

[**Margaret**]

:ATOXIC DWATO:

:evil: :evil: :evil:

Margaret.

 

 

[debt4get]

now Margeret.. how can you insult such caring, sharing, hard-working healthcare professionals, who are doing such a sterling job, for the hard working tax payers of this country, by denying us workshy the benefits we were never entitled to in the first place....we should wake every morning and salute these stalwarts for the hard decisions they have to make daily........

or alternatively we could hang the lot from the highest gallows

[postggj]

how can you use the words health care, professionals, and ATOSER in the same sentance

 

shame on you

[debt4get]

i know....naughty naughty!!!

[postggj]

for the record

 

my employer uses ATOS as occupational health, i got the boot through ill health retirement from this lot, their so called professionals now say i am fit for work

 

work that one out

[Zonker]

Remember 'officially' atos dont make the decision, dwp do. But im not sure if a decision maker can disregard what atos says, so how can it be a decision , more like a rubberstamping of atos.

[antone]

Remember 'officially' atos dont make the decision, dwp do. But im not sure if a decision maker can disregard what atos says, so how can it be a decision , more like a rubberstamping of atos.

 

They can overturn, but most often they don't. After all, the DMs aren't medical staff and don't often feel qualified to overturn the opinion of medical staff. Of course, that still leaves open questions - regarding, say, the quality of the assessments and of those whose job it is to carry them out.

[osdset]

They can overturn, but most often they don't. After all, the DMs aren't medical staff and don't often feel qualified to overturn the opinion of medical staff.

So long as the medical staff work for ATOS! DM's have no problem overturning the opinion of a claimants GP or specialist, and they have no qualms about ignoring supporting medical evidence.

 

Under this scenario ATOS HCP's are omnipotent, and the rest of the medical profession are a bunch of quacks and charlatans.

[Like-Im-Being-Ripped-Off]

So people,

 

It will never change. end of:-x

[fightingback99]

The Daily Record's been running regular stories on the ATOS and ESA assessments, and is looking for people who feel they've been bullied by Atos to contact them. Labour MP Tom Greatrex commented 'I'm pleased the the Record have taken up this issue , bringing campaigning journalism to bear on the assessment process' .

 

One of yesterdays' stories was about a council bus driver off work for 9 and 1/2 months with a nasty leg break which developed complications. He'd had 78 hospital visits during his time off work. The council were happy to keep his job open till he recovered. He only claimed benefits before returning to work, but was pulled in for ATOS interview. Still in plaster up to his hip , the woman assessor told him if he could lift a phone he could work. He'd already told the council he'd do a desk job meantime but the council couldn't accomodate him due to health and safety reasons.

[Like-Im-Being-Ripped-Off]

The Daily Record's been running regular stories on the ATOS and ESA assessments, and is looking for people who feel they've been bullied by Atos to contact them. Labour MP Tom Greatrex commented 'I'm pleased the the Record have taken up this issue , bringing campaigning journalism to bear on the assessment process' .

 

 

More need to do the same if anything will be done.

[Dilizjo]

Well done Daily Record thank you for championing our cause:D

[worried33]

Well I had my theories and this seems to say I am right.

 

I posted before that I think anyone who makes it to an assessment is already on the backfoot because ATOS will assume things. Then irrelevant questions get asked like do you live alone.

 

I would love to see figures for how many people who are not passported (not passed without medical) actually get WRAG or SG on the medicals.

[debt4get]

i actually think it is worse than this worried....UNUM the backers of this appalling idea almost want to use the 'mirror test' ie if you can fog a mirror with your breath then you are fit for work!!

[osdset]

I posted before that I think anyone who makes it to an assessment is already on the backfoot because ATOS will assume things.

Of course! The government's plan is, and has been since inception to make ESA a one tier system, support group only. Anyone that does not make it into SG either works or starves and gradually with the able assistance of ATOS they are achieving that goal.

 

The ConDems have turned 'survival of the fittest' from a cliche into reality.

[debt4get]

eugenics in action.....they dont want us...and they certainly dont need us...what better way of getting rid of us without the problems of building large camps with dubious shower buildings

[della2]

Of course! The government's plan is, and has been since inception to make ESA a one tier system, support group only. Anyone that does not make it into SG either works or starves and gradually with the able assistance of ATOS they are achieving that goal.

 

The ConDems have turned 'survival of the fittest' from a cliche into reality.

 

Hasn't that been the intention all along? The Support Group equates with the old IB.

 

The 'new' category of 'The Work Group' was only brought about to mop up those that aren't that ill enough for sickness benefit but not yet well enough to be working. A half way house sort of thing.

 

That is how I see it. Instead of under IB, you were either ill or fit, under ESA you still have those two categories plus one in the middle. Isn't that why the government are trying to get those in the work group back into work?

 

Maybe I am missing the whole point of ESA, but it seems quite clear to me what is happening.

 

The only argument I have is that they are not being careful enough in their decision making into which group people should be put. The system seems a good idea but it is being failed by bad reporting.

[osdset]

That is how I see it. Instead of under IB, you were either ill or fit, under ESA you still have those two categories plus one in the middle. Isn't that why the government are trying to get those in the work group back into work?

WRAG only works if there is:

a) support to return to work, or support for those that have never worked, currently there is no real support for either group.

 

b) an abundance of jobs available, which there aren't, even for the 100% fit population.

 

WRAG is a one size fits all 'solution' for those not placed in SG, there are too many variables in terms of claimants conditions for it to succeed as a means to getting people back to work, Grayling's often touted 'tailored help' was just smoke and mirrors.

[worried33]

Hasn't that been the intention all along? The Support Group equates with the old IB.

 

The 'new' category of 'The Work Group' was only brought about to mop up those that aren't that ill enough for sickness benefit but not yet well enough to be working. A half way house sort of thing.

 

That is how I see it. Instead of under IB, you were either ill or fit, under ESA you still have those two categories plus one in the middle. Isn't that why the government are trying to get those in the work group back into work?

 

Maybe I am missing the whole point of ESA, but it seems quite clear to me what is happening.

 

The only argument I have is that they are not being careful enough in their decision making into which group people should be put. The system seems a good idea but it is being failed by bad reporting.

 

In my opinion it had potential to be a good idea.

 

A good implementation would have been to use WRAG for short term conditions that are fully expected to heal such as a broken leg. Those in the WRAG be offered counselling service (if mental issues), therapy services, training, jobs reserved for them like working from home jobs, and so on.

 

If any doubt whether someone is expected to heal or not they would be put in SG, if the doubt is there make it short term SG eg. 1 year (not something silly like 3 months), anyone who is clearly not going to get better I would expect to have a mininum of 3 years before reassessment.

 

eg. if I was offered voluntary training for jobs I think might be a worth a try without risk of loss of benefits if it didnt work out I would consider taking it up. A especially important issue is the lack of special treatment on job vacancies. eg. now they treating this with fear, they tell people to do what they say such as the work programme and taking placements that would clearly make the health worse and not work rather than preserving working from home jobs for the vulnerable. Remember the government is the biggest employer in the country. The NHs etc. will have jobs that could be done from home. The fact this isnt been done means they dont care about any of that, they just want less people on benefits full stop. I do expect WRAG to be eventually discontinued as well, the argument will be the people in WRAG have successfully been doing work related activity and as such are fit for work.