"Who's cheating who?"

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patriciamary
patriciamary Member Posts: 117
edited 31. May 2010, 01:23 in Living with Arthritis archive
Watched this programme and to be honest it had no major revelations about ATOS. Quoted a lot of facts and figures but didnt really give much information. One lady who featured worked in the jobcentre and was medically retired after a medical with ATOS who stated she was not fit to sit at a desk and do her job. She then applied for ESA and another ATOS medical (three weeks later) stated she was fit to work at any job and was refused the benefit. When ATOS was questioned about this they said "she was assessed using two diferrent assessment methods" hence the conflicting results. Nothing new in that then we all know what ATOS are like. Dont really see any point in stating facts and figures unless you give them to the right people to enable this system to be corrected and helpful to the people who really need it.
Regards
Trisha

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  • 09angel11
    09angel11 Member Posts: 87
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Watching this programme regarding ATOS really is about the fact that they are just trying to get all people, or as many as possible off ESA and onto JSA to meet as always goverment targets. How are they doing this? Asking questions that are on a computor put there by the govening body, which does not represent every individual and their specific problem. The woman that was being represented in the programme was asked to lift her arms, turn her wrists, how far can you bend down etc. I have Arthritis of spine, Cervical Spondylosis, fibromyalgia, which is now affecting my nervous system. I can just lift my arms, but i cannot leave them up for more than a couple of minutes, i can turn my wrists , if i am lucky they will not spasm, also i can nearly bend my head , not my back, and if i am lucky i will not go giddy. Do they ask what sort of job would cause you stress, do they care? No, i think not, as long as their targets are met. The doctors and other staff involved in this mythical examination at ATOS who get peoples benefits stopped so that they please the people they think are important should be ashamed of them selves.Every one is an individual with an individual illness, and questioning should and must be based on that person and their illness alone.

    Monica :!:
  • speedalong
    speedalong Member Posts: 3,315
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    My foster son has severe autism - he would be able to do all those physical tasks if asked to imitate them ... doesn't mean he could hold down a regular job ....

    The whole system is barmy. Of course there are people getting benefits who shouldn't, but equally it is ridiculous to punish those who genuinely can't work - especially since most of them wish they could.

    Sppedalong
    I have had OA since mid twenties. It affects my hips and knees. I had a THR on the left aged 30 and now have a resurface-replacement on the right - done May 2010.
  • fester
    fester Member Posts: 98
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    i think somebody needs to remind these doctors "Primum non nocere" or "First, do no harm."
    The patient should always come first no matter what the circumstances not helping some government meet ridiculous targets. It beggars belief that DWP seem to think its cheaper to pay ATOS than write to our doctors for their opinion, somthing i mentioned in my email to my M.P on the very same subject.
    Perhaps our so called government should consider genocide of all disabled people then we won't be a sodding burden to everyone. Don't know about anyone else but i'm starting to feel like a leper in society to be shunned and abused, (geting sick of the snide comments recently when on my mobility scooter too) all you hear on the news re this new government is disabled this, invalidity that,ESA blah blah blah! but what about abuse of other benefits, oh yea cripples are the weakest link i forget :x
    Steve (very angry and upset)
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    I hope you are feeling a little calmer today, fester. Our problem is simple: we're an easy target. It's hopeless having the assessment of the disabled carried out by the abled. They do not have a clue about what we have to put up with, so perhaps the answer lies in replacing all the paper pushers with us! We can all push paper on our good days, and we can operate a rota system so there's always cover. We can also spot the fakers because we know the things that you cannot fake.

    By the way, I hope the Humira is kicking in - it can do quite quickly. I've been on it for nearly 11 months, and they have, on the whole, been pretty good months compared to what went before. Dreamdaisy
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • dorcas
    dorcas Member Posts: 3,516
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    I watched that programme too....and was furious at the way the so called 'medical assessment ' was conducted. someone sitting in front of a computer while asking the 'subject' questions / tasks was so demeaning!

    I have just recently jumped onto the ESA merry-go-round as I took early retirement but want to keep up my stamps towards the state pension.....

    I've now received the medical questionnaire from ATOS to complete...but can't write/ complete it because of my hands. :shock: :x so will be phoning them today....

    When I'm called in for the assessment I'm going to take a rep with me who will write down the questions and the answers I give so that I have my own record of what happened and can compare later. I'm also going to find out if I can tape the interview!

    what a rotten system......the sooner it's binned the better.

    Iris x
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