ATOS Appointment

bertyboy

i have just had a phone call from atos to arrange an appointment for a medical , told him i was booked for an op on the 26 sep , ok no problem , we will get you in before then i go on the 16th sep , oh the joy

barbara12

Hi Berty
I do wish you well with it, could you not postpone till after your op, I cant see why they should have it all there own way.
Good Luck I will be in your pocket, so dont worry..

liesa

they watch ur every move! i got turned down again due to the atos medical in my home, he asked for id... so i leant gently over the side of my chair something i do hundreds of times each day.... he said 'managed to reach over the chair lift handbag and get her id out of her purse, just be ready they try to have you thinking theyre friends, theyre not!!!

i will be in your pocket!!

lilyflower

Hi Berty, I think its a bit mean doing it before your op, I think its so they can say that your fit for work and you defo won't be after your op. Just let him/her know how you feel on your worst day. I also got caught out reaching into my bag for my list of tablets.
I thing you have to be comatosed these days before they accept you have a disability.
Good luck and keep us posted.
jackie

liesa

have a family member with you if need be ask them to do stuff... we all know what we're like when we have adreniline pumping round.... we can do lots of stuff we probably couldnt do otherwise... so unfair x just be prepared not monsters but sneaky!

frogmorton

Oh May

all the very very best for you will cross fingers for you l promise. :???:

Make sure you are not alone with them if at all possible and don't do anything that hurts 'for' them they can be wiley and use it against you. I think you should be fine though.

Love

Toni xx

cythna

liesa wrote:

they watch ur every move! i got turned down again due to the atos medical in my home, he asked for id... so i leant gently over the side of my chair something i do hundreds of times each day.... he said 'managed to reach over the chair lift handbag and get her id out of her purse, just be ready they try to have you thinking theyre friends, theyre not!!!

i will be in your pocket!!

This makes me so cross. Just because you can bend like that ONCE doesn't mean that you could do it all day. Work is so much more demanding than your own home.

Susan

skezier

Hi Berty,

I don't understand why they do this to folk. Will be in your pocket for ure and well as Susan says just remember they are not your friends! Hang in there Cris xx

elainebadknee

Hi BB

This unfortunately isnt uncommon...My arthroscopy which took place on 23 March 2010, I was at ATOS the week before....They will sympathise with you, make out they are helping you (I couldnt get on and off examaning couch without two hands from so called nurse who also said she had bad knee and couldnt squat like me either).....Do not be fooled by this friendly manner they stab you in the back......
Sorry but be on your guard, act as if its your worst day ever and take someone with you to help you in and out of chairs, etc...

Good Luck

Elainex

bertyboy wrote:

i have just had a phone call from atos to arrange an appointment for a medical , told him i was booked for an op on the 26 sep , ok no problem , we will get you in before then i go on the 16th sep , oh the joy

dorcas

Hi Berty it is very unfair of them to insist you attend just prior to your op :eek: ..... but they are 'obliged' to carry out a Medical Assessment within 14weeks of your original claim for ESA, so maybe it's for that reason they're insisting. :???:

I've posted you some notes on the ATOS medical that I hope might be helpful ....

ATOS Medical

There are things you can do to prepare yourself and I have posted you a link to a directgov document which goes into a lot of detail about each aspect of the medical assessment. http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/@disabled/documents/digitalasset/dg_177366.pdf

It is well worth a read and exactly mirrors the medical assessment form that the assessor completes during the assessment. I wish I had found this before I went to my medical! :roll:

Other things to remember:

1. The assessor will ask you how you travelled to get to the appointment. This information is used to form an opinion about your walking ability & the distance you are able to walk and whether you required assistance (aids & personal support)

2. The assessor observes you from the minute s/he comes out to meet you; how you get up from the waiting room chair , how you walk, whether you use a stick, whether you have a limp, how quickly you are able to walk.

3. In the assessor's room you will not automatically be given a chair with arms so if you need one... ask!... it will be noted in the assessment

4. If you need to get up regularly to move because you are uncomfortable/ pain/ stiff ...then say so and get up from the chair as often as need be!...how you get up from the chair is observed and this too will be noted in the assessment

5. Every question you are asked has a purpose... either to compare the answers with the information you wrote on the form.. or to assess you against one of the 'factors' on the assessor's screen. Take your time and answer as fully as possible.

6. Every movement you make is observed... even (as others have said) how you extract a piece of paper from your handbag!

7. you will be asked to go through a series of movements ..raising arms, bending etc... do not do anything that you know will cause you pain or discomfort just because you've been asked to do it!.

8. You will be asked to lie up on a couch for more physical assessment of your legs & hip movement. If you find it difficult to get up onto the couch... ask for help... do not struggle and tell the assessor if any of the required movements is uncomfortable. It will be noted!

I think that 'we' have an inbuilt tendency to want to 'please'.... to our detriment in my opinion. So be prepared to say 'no, I'm sorry, I can't do that'
The assessor is looking for consistency between what you've said on the form (you sent in) and what you say during the medical, what s/he observes you doing, and what the physical examination shows.
Each of the 'factors and functions' is part of a 'points awarded' system which determines whether you will continue to get ESA and at which level.

My assessor was very friendly and did her best to put me at ease BUT it didn't stop her making wrong assumptions and misrepresenting facts.!!!

I hope all that I've written helps you prepare for your assessment May! (sorry it is long winded :oops: but I wanted to cover as much as I could) It's only my experience and I'm sure others will add their advices too.

...being well prepared is all any of us can do!

Iris xx

bertyboy

thank you so much Iris , i think i should be ok as its a review ,i had one round last june and a form to fill in a few weeks back but hadn't got my op date then [es50 ]i think it was , have been on esa since 2008 , will be interesting to see what happens this time x