ATOS REPORT

elsa56
elsa56 Member Posts: 98
edited 13. Aug 2012, 07:04 in Living with Arthritis archive
Went for a medical and have been told that I scored 6 points!!!
I can't sit for more than 5 minutes because of pain..I can't stand for long because of pain... Moving my head up and down to work on computer key board causes pain. My hubby came with me and had to help me up onto the couch and I was in a hell of a lot of pain when I was asked to lift my legs up off the bed. I couldn't even lift my right leg up and she could see the pain I was in. Scan results show OA in neck and spine hips and knees. Im not a benefit cheat but they sure know how to make you feel like one. This will be my second tribunal, the first one I won and am worse than I was at that hearing. Just doesn't make sense.

Comments

  • fowls48
    fowls48 Member Posts: 1,357
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Dear Elsa56


    sorry you are in so much pain .I hope you can get some relief soon .Good luck with the tribunal , Hope it does not cause too much stress for you .Hugs coming your way (((()))).

    fowls48
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I haven't yet had to face this farce, elsa56, and I hope I never do. Where do they find these clowns and idiots? Oh yes, they work for ATOS, 'nuff said. He who can does, he who can't works for ATOS and decides who can, even if they can't. I am sorry you've had to go thro this ridiculous performance. Grrrrrr. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,763
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    elsa56 wrote:
    Im not a benefit cheat but they sure know how to make you feel like one.

    I think that's a very telling comment, Elsa56. I hope you will push them all the way.

    Anyone who didn't see the BBC Panorama programme on Mon? (Tues?), it was quite frightening. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jul/31/disabled-people-benefits-panorama
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • elsa56
    elsa56 Member Posts: 98
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    My son told me to watch Panorama on bbc i player because i missed it.
    I felt so sorry for those people. trouble is there is so many that you see who claim and shouldn't get and we all have to suffer because of them.
    The amount of money that is wasted paying these so called medical experts and all the tribunal cost is taking the money away from us.
    What our own GPs find out about us with scans ect isn't worth the paper its wrote on when it comes down to fit or not fit.
    It's like everything in life " until you have actually suffered with something, you can't judge how much or how little some one is suffering".
    Most of these people who work for ATOS have good health and don't know what pain is.
  • earthspirit
    earthspirit Bots Posts: 278
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    what a lot of people havent realised yet is that many of the tests and activities you are asked to either carry out, or how you cope with, are actually tricks. this isnt one, but is an example of what it might be - when you are asked to raise your arm as much as you can above your head, you might say you cant do that, but have to show them anyway how much you can lift. they wont be looking at this particular action, but in how your elbow moves and when you come to another task involving your elbow, they will know how much your elbow moves, as they will have seen this in the other test.

    that is a purely ficticious example i have made up just now, in view of what i know about how some of the doctors carry out their observations

    when i had my 2hr meeting with their doctor. at certain points during all the tasks i was asked to do, there were a couple of specific things where i had certain type of physical movement or answer of how i did certain things. she was judging my reaction and knew i was telling the truth and make comments to me about how 95% of people who said they had that condition, in fact were faking it, as the reaction they had was incorrect. in another where i explained how i did something, she said that most people gave a totally different answer which meant that they did not carry out the improvised method to do something as they would all know why this was more difficult and more painful than they were implying.

    im not giving specifics on the tests otherwise that would be like a little cheats tip to anyone reading who wants to beat the system - thats why what i have written may sound a little cryptic.


    the majority of people do not lie about medical conditions pain and disability, but to make out you are worse than you are in the hope of having a better outcome for getting benefits, can actually work against you.
  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,281
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi elsa56
    Its terrible how you are made to feel at these medicals..the thing is these cheats that they call them wont feel like you, they are used to it.
    I do wish you good luck with it all xx
    Love
    Barbara
  • kellerman
    kellerman Member Posts: 741
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I'm afraid I know very little of these medicals. I did google Atos as my daughter who is a postie had a works medical. She was surprised to learn that her line manager had told the doctor that she wanted early retirement. He said she was too young and she agreed as thats not what she went for.After saying this she said he was great with her.
    What I find I strongly object to is us taxpayers having to pay Atos to do these so called "medicals" and then pay for the mistakes they make as so obviously they do.....otherwise so many people wouldn't win on appeal.
    Please don't get me wrong....you should appeal as after seeing so many people on this forum refused what is after all a pittance I applaud anyone who puts themselves through all this rubbish in the name of common sense.
    Its blatently obvious to anyone with an ounce of sense this system is flawed. I didn't see the TV documentry but to think people are dying waiting for an appeal to go through is just not acceptable. Any goverment who thinks it is needs booting out. No...I'm not political either I'd say it about any goverment who actually say we are a broke country yet pay these idiots all this money to get it wrong so many times.
  • elsa56
    elsa56 Member Posts: 98
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    what a lot of people havent realised yet is that many of the tests and activities you are asked to either carry out, or how you cope with, are actually tricks. this isnt one, but is an example of what it might be - when you are asked to raise your arm as much as you can above your head, you might say you cant do that, but have to show them anyway how much you can lift. they wont be looking at this particular action, but in how your elbow moves and when you come to another task involving your elbow, they will know how much your elbow moves, as they will have seen this in the other test.

    that is a purely ficticious example i have made up just now, in view of what i know about how some of the doctors carry out their observations

    when i had my 2hr meeting with their doctor. at certain points during all the tasks i was asked to do, there were a couple of specific things where i had certain type of physical movement or answer of how i did certain things. she was judging my reaction and knew i was telling the truth and make comments to me about how 95% of people who said they had that condition, in fact were faking it, as the reaction they had was incorrect. in another where i explained how i did something, she said that most people gave a totally different answer which meant that they did not carry out the improvised method to do something as they would all know why this was more difficult and more painful than they were implying.

    im not giving specifics on the tests otherwise that would be like a little cheats tip to anyone reading who wants to beat the system - thats why what i have written may sound a little cryptic.


    the majority of people do not lie about medical conditions pain and disability, but to make out you are worse than you are in the hope of having a better outcome for getting benefits, can actually work against you.


    I have had 2 meetings now and neither lasted longer than half an hour. She mostly asked me questions about how I cope and what my daily routine was.
    My problem like many others is that I can do something once maybe when asked, but to do it continuasly 4 or 5 times would cause alot of pain. Maybe instead of a short test of our ability it should be half a day of doing things in a work place to give them a true picture of how we cope. My face tells the picture when i'm in pain and when i'm in pain my consentration goes. I won my first tribunal and will go for it again, its just all the strees it causes.
  • elsa56
    elsa56 Member Posts: 98
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I have had 2 meetings now and neither lasted longer than half an hour. She mostly asked me questions about how I cope and what my daily routine was.
    My problem like many others is that I can do something once maybe when asked, but to do it continuasly 4 or 5 times would cause alot of pain. Maybe instead of a short test of our ability it should be half a day of doing things in a work place to give them a true picture of how we cope. My face tells the picture when i'm in pain and when i'm in pain my consentration goes. I won my first tribunal and will go for it again, its just all the stress it causes.
  • sbolam
    sbolam Member Posts: 374
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi, I am in the same boat as you can't sit or stand for long or walk too far without pain yet I only got 6 point and nil point for sitting or standing and she even stated I was having trouble staying seated. This will be my second time going to tribunal and I am 100% sure I will win again. And the patronizing why the speaker to you as if you some half wit scrounging off the state drives me mad.

    Good luck with your appeal, its just a shame they don't listen.
    04_pain.jpg
  • tkachev
    tkachev Member Posts: 8,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    elsa56 wrote:
    I have had 2 meetings now and neither lasted longer than half an hour. She mostly asked me questions about how I cope and what my daily routine was.
    My problem like many others is that I can do something once maybe when asked, but to do it continuasly 4 or 5 times would cause alot of pain. Maybe instead of a short test of our ability it should be half a day of doing things in a work place to give them a true picture of how we cope. My face tells the picture when i'm in pain and when i'm in pain my consentration goes. I won my first tribunal and will go for it again, its just all the stress it causes.


    These tests are not fit for purpose and that is the problem. If they find us fit for work we have to travel to get there in the first place and spend more than half an hour doing said work before another journey home not just raise your arm or leg a couple of inches the once.

    Best of luck Elsa,

    Elizabeth :D
    Never be bullied into silence.
    Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
    Accept no ones definition of your life

    Define yourself........

    Harvey Fierstein