Feedback from ATOS assessment in full about PIP

kfrweaving

Just got back the assessment details in full as i want this to help with my appeal and i'm totally gobsmaked at the lies and twisted sentences in this report. It is like reading about another person.
This is my PIP. The claims are ludicrous. They range from stating that i have a microwave (I don't ) to having shower doors that open out (they don't ). The funniest one is that i (genuinely cannot climb into a bath, but they state that i do this to clean the bath!!!
The simply guess at how long it takes me to walk to the shops and estimate how much i can carry. During my assessment my phone went off and this distracted me from the conversation and i needed to be reminded about what we had been talking about. Yet apparently during the assessment i did not need prompting or reminding at all. The list goes on........
I can't wait to see and speak to a CAB advisor. There are moments where i want to scream, cry and laugh. I took another seizure early this morning and am having to use the two crutches to mod around the place. I traded the walking stick in following advice of the Physio. Sorry to let off steam, but i don't have many people who i feel i can talk about this with. Whilst i'm angry that the report is wrong, i'm secretly thrilled that the person typing it has made so many mistakes. The professional carrying out the assessment simply states that her type of profession is a 'Nurse'. What kind of a nurse is what i'd like to know. I've not objection about being interviewed about my medical conditions, but i would just like a fair assessment. Interestingly with the assessment at my home the nurse could have asked to see my bathroom, kitchen and bedroom at any time and i would have agreed......but she didn't, and just made assumptions. I'm glad i had someone else in with me. I think it should be mandatory that people should not go into interviews, regardless for whether it's PIP, ESA or whatever, alone. They should always have someone with them. Again sorry for letting off steam!! :-(

stickywicket

Please don't apologise. We all need somewhere to either let off steam or tell it like it is and this is a good safe place for both.

Your assessment does sound very odd.I can just about manage to believe that ticking the microwave-owner box would save time and be a safe bet (for years everyone assumed I had a mobile phone when I didn't) but the assumptions about your bathroom are weird.

I know someone - a former GP - who used to do these assessments until ATOS took over. I bet she was brilliant. Kind, thoughtful and caring. In my younger days it was your GP who assessed you for DLA. They stopped that because GPs were too inclined to say the patient qualified. Surely, they knew best, though?

Mike1

This is not unusual regrettably. I know someone who works for the DWP who has told me that ATOS get bonus payments for the number of claimants that are removed from PIP, in addition they rely on the fact that many people turned down do not apply for Mandatory Reconsideration and even fewer go to Appeal afterwards as the thought of going to Court is tremendously off-putting. Under NO circumstances should anyone go to an assessment without being accompanied. The person being assessed has a right to take someone with them, if they are unable to take a family member with them they could take a carer or a friend. Make sure that whoever goes with you takes a note book and scribbles stuff down during the assessment even if it is just doodles!! Some Councils have a department that can help out, Cornwall Council have a Equality and Diversity Team who can help complete the paperwork in the first place (so do the CAB) plus they can accompany you to assessments and Appeals, but this depends on their workload and availability.

kfrweaving

I find the PIP assessment mad, as i live in a bungalow so at any point the assessor could have asked to see the bathroom and kitchen and i would have said yes. But she didn't.
When i go the CAB appointments I will take someone with and with any other appointments i certainly am not going in alone!
Because of living in a semi rural area and not being able to drive it makes it even harder to get to appointments. Taxis are too expensive and i have to rely on neighbours and friends. I can occasionally get a bus, but that's only if the doctors appointment is at the right time. Thankfully a neighbour is giving me a lift and back to a doctors appointment on Monday. All of that i will be putting down in my appeal also. Everything just feels weird.
Sorry