http://atosvictimsgroup.co.uk/2013/01/12/atos-secret-filming-exposing-atos-video/ I hope the link works! Pat
Unbelievable how the hell do they get away with this, bloods boiling x
I thought it underlined quite well that they are ONLY implementing government policy, as dictated to them, and have very little room for manoeuvre. It was clear the assessors (the ones we saw, anyway) disliked having to award “0 points” to someone they knew was seriously ill, but the rules didn’t give them the flexibility to say anything different.
As someone who used to be an auditor (nothing to do with health or fitness assessments, I hasten to add) I have some sympathy with the dilemma. You have to audit to the measures you are given - even if you don’t necessarily agree with some, or any of them.
For example, sometimes the audit would ask: “Have they used such-and-such a form?” Occasionally, the auditee would not have used the prescribed form, but would have substituted an equivalent, or possibly even superior type of record. However, because of the strict wording of the audit, I would have to fail them on that question. If it had asked: “Have they used an adequate form of record keeping?”, I could have answered: “YES”
But if it asks: “Have they used Form X?”, when they clearly haven’t, there’s nowhere else you can go with that question. It doesn’t matter what they’ve done instead, or how good you think it is - the question’s a straightforward YES/NO, so you can’t write: “No, BUT…” and give them the points anyway.
So the questions you have to work with determine the outcome, to a large extent. If it’s a very strict set of questions, you don’t have the discretion to say: “Well, they deserve the points in spirit, even if they didn’t satisfy the letter”.
Tina
absolutuely disgusting! Can’t believe they get away with it. The way we are being treated is vile. Wish we could stop the government somehow xxx
Just come across this one too, disgusting
OMG n WTF!!! now in seriously panicking bout my assessment decision, they could have a dead body in front of them and tell them thery are fit for work, this is bloody sick, they deliberatly made the assessments impossible to pass or score points, they have done this to scrap benefits full stop and tell us that we all can work so we don’t need benefits or help and tell the rest of the country that there are no disabled people because no one is getting disability benefits, just watch for this coming soon, i can see alot more deaths and suicides because of this
My friend as been through two Atoses, waiting for 2nd appeal. I am totally disgusted the way the sick are dealt with. She currently in the work support group, her symptoms are dizzyness, extreme exhaustion, numbness, burning in the extremities. Her work support advisor has told her she is fit. Her next project is build a CV, she was asked have you thought about starting your own bussiness?.Would you like to work part-time or full-time. What part exactly do you not get Ian Duncan Smith? People are sick.They are not able, but oh no your determined to force back people who cant work through illness. I realise you inherited a huge multi-billion pound deficit, but what I have witnessed over the last couple of stressful years is pure hell for my friend. So roll on maybe its time to give somebody else a chance at number 10. The media propaganda that people on benefits are skivers is total rubbish. Try witnessing the symptoms, the hospital visits, the pain. The Atos test is designed to fail, what percentage have a chance to get into the support group!!!.
I am glad I have come across this thread and it is not just me who is feeling angry.
I must confess to feeling somewhat p’d off with the whole benefits system and government.
They may want to save money but take it from the sick is just ridiculous.
MS is an unstable illness itself without all the rubbish the government keep throwing at us.
I have just read that they are changing the DLA rules, so you will only get high rate DLA if you can’t walk 20 yards, not the 50 yards that it currently is.
Excuse my language, but this just sucks!!!
I hate my illness and the way it effects every day life but I hate the way the government don’t understand the condition too. They really don’t live in the real world - do they?
Rant over for now …