I found out that I was originally marked up as no interview needed. Then after i phoned it was changed! Moral of the story don't chase them up!
Friday, 4 November 2016
I finally received the result of my complaint. I am still pressing for a viable complaints system at ATOS.
In summary:-
1. Contact ATOS immediately you have cause for complaint.
2.All post by recorded Royal Mail. When I wrote they said that they had not received my letter. That changed when I provided a copy of delivery.
4.Never send originals.
Tuesday, 7 June 2016
Thursday, 1 October 2015
I followed the ATOS complaints procedure such as it is.
Under the ESA system they abandoned there was a 40 page complaints document of what you the customer could expect. With PIP this has been simplified to "Trust us".
Initially when they wrote they stated the secretary was no longer in their employment. However, later it was revealed she was not an employee and had no right to be there.
The Independent Atos inquiry brushed of my submission which contained the Chief Medical officers guidance to ATOS had not been followed in many areas.
The only alternative was to go to the Independent Case Review for Government bodies with my complaint. As it stands today I will have to wait until 2016 for them to investigate.
In the meantime I went to the 1st Tier hearing and after a fair but gruelling one and a bit hours my appeal was allowed at the Standard rate.
I now put this on the back burner until the Case Review contact me.
Under the ESA system they abandoned there was a 40 page complaints document of what you the customer could expect. With PIP this has been simplified to "Trust us".
Initially when they wrote they stated the secretary was no longer in their employment. However, later it was revealed she was not an employee and had no right to be there.
The Independent Atos inquiry brushed of my submission which contained the Chief Medical officers guidance to ATOS had not been followed in many areas.
The only alternative was to go to the Independent Case Review for Government bodies with my complaint. As it stands today I will have to wait until 2016 for them to investigate.
In the meantime I went to the 1st Tier hearing and after a fair but gruelling one and a bit hours my appeal was allowed at the Standard rate.
I now put this on the back burner until the Case Review contact me.
Friday, 16 January 2015
As promised the Customer Services Man wrote back.
In the response he made no mention of the secretary and that the Health Professional was off sick! But in her absence he had liased with her manager. Who had in turn reassured him that the Health Professional will always ask for permission to allow the Secretary into the interview. Oh thats ok then! (Not)
What about an answer to my many questions in the recorded delivery letter. Which had been received on 2nd January 15.
Quelle Suprise! The Customer Services never received it..........
He now has a copy including the recorded delivery number.
Helpfully, he says I can still submit a request for a reconsideration because he won't have a reply from the absent HP until mid February. ( no mention about the secretary)
I will put all the correspondence on here once the dust has settled.
5th March 2015.
Received the reconsideration and it was a no, however, I thought I would take up the written offer to ring them up.
Ring, ring, "Dwp I'm 'name' how can I help"
I would like to talk to you about the reconsideration.
"1st or 2nd"
"2nd"
" No we don't do that, you will have to appeal"
Then I drew his attention to the reverse of page 1
"Does it"
I then went on to explain my reasons for calling.
"No I don't know"
"No I don't know"
17 minutes later
" You had better appeal"
In the response he made no mention of the secretary and that the Health Professional was off sick! But in her absence he had liased with her manager. Who had in turn reassured him that the Health Professional will always ask for permission to allow the Secretary into the interview. Oh thats ok then! (Not)
What about an answer to my many questions in the recorded delivery letter. Which had been received on 2nd January 15.
Quelle Suprise! The Customer Services never received it..........
He now has a copy including the recorded delivery number.
Helpfully, he says I can still submit a request for a reconsideration because he won't have a reply from the absent HP until mid February. ( no mention about the secretary)
I will put all the correspondence on here once the dust has settled.
5th March 2015.
Received the reconsideration and it was a no, however, I thought I would take up the written offer to ring them up.
Ring, ring, "Dwp I'm 'name' how can I help"
I would like to talk to you about the reconsideration.
"1st or 2nd"
"2nd"
" No we don't do that, you will have to appeal"
Then I drew his attention to the reverse of page 1
"Does it"
I then went on to explain my reasons for calling.
"No I don't know"
"No I don't know"
17 minutes later
" You had better appeal"
Monday, 12 January 2015
Months had gone by since filling in my first application for Personal Independence Payment. Duly posted. I waited and waited.
So after 6 months I gave the DWP a call and they told me to phone ATOS.
Which I did and the very nice chap told me that they had my application. After a bit of persuasion he implied that my case was suitable for a paper review, so I left it at that.
Another month went by so I phoned again and another chap told me my case may be subject to a paper review because they had all the medical evidence they needed, fair enough and I left it as that.
Briefly I have an aggressive form of Rheumatoid Arthritis and psoriasis plus Osteoporosis in my feet and Osteopenea with a z-factor of 2. Following a Dexa test.
It had taken 4 years of hobbling to different Doctors and 3 hospital visits. Two very large needles inserted into my feet. A needle so long it was terrifying!
So in 2014 the Orthopedic Consultant referred me to a Rheumatoid Arthritis Consultant and he was shocked at my condition.
Wandering round the room apologising I was wondering if I was going to expire before my car park ticket!
Several xrays and another huge needled injection I was sent on my way with a new pile of prescribed medicine.
(I have to mention that a MRI which I had at Hull Royal Infirmary of my left foot on 23 Dec 2012 was lost. Must have been sent to someone as a medical present)
This lead to a lot of confusion because no-one was interested in my left foot that would have to be separately referred! But the Orthopedic Consultant brought common sense to bear and referred both my feet for examination.
One November 2014 day I received an invitation to a Atos Interview where according to the caller I would be questioned about how the disease effected my daily life. The caller specifically said there would be no medical because they had all the evidence.
Anyway I couldn't go my dog was poorly so I was sternly advised I must attend the next appointment which was allocated near to me.
The day arrived and my wife came with me, parking about 300 metres from the tiny office. I was going to park in the precinct about 2ft from the tiny office's front door.
My wife enquired at the door which was answered by a Morticia lookalike but not as pleasant. 20mins too early we sauntered of for a tea at our local Cooplands.
Returning for the appointment we were seated by the gloomy receptionist who after a few tense minutes invited me to move closer. She explained that she and her colleague would be carrying out the interview. Pausing for a minute to shut out the nosey passersby by shutting the blinds she continued. I handed over my recently awarded blue badge, repeat medication and a list of non repeat items.
Photocopying the first two she passed my list back saying it wasn't required.
To break the atmosphere when she asked how far I had travelled. I said "not far you could throw a stone at our house and hit it from here!"( we live about a mile away so I wasn't being literal)
Staring at me she repeated what I had just said like one of those German Prisoner of war Commadants clinging on to every word as she looked out through a crack in the blinds and they destroyed the comment. Which made the atmosphere decidedly odd.
The Cooplands Tea wanted to escape as much as I did. So I asked to use the toilet.
A brief look a fear crossed her face as she told me that a previous client had blocked the loo and caused damage. There was no way I was going to last because my bladder in later life has taken on a more independent role and was threatening to relieve me there and then. I pleaded with the sullen faced secretary who in the intervening had shared that she was longing to return to London ( by this stage so was I ).
But I got permission when I indicated that I only wanted a Number 1.
Off I went.
I opened the door expected to see the disgusting mess that public loos get into. But No! It was picturesque not a sign of damaged looked like a display loo in one of those B&Q sale adverts.
Flushing the ultra clean facility and making sure that I left it in pristine condition. I fully intended to ask our host about her earlier refusal.
As I drew level with the inner office door it suddenly swung back crashing me into the wall. I caught a glimpse of the alarm on my wife's face. Then confronted by a fast talking, fast movement female Hobbit.
Multiple health questions flew out of her mouth, are you ok, do you need an ambulance, are you sure?" As I was bundled into the office. Where I was invited to sit on a chair that looked really uncomfortable. My 2nd mistake I asked if I could use the more comfortable chair. She said yes but refused to move it. 3rd Mistake I should have left it where it was, nestled into the corner which meant that the plumpy diminutive Health Professional would have turned 180 degrees on her office toy chair to gain eye contact. And as far as that goes I could have had just as much interaction if I had waited in the corridor, despite her saying she had to look at the computer during the interview. ( And having now received the result she must have been playing Candy Crush because the subsequent report was so vague)
Having struggled with the chair I sat and just like Captain Kirk she spun in her chair and in her best condescending 1970's District Nurse routine she fired some more health questions "do you feel ok?" "We can do this another day" and so on as her eyes bored into me. I confirmed that I was ok.
Character change she went into role, similar to a an announcer at a train station.
She turned politely advising my wife not to speak unless spoken to. (This was somewhat better than the suggestion from the now back seat out of focus receptionist to 'go for a coffee' while I was being interviewed!
Then in her new character she gave me her qualifications (which didn't take long) District Community nurse basically. ( wondered if her weathered ruddy complexion was as a result of cycling round her community when they did such things)
However, for the purposes of this farce she had been given the title Health Professional Badge which was pretty much like a Community Police Officer being allowed to be called Constable,falsely implies professional status with an air of "I'm Boss!"
There's a computer format that they have to follow. Which means that the HP has spend the majority of the monologue they are intensely face up to the screen (another possible cause for her uplands hill farmer complexion, background radiation).
The start "Do you know why you're here today?" Spins away to make the appropriate or in my case inappropriate record of my response.
"Well I'm going to be doing this and that to assess you" (not finished)
Leans over putting extreme pressure on her Edinburgh wool out fit and brings a darker rouge to her Hannah Hawkworth featured visage.
"I Only note your replies and put my observations on record. This is then past back to the DWP for decision. I am not responsible for their decision. So if there is any problem afterwards you must take it up with them. And not me"
( I wondered if this might be another cause for weathered reddened complexion. Frequent arguments with disgruntled rejected applicants. Or being slapped by some obese shell suited thing in between pizzas. ( I have read that Atos have abandoned their contract because of the threats to staff and nothing to do with the mounting evidence backd criticism of the quality of their work!)
Maintaining the gaze for a second she revolved back to the chair.
The mumbling statements emerged as she tapped away. The HP had already announced that she spent a lot of time filling in the computer so there would be little eye contact.
Although I think this is an excuse just to finish work early and it certainly restricted her hearing!
Any attempt to press home my replies literally fell on deaf ears. Except where I disagreed with what she read back which had a negative effect on her complexion.
Then it was followed up with her "don't blame me" but rephrased.
The chances for getting my information across was slipping away as she continued with her agenda.
Right at the beginning when I handed the documents over to Cruella there was a 'blue badge' which had been granted after attending a walking test authorised by the County Council. ( You don't get an automatic pass to the benefit because of this. But this I felt was relevant because of the walking test).
However, nurse had not grasped this at any level. She obviously thought the possession of the badge was as a result of being a former recipient of Disability Living Allowance.
And she had in her droll stated that PIP replaced DLA and she repeated this again when I tried to explain . And away she went about PIP ignoring my attempts.
Then she came to quizzing me about the house taking on the role of medical estate agent. This was the cornerstone and most time taken on any subject! I thought she was going to put an offer in!
I knew I had failed.
Then she revolved off her chair. " now let's mobilise! " it was like an invitation to dance at one of those poorly lit last of their kind liquor licensing busting dance halls!"
( in the years before 24hr beer drinking the normal licensing hours ceased at 1030pm
Which either meant a lock in or buggering off to the delphi hotel where there was live entertainment, which extended the hours to midnight provided you were there before 10.30! The live entertainment usually was a captive 1930s pianist kidnapped from an old peoples home. Then plonked in a corner infront of wood varnish starved piano with yellow/white keys. They sat there delivering half a tune in between medication)
The HP reminded me of the hotel groupie who atrempted to waltz with anyone at the Delphi and pretty much had the same complexion another possible reason for the red face, alcoholism! ( such an inaccurate report couldn't be completed by someone sober)
In my file the Consultant referred to my left arm being wasted ( which has since lead to a bit of paranoia as I have tried to measure the circumference of both wrists unsuccessfully with a metal tape!)
So during the Hoky Poky the HP asked why my grip was so weak!
It was now I asked if she had read my file and this was met with silence this killed the Atos Website advice " OUR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WILL KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES !" And this was reinforced when I read her report claiming I hadn't mentioned anything significant in my original questionnaire! I had written on every and any blank space it looked like the writings of Spacey in 'SEVEN' there were, and are, pages of it.
The HP had been tetchy with me about my treatment giving me "usually this happens and not in my experience" routine when I was outlining my treatment and medication. This was confirmed in her limited report which had all the knowledge displayed of a frequent truant at final exams. Describing my treatment as infrequent!
Then the official end was announced and terminated with the we're not to blame recital. ( do not leave the interview like people leave the cinema or a boring talk, you are under constant assessment so stiffle the inclination to escape like someone emerging from a POW tunnel!)
Then I had to wait while Morticia filled in the Accident record book to cover them for slapping me about with the door!
I am a carer for my wife so I took exception to this salaried snob wanting to put down 'unemployed' as my occupation.
I went home knowing I had crashed and burned. So I decided to act immediately and lodge a complaint to ATOS about the interview. I wasn't going to wait because I would only be accused of being a sore loser. This was the right move because the interview when compared with them model on the Atos website.
Another thing when I received the pot holed report I saw reference to the piece of paper with the non repeat medication on it which the dour secretary had dismissed. I bet they can't produce it if asked! This was a gaff by the woman in black which must have been picked up when they had a conflab. Naughty.( another possible cause for her red face being untruthful had left her in a permanent state of blushing)
The report also ommitted the door incident, but referred to me bending down to tighten my laces at the time!.
I await the response for the unauthorised presence of Morticia, the physical for which I wasn't asked for my consent. And why after three different calls all of whom had said it was a questioning session only.
The saga continues
Today, nearly 30 days since I received an acknowledgement and it said to ring anytime. What it failed to say was " ring up any time but I won't necessarily speak to you."
When I phoned the number provided the operator asked if I had a number for the letter writer. I had already rung the number!
Eventually, after he was located he wouldn't speak . Oh well. Nothing to do with the reconsideration time limit I asked.
So after 6 months I gave the DWP a call and they told me to phone ATOS.
Which I did and the very nice chap told me that they had my application. After a bit of persuasion he implied that my case was suitable for a paper review, so I left it at that.
Another month went by so I phoned again and another chap told me my case may be subject to a paper review because they had all the medical evidence they needed, fair enough and I left it as that.
Briefly I have an aggressive form of Rheumatoid Arthritis and psoriasis plus Osteoporosis in my feet and Osteopenea with a z-factor of 2. Following a Dexa test.
It had taken 4 years of hobbling to different Doctors and 3 hospital visits. Two very large needles inserted into my feet. A needle so long it was terrifying!
So in 2014 the Orthopedic Consultant referred me to a Rheumatoid Arthritis Consultant and he was shocked at my condition.
Wandering round the room apologising I was wondering if I was going to expire before my car park ticket!
Several xrays and another huge needled injection I was sent on my way with a new pile of prescribed medicine.
(I have to mention that a MRI which I had at Hull Royal Infirmary of my left foot on 23 Dec 2012 was lost. Must have been sent to someone as a medical present)
This lead to a lot of confusion because no-one was interested in my left foot that would have to be separately referred! But the Orthopedic Consultant brought common sense to bear and referred both my feet for examination.
One November 2014 day I received an invitation to a Atos Interview where according to the caller I would be questioned about how the disease effected my daily life. The caller specifically said there would be no medical because they had all the evidence.
Anyway I couldn't go my dog was poorly so I was sternly advised I must attend the next appointment which was allocated near to me.
The day arrived and my wife came with me, parking about 300 metres from the tiny office. I was going to park in the precinct about 2ft from the tiny office's front door.
My wife enquired at the door which was answered by a Morticia lookalike but not as pleasant. 20mins too early we sauntered of for a tea at our local Cooplands.
Returning for the appointment we were seated by the gloomy receptionist who after a few tense minutes invited me to move closer. She explained that she and her colleague would be carrying out the interview. Pausing for a minute to shut out the nosey passersby by shutting the blinds she continued. I handed over my recently awarded blue badge, repeat medication and a list of non repeat items.
Photocopying the first two she passed my list back saying it wasn't required.
To break the atmosphere when she asked how far I had travelled. I said "not far you could throw a stone at our house and hit it from here!"( we live about a mile away so I wasn't being literal)
Staring at me she repeated what I had just said like one of those German Prisoner of war Commadants clinging on to every word as she looked out through a crack in the blinds and they destroyed the comment. Which made the atmosphere decidedly odd.
The Cooplands Tea wanted to escape as much as I did. So I asked to use the toilet.
A brief look a fear crossed her face as she told me that a previous client had blocked the loo and caused damage. There was no way I was going to last because my bladder in later life has taken on a more independent role and was threatening to relieve me there and then. I pleaded with the sullen faced secretary who in the intervening had shared that she was longing to return to London ( by this stage so was I ).
But I got permission when I indicated that I only wanted a Number 1.
Off I went.
I opened the door expected to see the disgusting mess that public loos get into. But No! It was picturesque not a sign of damaged looked like a display loo in one of those B&Q sale adverts.
Flushing the ultra clean facility and making sure that I left it in pristine condition. I fully intended to ask our host about her earlier refusal.
As I drew level with the inner office door it suddenly swung back crashing me into the wall. I caught a glimpse of the alarm on my wife's face. Then confronted by a fast talking, fast movement female Hobbit.
Multiple health questions flew out of her mouth, are you ok, do you need an ambulance, are you sure?" As I was bundled into the office. Where I was invited to sit on a chair that looked really uncomfortable. My 2nd mistake I asked if I could use the more comfortable chair. She said yes but refused to move it. 3rd Mistake I should have left it where it was, nestled into the corner which meant that the plumpy diminutive Health Professional would have turned 180 degrees on her office toy chair to gain eye contact. And as far as that goes I could have had just as much interaction if I had waited in the corridor, despite her saying she had to look at the computer during the interview. ( And having now received the result she must have been playing Candy Crush because the subsequent report was so vague)
Having struggled with the chair I sat and just like Captain Kirk she spun in her chair and in her best condescending 1970's District Nurse routine she fired some more health questions "do you feel ok?" "We can do this another day" and so on as her eyes bored into me. I confirmed that I was ok.
Character change she went into role, similar to a an announcer at a train station.
She turned politely advising my wife not to speak unless spoken to. (This was somewhat better than the suggestion from the now back seat out of focus receptionist to 'go for a coffee' while I was being interviewed!
Then in her new character she gave me her qualifications (which didn't take long) District Community nurse basically. ( wondered if her weathered ruddy complexion was as a result of cycling round her community when they did such things)
However, for the purposes of this farce she had been given the title Health Professional Badge which was pretty much like a Community Police Officer being allowed to be called Constable,falsely implies professional status with an air of "I'm Boss!"
There's a computer format that they have to follow. Which means that the HP has spend the majority of the monologue they are intensely face up to the screen (another possible cause for her uplands hill farmer complexion, background radiation).
The start "Do you know why you're here today?" Spins away to make the appropriate or in my case inappropriate record of my response.
"Well I'm going to be doing this and that to assess you" (not finished)
Leans over putting extreme pressure on her Edinburgh wool out fit and brings a darker rouge to her Hannah Hawkworth featured visage.
"I Only note your replies and put my observations on record. This is then past back to the DWP for decision. I am not responsible for their decision. So if there is any problem afterwards you must take it up with them. And not me"
( I wondered if this might be another cause for weathered reddened complexion. Frequent arguments with disgruntled rejected applicants. Or being slapped by some obese shell suited thing in between pizzas. ( I have read that Atos have abandoned their contract because of the threats to staff and nothing to do with the mounting evidence backd criticism of the quality of their work!)
Maintaining the gaze for a second she revolved back to the chair.
The mumbling statements emerged as she tapped away. The HP had already announced that she spent a lot of time filling in the computer so there would be little eye contact.
Although I think this is an excuse just to finish work early and it certainly restricted her hearing!
Any attempt to press home my replies literally fell on deaf ears. Except where I disagreed with what she read back which had a negative effect on her complexion.
Then it was followed up with her "don't blame me" but rephrased.
The chances for getting my information across was slipping away as she continued with her agenda.
Right at the beginning when I handed the documents over to Cruella there was a 'blue badge' which had been granted after attending a walking test authorised by the County Council. ( You don't get an automatic pass to the benefit because of this. But this I felt was relevant because of the walking test).
However, nurse had not grasped this at any level. She obviously thought the possession of the badge was as a result of being a former recipient of Disability Living Allowance.
And she had in her droll stated that PIP replaced DLA and she repeated this again when I tried to explain . And away she went about PIP ignoring my attempts.
Then she came to quizzing me about the house taking on the role of medical estate agent. This was the cornerstone and most time taken on any subject! I thought she was going to put an offer in!
I knew I had failed.
Then she revolved off her chair. " now let's mobilise! " it was like an invitation to dance at one of those poorly lit last of their kind liquor licensing busting dance halls!"
( in the years before 24hr beer drinking the normal licensing hours ceased at 1030pm
Which either meant a lock in or buggering off to the delphi hotel where there was live entertainment, which extended the hours to midnight provided you were there before 10.30! The live entertainment usually was a captive 1930s pianist kidnapped from an old peoples home. Then plonked in a corner infront of wood varnish starved piano with yellow/white keys. They sat there delivering half a tune in between medication)
The HP reminded me of the hotel groupie who atrempted to waltz with anyone at the Delphi and pretty much had the same complexion another possible reason for the red face, alcoholism! ( such an inaccurate report couldn't be completed by someone sober)
In my file the Consultant referred to my left arm being wasted ( which has since lead to a bit of paranoia as I have tried to measure the circumference of both wrists unsuccessfully with a metal tape!)
So during the Hoky Poky the HP asked why my grip was so weak!
It was now I asked if she had read my file and this was met with silence this killed the Atos Website advice " OUR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WILL KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES !" And this was reinforced when I read her report claiming I hadn't mentioned anything significant in my original questionnaire! I had written on every and any blank space it looked like the writings of Spacey in 'SEVEN' there were, and are, pages of it.
The HP had been tetchy with me about my treatment giving me "usually this happens and not in my experience" routine when I was outlining my treatment and medication. This was confirmed in her limited report which had all the knowledge displayed of a frequent truant at final exams. Describing my treatment as infrequent!
Then the official end was announced and terminated with the we're not to blame recital. ( do not leave the interview like people leave the cinema or a boring talk, you are under constant assessment so stiffle the inclination to escape like someone emerging from a POW tunnel!)
Then I had to wait while Morticia filled in the Accident record book to cover them for slapping me about with the door!
I am a carer for my wife so I took exception to this salaried snob wanting to put down 'unemployed' as my occupation.
I went home knowing I had crashed and burned. So I decided to act immediately and lodge a complaint to ATOS about the interview. I wasn't going to wait because I would only be accused of being a sore loser. This was the right move because the interview when compared with them model on the Atos website.
Another thing when I received the pot holed report I saw reference to the piece of paper with the non repeat medication on it which the dour secretary had dismissed. I bet they can't produce it if asked! This was a gaff by the woman in black which must have been picked up when they had a conflab. Naughty.( another possible cause for her red face being untruthful had left her in a permanent state of blushing)
The report also ommitted the door incident, but referred to me bending down to tighten my laces at the time!.
I await the response for the unauthorised presence of Morticia, the physical for which I wasn't asked for my consent. And why after three different calls all of whom had said it was a questioning session only.
The saga continues
Today, nearly 30 days since I received an acknowledgement and it said to ring anytime. What it failed to say was " ring up any time but I won't necessarily speak to you."
When I phoned the number provided the operator asked if I had a number for the letter writer. I had already rung the number!
Eventually, after he was located he wouldn't speak . Oh well. Nothing to do with the reconsideration time limit I asked.
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