View Full Version : ATOS Assessment
MelinaJane
14-03-13, 14:28
Hi all :)
I know this has been posted many times before but I wanted to ask if anyone had a positive ATOS experience and then felt it was too good to be true?
I had my assessment yesterday for severe anxiety and panic attacks and had to travel 25 miles with my mum to get there so you can imagine what a state I was in. The lady that saw me was really nice and listened to everything I said and was sympathetic as her daughter has bipoplar. I think I managed to explain myself well and she said she didn't need to ask me anymore as she could see I was distressed and she felt she had enough info. She also said she was fairly confident I would pass, although it wasn't up to her.
I left feeling much calmer about the whole thing but i've read such awful things about ATOS being two faced during assessments and now i'm questioning whether she was actually telling the truth. Has anyone else had a similar experience only to find out later they've been failed?
Thank you lovely people :bighug1:
Mine went a lot better than I had expected and I was assessed as being able to claim ESA in the working group.
I would love to have one of the assessors you two have had. Due to my Dysphagia and anxiety related to it (not forgetting my Panic/Anxiety disorder on top of this) I am losing at least 1 stone per month, and twice I have lost almost a stone in a week, yet I was put into the work group with a 6 month prognosis, meaning I will be back at ATOS within 3/4 months.
I am currently appealing as I have 3 definate support group descriptors, and due to the fact that I took 6 letters from medical professionals which seem to have been completely ignored. Its been marked as urgent for the reconsideration process, but if that fails its going to tribunal, and I have professional support for this.
It seems I could be wheeled into the assessment dead, and still be passed fit for the work group. They are such a bunch of jokers.
Im glad your condition was taken seriously Annie, and Melina it seems to have gone ok for you, now please send your assessors my way for the next one please :roflmao:
---------- Post added at 19:44 ---------- Previous post was at 19:34 ----------
Oh, and I received a letter last week summoning me to a work focused interview and telling me I will be put onto the work programme, not bad for someone that can barely eat or drink, and at times can't swallow their own saliva. I rang them and told them what they can do with their work programme and the manager of the dwp centre has deferred the interviews until after reconsideration has taken place.
Dazza I had to go to the job centre on Tuesday for a work related activity interview. Again I got a lovely lady who said she won't send me on any work related activities as she thinks I have enough with my psychotherapy and physio.
You are extremely lucky Annie, I think they were planning to send me to do some charity work at a shop somewhere. Now if I was able to work I'd get my own job, with a decent salary, not work for free. No offence to people who volunteer at charity shops, but I'm highly qualified and I certainly wouldn't be working for free. If I could work I'd do it for real.
I know what you mean Dazza. She asked me what my qualifications are and I was reeling them all off then I started to crying thinking "What the hell am I doing in here!"
Was the advisor about half your age Annie? They are usually kids telling adults what to do, and if you dont go along with them then they threaten to stop your benefits. I was always told and made aware that the work programme was voluntary, yet my letter told me I was being put on it.
Sorry to have jumped onto your thread Melina, if you assessor told you you'd pass then its likely, it just depends which group and for how long. Assessors do lie, but not in this way, so fingers crossed. Just be prepared for what comes next, because I will assume youd be put into the work group, and that means work programme, volunteer work etc, they dont just leave you be. If you get put into the work group and feel you should be in the support group, you need to appeal, and get help with your appeal from CAB. Dont do it alone because its more difficult.
I hope you get a letter soon, and I hope its good news :yesyes:
Hi MelindaJane
I was just the same nervous as hell couldn't even sit in the waiting room. I had a lovely young nurse she was kind and sympathetic. apologised for having to put me through the assessment. I thought it was too good to be true. But I noticed a text yesterday evening I quote "you have been awarded work related activity component.you do not need to send fit notes until further notice." from esa claims. I guess this means they found against me !
MelinaJane
15-03-13, 09:49
Thanks so much for all your replies and for putting my mind at rest :)
It does seem that a lot depends on the assessor and whether they are understanding or not. I have no expectations of being put into the support group - i'd just be happy to be given anything! I'm on contributions based so I can only claim until July anyway so there is only so much longer they can harrass me for!
---------- Post added at 09:47 ---------- Previous post was at 09:46 ----------
Hi MelindaJane
I was just the same nervous as hell couldn't even sit in the waiting room. I had a lovely young nurse she was kind and sympathetic. apologised for having to put me through the assessment. I thought it was too good to be true. But I noticed a text yesterday evening I quote "you have been awarded work related activity component.you do not need to send fit notes until further notice." from esa claims. I guess this means they found against me !
Yay! So relieved for you! Let's hope my outcome is as good :)
---------- Post added at 09:48 ---------- Previous post was at 09:47 ----------
Mine went a lot better than I had expected and I was assessed as being able to claim ESA in the working group.
Thanks Annie, I hope my result is the same :)
---------- Post added at 09:49 ---------- Previous post was at 09:48 ----------
I would love to have one of the assessors you two have had. Due to my Dysphagia and anxiety related to it (not forgetting my Panic/Anxiety disorder on top of this) I am losing at least 1 stone per month, and twice I have lost almost a stone in a week, yet I was put into the work group with a 6 month prognosis, meaning I will be back at ATOS within 3/4 months.
I am currently appealing as I have 3 definate support group descriptors, and due to the fact that I took 6 letters from medical professionals which seem to have been completely ignored. Its been marked as urgent for the reconsideration process, but if that fails its going to tribunal, and I have professional support for this.
It seems I could be wheeled into the assessment dead, and still be passed fit for the work group. They are such a bunch of jokers.
Im glad your condition was taken seriously Annie, and Melina it seems to have gone ok for you, now please send your assessors my way for the next one please :roflmao:
---------- Post added at 19:44 ---------- Previous post was at 19:34 ----------
Oh, and I received a letter last week summoning me to a work focused interview and telling me I will be put onto the work programme, not bad for someone that can barely eat or drink, and at times can't swallow their own saliva. I rang them and told them what they can do with their work programme and the manager of the dwp centre has deferred the interviews until after reconsideration has taken place.
Thanks for your replies Dazza - i'm so sorry you have had such an awful time. This is why i can't understand the nice lady I had - i feel so guilty about it! Stay strong :bighug1:
Don't feel guilty, you were lucky, that's great!
With contributions based, if you can get into the support group, your payments wont stop, they go on as before, so if you get put into wrag and feel you have support group descriptors appeal it, you have nothing to lose, and continued payments to gain!!!
I will be fine, I should get into the support group, I have lots of evidence and legal backup, but even if I don't I will tell them to shove it and live frugally until I am able to get better and get back into work. My family can financially support me to an extent until I'm back on track. Thank god for families :hugs:
MelinaJane
15-03-13, 10:12
Don't feel guilty, you were lucky, that's great!
With contributions based, if you can get into the support group, your payments wont stop, they go on as before, so if you get put into wrag and feel you have support group descriptors appeal it, you have nothing to lose, and continued payments to gain!!!
I will be fine, I should get into the support group, I have lots of evidence and legal backup, but even if I don't I will tell them to shove it and live frugally until I am able to get better and get back into work. My family can financially support me to an extent until I'm back on track. Thank god for families :hugs:
I do hope you get into the support group but i am glad you have your family to help you if not. I know what you mean about telling them to shove it - sometimes we all just need some space to get better without the stress from the DWP!
yep just dug through all the internet jargon thought it was positive yesterday then doubted and thought it was negative today writing the post still doubted it ! ha ha got to love Aniexty and the mind !
seems the support group is only applied if you have terminal illness. The work related group is monthly meetings for people that will one day work !
just means they haven't written me off at 36 phew and they think I will one day be work fit in some form.
Monthly meetings not so good :mad: but I will take that back pay:yahoo: and throw me in some retraining in a new non stressful career :flowers: Because I do not want to run a multimillion £ business again:scared15: or work in industry destroyed by recession :lac: and I can work on my Aniexty with some cbt:noangel: and a sprinkling of meds :blush: get my diabetes under control:winks: loose some weight in the local sport centre:roflmao: but with that £700 windfall I may have a holiday :yahoo: because I have looked like this :wacko: for far too long hope you get the same result :bighug1: may even get some support to set up my own business in time I am not sure a burnt out trouble shooting retail manager with eczema asthma ibs diabetes general Aniexty disorder an emotional personality disorder that sees doctors twice a week and a phyciatrist 4 weekly...is going to interview very well :roflmao: x x
MelinaJane
15-03-13, 10:28
yep just dug through all the internet jargon thought it was positive yesterday then doubted and thought it was negative today writing the post still doubted it ! ha ha got to love Aniexty and the mind !
seems the support group is only applied if you have terminal illness. The work related group is monthly meetings for people that will one day work !
just means they haven't written me off at 36 phew and they think I will one day be work fit in some form.
Monthly meetings not so good :mad: but I will take that back pay:yahoo: and throw me in some retraining in a new non stressful career :flowers: Because I do not want to run a multimillion £ business again:scared15: or work in industry destroyed by recession :lac: and I can work on my Aniexty with some cbt:noangel: and a sprinkling of meds :blush: get my diabetes under control:winks: loose some weight in the local sport centre:roflmao: but with that £700 windfall I may have a holiday :yahoo: because I have looked like this :wacko: for far too long hope you get the same result :bighug1: may even get some support to set up my own business in time I am not sure a burnt out trouble shooting retail manager with eczema asthma ibs diabetes general Aniexty disorder an emotional personality disorder that sees doctors twice a week and a phyciatrist 4 weekly...is going to interview very well :roflmao: x x
Lol good old anxiety eh?! Makes you question literally everything, even the colour of the sky....
A holiday will be great han, I'm off to Devon Monday for a week and I can't wait, I won't do a lot because I struggle with everything, but just the change of scenery will make a difference.
Han I had my first work group meeting last week and she said because of her case load she won't get back round to seeing me for another 6 months!
Dazza The person who interviewed me was about my age (55) maybe that is why she was more understanding of me.
MelinaJane
22-03-13, 11:42
Just wanted to update you all and let you know i received a letter this morning saying i've been put in a work group :) Relief at last...
MelinaJane
22-03-13, 12:48
Congrats :) I was put in the work related group too and they might assess you down the line as needing the support group like they did for me. Glad all turned out well!
Thanks :)
Well done Melina, I had some good news today also, on reconsideration they have moved me from the work related activity group to support group, with a 12 month prognosis so I have some breathing space to get myself better with no stress from them. Just remember everyone, if you have an atos assessment, and you feel you are put into the wrong group do appeal. They review at first to see if they can reconsider, and I got lucky with this, and you can too.
Melina Jane and Dazza I am pleased to hear this :)
atos is as it it says, doesnt give a-toss. i broke my back,am pretty much wheelchair bound,very depressed due to constant agony. atos deemed me fully fit for work.am on high rate mobility and middle rate care dla,but yet still deemed fit for work. complete joke of a system,they lied and lied on the report.i now have to go down the tribunal route,luckily i have my doctors and hospital staff all backing me up not to do any form of work.ive got metal plates,bolts and rods all the way up my spine and they still deemed me fit for work. anyone who has a medical, i advise you strongly to get the whole assessment recorded,otherwise you can be another statistic like me waiting for tribunal.
I recorded mine and made them aware of this when I sent my appeal. I also had an advice service backing me, hey presto I'm in the support group. Tho to be fare I do honestly have 3 support group descriptors so it should have happened anyway. Good luck with your appeal.
ive just read the whole post on this forum, how dare atos and the dwp feel they can play god with peoples emotions and lives, dazza, i secretly video recorded my assessment,and have it as clear as day that the rgn nurse asessor from atos told lie after lie,when i rang to complain about this and told them i can prove that they lied to assess me at zero points(astonishingly) they said if i use the recording i can be prosectuted. i then said,so its fair for the dwp to go round filming people on esa trying to see if there scamming.but i cant use a simple recording to show an atos assessor the scammed me.complete and utter *******s,this was in january and im still fuming about it now. makes my blood boil even writing this.
Which shows they have something to hide if they are saying you can't use it!
well if i fail the tribunal in any way, the recording will be posted right across the internet, youtube,facebook and any other forum i can get it on lol. the assessor wont get away with telling lies i can promise that
To my knowledge you can use a recording as evidence as long as you provide copies for the tribunal and dwp before the tribunal. But you need to type up the contents also so it can be read.
---------- Post added at 20:36 ---------- Previous post was at 20:33 ----------
Thanks Annie, missed your earlier post, more good news they owe me £103 in back payments which is great because I have lost so much weight (8lbs in the past 2 weeks) that I need to get some new clothes.
I got my P45 from work today. I know I made the right decision but not easy after 14 years working there.
New chapter, you WILL get better, then you WILL find a new path, just like me, as long as I can start getting some food down me at some point, either that or it's gonna kill me. Living on complan these days. Getting so much worse, cbt had better work or I'll be gone.
I hope it works for you Dazza, not nice when you can't eat. I was like that over the summer, just the sight of food made me cry :( You have been struggling to eat for some time now.
It's been a year, brief spell of getting slightly better last summer but choked again in October and gone down hill very quickly ever since, I'm gonna end up in hospital at some point I guess, I can't see it ever getting better, but I really hope it does. Everytime I try to eat or drink I think I'm going to choke, and no matter what meds or how much diazepam I take it doesn't get easier. Need to ring doctor tomorrow as the 8lbs is too much in a fortnight and due to my diabetes I have very high ketones again so looks like it'll be an emergency appointment yet again:lac:
:( I hope you get it sorted somehow soon. :hugs:
Me too Annie, me too :hugs:
hi dazza, im sorry about your situation mate, i don't know if this is useful to you,i was 9 stone 2 months ago,and at 6 foot 3 id think you'd agree is well underweight.the doctor put me on mirtazapine for depression and because i cant sleep due to my constant back ache. well one thing that cheered me up is im now 10 stone 10. and still gaining. i started drinking weight gain drinks as i struggled to eat just like you. mirtazapines side affect is weight gain,so might be useful for you to look down that route if your underweight like i am(was)
Thanks mate, I tried that horrific drug some time ago, not an experience id like to go through again :scared15: but glad it works for you. 9 stone is low, you must have looked like a stick insect at your height, but great that you are getting healthier with your weight. My Psychiatrist thinks its therapy that will help mostly and that starts properly next week so I have my fingers crossed that it will help. Filling myself with complan at the minute so doing my best. Having to buy it which is a pain cos in Wales we have free prescriptions, and Im also diabetic so get them free anyway, so will pester her for a huge box of it next week when I see her and try to save a bit of cash. I think 3 a day with some breakfast which I can sometimes manage will help keep the weight stable, then I will attempt to put some back on when Im getting better :yesyes:
yeah i did look like a stick insect lol, the atos assessor said on her report i was well built lol.
Of course she did, you could have gone in there with no arms and she would have said you came in juggling melons!:roflmao:
Of course she did, you could have gone in there with no arms and she would have said you came in juggling melons!:roflmao:
:roflmao:
MelinaJane
29-03-13, 15:27
Well done Melina, I had some good news today also, on reconsideration they have moved me from the work related activity group to support group, with a 12 month prognosis so I have some breathing space to get myself better with no stress from them. Just remember everyone, if you have an atos assessment, and you feel you are put into the wrong group do appeal. They review at first to see if they can reconsider, and I got lucky with this, and you can too.
Yay!! I was so pleased to read this Dazza :yesyes:
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