ATOS medical

[Annie0904]

Can anyone who has been for one give me some advise please? I have mine on 1st February and I am getting quite anxious about it. What sort of things will they ask etc.

[clio51]

Annie
if you go on workandbenefits site it's all about benefits atos Tec tells you what to expect.

from what my sister went through, hope you get somebody better she ended up on zero points with heart failure, bad hip(which she as done Feb) plus other illnesses.
but I see your going back to work so that no the same for you, she is on ESA

[Annie0904]

Yes I am hoping to go back to work on a phased return on 11th February.

[Dazza123]

SNAP!!!!!

1st February, 3.05pm

Annie, Im not going to scare you, but my 1st one last year was pretty bad. The nurse I saw was a witch with a capital B. Though they are not all like this, I have heard good and bad stories.

Basically, its questions that require Yes or No. Thats it, they do not want you to elaborate, and there are no grey areas, Yes or No. Its basically the questions that were on the form you filled in.

Can you do this..... Yes or No. If your answer would be Maybe, then you say no, cos Maybe means yes.

It isnt a person you are speaking to, its a computer that is processing you, the person just asks the questions and types in the answers.

I am going with a letter from my doctor describing my illness, and a letter from my Psychiatrist. I have 3 support group descriptors due to my swallowing problem and social anxiety, and it wont be easy to convince them of this, which is why I am armed with my letters. If they think they can pass you fit they will.

The lady (and I say that loosely) that I saw gave me 12 points, so failed me and said I was fit for work. It then goes to a decision maker at the DWP who reviews your EAS50 (the form you fill in) and the notes from the person who assessed you. My decision maker disagreed with the witch and gave me 18 points and recommended reassessment in 12 months which is the end of March, yet im up there a week Friday.

The 'lady' I saw was rude, and I got fed up with her, so started to argue and shout at her cos she made it clear she didnt believe me, she didnt flinch, so hard faced, I honestly felt like strangling her, Im amazed I didnt.

She also fired questions at me and before I could answer one she was on another question, trying to confuse me and make me say other things, but it didnt work because I was honest with her. I dont need to lie about my illness because its real, and I held onto that thought. I told her if she didnt believe me to come and live with me for a week to see what I was like, I told her she'd be running for the hills in 5 minutes.

This time I am worse than before, plus I have the Dysphagia so they have no chance, try as they might they will not be pushing me onto JSA because I am ill and I have lots of proof so although id rather not have to be assessed again, I am confident in myself.

This time I got an advice agency to help me with the form, so if it all goes wrong they will support me with any appeals and attend these appeals with me as they have legal reps who help and support, I shouldnt need this, but Im taking no chances this time.

[Annie0904]

I am pleased you have told me all this before I go. Are you allowed to take someone in with you? My stepdaughter said she will go with me because I can't cope with things like this without someone I know with me. My appointment is 10am

[Dazza123]

Yep, she can go in, she can confirm things for you and agree with what you say, if you need her to confirm things like if she has to do things for you or with you they seem happy with that, but she cant answer for you cos the person you see wont allow it usually, but she can definitely be there to support you, and it will make you feel better, you will feel stronger with that support sat next to you.

Bear (or is it bare?) in mind that you might have a great assessor who understands your situation, they are not all bad, but remember Annie, a lot of them are smiling assassins, dont let them fool you and dont let them answer for you or put words into your mouth.

Im hoping I get the same lady as I did last time, it will be a meeting to remember if I do because she lied on my report and I will pull her up on it cos im taking last years report with me.

[Annie0904]

Thank you very much for your advise, hopefully I will be prepared. The thing is I am going to try to go back to work on 11th Feb but they said I still have to go for the appointment on 1st. I called to see if I could wait to see how my return to work goes and they said no.

[Dazza123]

Something else Annie, if you tell them you are planning a phased return to work on the 11th then you are telling them there is nothing wrong with you because you have plans to go back to work.

---------- Post added at 20:58 ---------- Previous post was at 20:55 ----------

You can cancel your first appointment, and wait for another, this might give you a fortnight or so which might cover you for a few days whilst you try work?

[Annie0904]

Ah well I will just have to see how it goes. Occupational Health said I just try a phased return so I am. I am hoping it will work out because I would like to get back to work.

---------- Post added at 20:58 ---------- Previous post was at 20:58 ----------

They said if I cancel it may affect my payments.

[Dazza123]

Well, the good thing is, if you fail, and work fails (hopefully it wont) then you can appeal, and that way they still pay you, so it will all be ok anyway so no stress and no worry there ok, also the decision can take a while to come through, I was told 2-3 weeks for my decision, it took them 3 months.