[Vicky.]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/20...ght-first-time

http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/investigat...ailing-in.html

This system is NOT working at all IMO

Having had dealings with ATOS myself in the past, and having a few friends who had the exact same problem...I think its about time they started to do their jobs right.

The Government has boasted that more than half of new *claimants are found "fit to work" - failing to mention that over 300,000 have appealed the decision and almost 40% have won.

From the second link.

This part is absolutely shocking to me. Obviously they would always have a margin of error, but you would think it would be MUCH lower, maybe around 5% of people who appeal the decision having it awarded in their favour. The 40% wont include those who struggle on JSA/nothing for 3 months and then sign straight back to ESA/IB (under their GPs consent of course, you cant get on those benefits without sick notes) either. My friend wasnt even aware that you could appeal the decision, so god knows how many would pass if everyone was aware that you could go to tribunal.

ATOS are meant to give a medical assessment...however they didnt do that with me at all...and it seems they dont with others either. The main problem is, their 'medical professionals' range from ex-GPs to retired midwives. Now seriously...how is a retired midwife fit to diagnose anything besides pregnancy related problems?

At my medical a few years back, the person who 'examined' me asked a series of questions, and that was it. Took about half an hour. How on earth that is more reliable to the DWP than an actual GPs report, or a report from the mental health people I was seeing is beyond me.

I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety attacks. I could not actually leave the house on my own, and sometimes I couldnt leave the house even with someone else. I had many thoughts of suicide and self harm, and started to become quite violent also. I had next to no concentration, got really panicky if the phone rang or someone knocked at the door, couldnt cook for myself as I would foget the cooker was on etc. and some days I couldnt even get out of bed. I cancelled my first medical because I couldnt bare to leave the house at all that whole week...my condition was quite strange, sometimes I would feel relatively normal, other times I thought I should actually be sectioned. I went to a medical a week or so later instead. The person who asked my questions LIED completely. She said that I had said I went alone to the shop everyday to buy bread, milk and a bottle of wine for myself. I had stated many times that I never went out alone, I never mentioned bread or milk, and I certainly didnt mention wine, as I didnt even drink it.

The more stories come out about ATOS, the more I am convinced they are paid simply to find people fit for work, rather than to assess them in an honest and fair way. I think that if you do not have an obvious physical disability that they cant brush under the carpet then you are pretty much screwed.

You would think that the DWP/government would realise that having ATOS overruled 40% of the time by REAL medical professionals (tribunal is made of 4 people..including one an actual GP. I was lucky enough to have a GP who specialised in mental health on mine, so I obviously passed pretty much immediately) shows that they are not doing their jobs right. This is, of course, assuming that they are contracted to actually assess people rather than get people off ESA/IB

What do you think?