(It’s not satire – it’s ATOS)
Workers at an ATOS office in the Mann Island area of Liverpool refused to allow a Labour councillor to accompany disabled claimants during their medical assessments.
They also threatened that any disabled claimant who was accompanied by Cllr Joe Walsh during their ‘fit for work’ test could have their benefits ‘affected’.
And when the councillor and a welfare advice expert who was accompanying him asked for the refusal to be put it in writing – amazingly the ATOS staff called the police on them.
Here’s the full story from the Liverpool Daily Post:
The police – obviously – later confirmed no-one had broken the law.
Apart from the seriousness of attempting to prevent a democratically elected representative from helping his constituents – and the equally serious issue of wasting police time – I wonder if ATOS would have refused a Tory, Liberal Democrat or UKIP councillor in the same situation?
ATOS are playing a very dangerous game here indeed.
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zoe said:
just in case others havent then. you might like to read this, by the excellent Mo Stewart http://blacktrianglecampaign.org/2013/06/10/final-report-from-the-british-welfare-state-to-another-american-state-by-mo-stewart/
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bobchewie said:
@TOM PRIDE this is just as worrying ..this is the bio of a steve mason who worked for A4E and was pretty much forming the whole welfare reform policy as the cluelss trories had no idea what to do and so let A4E pretty much set it all up..
this is his bio..
•”Contributed to Professor Malcolm Harrington’s first two reviews of the WCA, including working directly with Professor Harrington.”
yep that right A4E was intrumental in ATOS WCA ..clever eh?
and how about this one??
“quotes from steve mason (ex A4E) “Contributed to work of Lord David Freud regarding welfare reform (he claimed to have got many of his ideas from A4e and specifically named Mark Lovell [A4e Executive Chairman] and myself for our contributions)”
yep brilliant eh? Lord Fraud had no ideas of his own and let A4E design the welfare reform…
ie a bunch of known crooks were creating a major piece of legislation that they would profit from…..
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paultmill said:
Reblogged this on paultmillington and commented:
The police should have arrested ATOS for the suffering they caused. iMHO ATOS should be sacked
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bobchewie said:
@paultmill ah but they have ‘protection’ from on high…..
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bobchewie said:
oh by the way Tom I had this in my email today from a prominent labour MP..he had this to tell me:
“Robert,
I’ve just read the updated list of new legislation planned for this Parliament. These are all REAL Bills being proposed in Parliament by REAL Tory backbenchers.
Honestly.
I’m not making this up.
– Abolish sexual harassment claims in the workplace
– Bring back capital punishment
– Rename the August bank holiday “Margaret Thatcher Day”
– Ban the burka
– Privatise the BBC
– Scrap the Department for Energy and Climate Change”
so there you go….filed under wtf is that all about?? well Tom?
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stevie alsop said:
atos should be band from britain like it is from other countries in the EU, this is the sort of thing that goes on when we have a Nazi government in Britain they should all be in jail for crimes against humanity.
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bobchewie said:
@steve alsop after a three hour debate in parliament and submissions from all sides of the house about ATOS WCA tragedies mark hoban dismissed it all as ”press speculation’…
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pete middleton said:
ATOS – Actual Trauma Obviously Schemed
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lord mcalpine said:
this is blatantly illegal the police called on them.
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nuggy said:
i hope this counseller will be sueing them.
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Derek Robinson said:
Nice to hear verification of what we all guessed to be the case. The Tories know everything about everything, but they never need to be an expert in anything do they !
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Loony Lefty said:
Well at least it was Atos & not PCS this time…
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Editor said:
Reblogged this on kickingthecat.
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The Infamous Culex said:
Isn’t it a criminal offence to waste the time and resources of the police?
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nuggy said:
it certanly is
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The Infamous Culex said:
I believe that Mark Hoban, Iain Duncan Smith, Esther McVeigh and Chris Grayling should all be hanged until they are disabled.
Baron David Fraud, on the other hand, should simply be burned alive – slowly.
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bobchewie said:
@infamous culex…lord fraud like all the others is an idiot its so bad that private crooks now run everything and they let them..well it makes life easier..
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neiley101 said:
Reblogged this on theworldofneil.
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Cheryl Rowlands said:
Thank you for allowing people to comment without this ridiculous practice of having to register on everything. It does stop me from commenting at all usually. I did a (small) study on ATOS for one of my Law presentations at uni and I feel the entire situation with them is absolutely scandalous. If they are truly qualified medical professionals as they claim and not just on a money-making scheme in addition to deliberately cutting down the disabled claimants’ numbers for IDS, they should be thrilled at the thought of their professionalism being highlighted. They obviously have a lot to hide and there should be a public inquiry into all their practices and people like IDS should be forced out of office and never be allowed to work in public office again. Vulnerable claimants are dying because of these people and to refuse to allow a companion of their choice to accompany them is outrageous. Perhaps he shouldn’t have said who he was?
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nuggy said:
refuseing to allow them companion of there choice is also illgall
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Michael boyd said:
after having my assesment at atos.i had some1 check on the medical register for the so called medical proffesional that carried out my examination.and they could’nt find her name on any register.i now have my appeal hearing date on the 23rd of july.and to my suprise it is in the same building as ATOS.
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Steve said:
My wife appealed against work Assesment decision that said that despite debilitating Poly Articular Arthritis she was fit for work as she had the use of one arm and could pick up a light box with her good hand. At her appeal the Medical professional was……. no, not a specialist in Arthritis or a Rheumatologist…he was a Consultant Paediatrician who declared my wife was fit for work and turned the appeal down. When I asked if he knew of a job that involved picking up empty boxes with one good hand he accused me of being facetious !!!!!!!!! We are still looking for ‘that’ job if anyone knows of one.
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Jaki Florek said:
Don’t know why I clicked “reply” I’m speechless at the stupidity.
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Graham said:
Hey Steve. I earn a gross £16k per annum not picking up any boxes at all. The heaviest thing I have to pick up is a pen or occasionally a light folder (but it’s not a requirement and someone else could carry it for me if I needed). The majority of my job involves sitting down and clicking a mouse and typing on a keyboard. Admittedly I use 2 hands for this, but I have been known to get by with one. All she needs to do is look for jobs under the umbrella term “Admin”.
You usually get a desk of your own too! Health and Safety usually organise a special chair if you need one. Invariably there is wheelchair access..
The list goes on and on.. It’s great!
Hope that helps! 🙂
In the article it states “The ECHO revealed in 2011 that up to a third of people on Merseyside who appeal the judgements are successful in having them overturned.”
That’s an interesting statement. It would be interesting to know what percentage of claimants actually appeal. It won’t be 100%.
“Up to a third” is anything from zero to 33.3%
So less than a third have the judgement overturned and over 2 thirds the decision was correct (even if they didn’t like the result).
Stats can be made to say anything you want. They are meaningless and should be ignored. 😉
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Tony Spencer said:
I went to an ATOS assesment with my brother in law who suffers from severe depression and has been diagnosed bi-polar by his own GP and psychiatrist.As you can all guess he passed on everything and the DWP stopped his benefits immediately.It did’nt matter that he still had a valid sick note which still had 3 weeks to run, a jobsworthy DWP who sits behind a desk was suddenly a GP and a fully fledged psychiatrist.He was then told he had to go on job seekers allowance but since his assesment his condition has worsened and his doctor his put him back on the sick.On informing the Job Centre plus about this he was informed that as he had passed his ATOS assesment then he would’nt be able to claim sickness benefit.I have a question for Mr Ian bloody Duncan Smith if he can’t claim job seekers allowance because he is on the sick and he can’t claim sickness benefit because he of the ATOS assesment what does he live on ? FRESH AIR?????
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bobchewie said:
Why dont they just Stop these assessments?
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nuggy said:
the guy who he was to accompany could now sue them for violating his rights.
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Matt said:
“So less than a third have the judgement overturned and over 2 thirds the decision was correct (even if they didn’t like the result).”
While I agree with your maths, I disagree with that statement. It should read: “….. and over 2 thirds the decision was agreed with (even if they didn’t like the result)”
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dave said:
I’ve signed off from the army as a personal protest against the government. If I carried on in their employment I would be condoning their actions. We are living in a fascist country where the interests of corporations and MP’s are put before the people. I don’t want to represent these people.
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Shamus Joy said:
An aquaintance of mine has just commited suicide after being assessed as fit for work . I know nothing of medical conditions he suffered from but was under the impression he had mental health problems. He had lost his benefit after an “expert” assesment by ATOS (tossers!) .
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rainbowwarriorlizzie said:
Reblogged this on HUMAN RIGHTS & POLITICAL JOURNAL.
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UK-Wide Watcher said:
Hey if you have one finger that can press a button you could be assessed as physically fit and able to work:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xwg0up_atos-secret-filming_news
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guy fawkes said:
Dave I’d like to shake you by the hand, more military personnel should follow your lead.
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gogwit said:
Reblogged this on Gogwit's Blog.
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bobchewie said:
Its probably just as well Atos called the police..we wouldnt have known about it otherwise
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bobchewie said:
Atos also carry out occupational health for companies..this quote from a daily mirror blog on atos shows the stupidity of the system
“When the Royal Mail paid Atos to assess postman Garry Hollingworth they said he should be medically retired. But just weeks later, when they assessed again him for ESA, Atos gave him zero points and passed him fit for work.”
Idiocy or what?
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gogwit said:
The former, I think. Idiocy.
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ray cornwall said:
Let us remember it was Labour who signed the contyract with Atos in 2004…… Labour are more right than the rotten Tories.. Fortunatly their supporters are to stupid to realise it. What is the answer????? I don’t believe anyone knows
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Marisa McCulloch said:
So no one can be accompanied to these ATOS assessments or is it just particular individuals that are not allowed? Some of these people are very vulnerable. And to call the police?????? Shame on them and shame on this government.
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rasher said:
why would atos care about me you or the law they get paid no matter what!.
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rasher said:
well said
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Sharon said:
I have just had an assessment done by atos and my letter said they encourage you to bring someone to the assessment with you!! All seems very strange to me!!
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bobchewie said:
Atos are just bullies..look what happened when anti Atos blog sites appeared ..even one that acted for ppl who suffered at the hands of Atos .. The bastards got it closed down. Anothee had a mysterious DDOS attack… Atos run the govt gateway which includes NHS 24 line ..they are also involved with the abject failure that is Universal Credit…snouts in many troughs
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bobchewie said:
@shamus I am sorry to hear this ..I also have a friend who took her own life after being accused of benefit fraud . when she was entirely innocent as she was quite unwell…what’s the death toll now ? Its over ten thousand ppl dead because of benefit so called reforms…
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bobchewie said:
They are worse than idiots ..is there such thing as evil idiots ?
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lightfairy said:
it was around the 10,600 mark in 2010. then they stopped collecting the data on mortality rates of the asessments so they could hide how much damage they where doing. its a mass social vleansing exercise.
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dennis smalley said:
well where to start, i had an atos medical at my home,another one the same week in the next town 3 miles away then a 3rd medical 35 miles away, all from the same office,i had no money at all as it had been stopped for 8 months without my knowledge, depression ,i had not even 1 penny to my name, they authorized a taxi and said i would be reimbursed , i borrowed the money ,75 pounds,after i put in my claim for the taxi i was told it was unauthorized, of course i failed the medical . at that time i did get a food parcel, but then i was told not to ask again as i did not qualify under the new rules, i was not homeless they said, my neighbors made me meals for 6 weeks , at the medical i was allowed to take my niece , problem was apx 70% of my questions were directed to her, after the medical she told me she felt like a spy being interrogated and would never accompany anyone again,for the record, i am a war pensioner,my pension is now being deducted from my esa as income related, so now i am allowed 52 pounds a week less 7 pound a week council tax, i lose my home this year as i cannot pay my mortgage ,i need to raise 17 000 ,every door i tried is closed with a big fat no, on top of all this mayhem i have just been robbed while i was asleep ,like many others my depression was, brought on by the un elected governments propaganda of shirkers vs workers,there blatant lies and false promises plus the in pocket medias bias reports, yes, this letter is about me, a man on the street,, but i fear for the British people, the future of my once proud country, good luck to everyone,
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judith selim said:
Its a damn disgrace. I went an appeal for my sickness benefit and it was like sitting in a court room. They had a lawyer , doctor and 2 others there. Firing the same questions at you buy wording them differently. Luckily I am able to work this out and won my appeal. That was 3 years ago and soon after the appeal I decided to go self employed even though I was not fit to do it. The benfits office encouraged me to do it and give me 200 quid to go self employed. Yep they pay you to disapear from their figures. Mind you i hated the fortnightly walk of shame. One week my person I seen to sign on for my benefits was 20 minutes late. So I made a right stink. If I turned up 2 minutes late I had my benefits suspended. I made an official complaint and he was suspended from work during his disciplinary. But all he got was slap on the hand. But hey made me feel better
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jay edwards said:
i went for my esa assessment. i had a recording device in my coat. the “nurse” who assessed me said she wasnt going touch me because my arm was in a sling. after 30 mins the battery started beeping in my coat pocket. she grabbed my coat off the table and pretended to drop it, then picked it up, obviously feeling every pocket. that was the end of the assessment. i was declared fit for work. everyone should record these pathetic pantomimes, then post them on you tube, it would help finish off atos a lot quicker. dont tell them you are recording though. or they wont assess. ask the assessors qualifications on record also
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bobchewie said:
Actually I think you are legally entitled to record Atos assessments …you should not have been declared fit for work as you hsd not been properly assessed and you were found fit for work out of spite…
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bobchewie said:
@Denis. This is a disgrace. And for a war veteran too.. Just shocking how dare they treat you like that.. As I posted Ive had friends take their own lives because of this discrimination ..
@fairy thanks for update 10,600 ? That 10,600 too many …
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Paul Randle-Jolliffe said:
The DWP & ATOS policy on no recording and ATOS policy of no advocate allowed without permission is unlawful and amounts to a number of criminal offences inc: Section 1 (1A) Harassment, Conspiracy to Commit Harassment and anyone involved is an accessory and abettor, this would include the DWP Minister and the ATOS MD.
The Protection from Harassment Act 1997
Section 1(1A) was inserted by section 125(2)(a) of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005. It prohibits a person from pursuing a course of conduct “which involves harassment of two or more persons” with the intention of persuading any person (not necessarily one of the persons harassed) to do or refrain from doing something they are lawfully entitled to do or not do.
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jay edwards said:
yes you are legally entitled to record these farces. but if you tell them you are recording, they refuse to assess, and put you down as a no show. My shoulder was smashed to bits. i was waiting for an op, but i was told i couldnt possibly be sick until after the operation??? i was put on jsa and forced to apply for jobs. i did this but in every application i notified the employer that i had a duty under the health and safety at work act 1974 to inform them of any any health condition which may present a health hazard for me or others in the workplace. this caused a lot of employers to complain to the jobcentre. the jobcentre sanctioned me. i said i was going to a solicitor as they were sanctioning me for refusing to break the law. i got about 400 yards out of the jobcentre and received a call saying i wasnt getting sanctioned. They tried to have me applying for ESA again, but i told them atos had already declared me fit so i wasnt applying until after surgery. so they put restrictions on the type of work i can do. basically, any job that involved moving my right arm….i didnt have to apply for! I am a tree surgeon. the jobcentre staff didnt know what to do with me. but they stopped hassling me. i have now had the operation. and it hasnt worked. the next procedure only has a 40% success rate. the last one had a 90% success rate but failed and i lost a lot of blood. dont want the next op. ESA said they will give me 6 months. already i got to go to a work programme next week. which i will be questioning and recording!!!!
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Daphne Geninazza said:
Dennis as a war pensioner and ex service contact SSAFA also the Royal British Legion ..they will do everything they can to help, not much comfort I know but youre not alone they will rally to help you .
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Crunchycakes said:
What you’re missing out on is the pain this lady will be in while trying to lift a box with one hand or, indeed, sit at a desk to do a job of ‘admin’ work. The levels of concentration needed to do any job are vastly reduced when you are continually having to deal with pain. Taking medication, before you comment, is also a dubious course of action. With some pain, particularly joint pain, the levels of medication needed to reduce the pain sufficiently to enable you to work, or even simply exist, can often cause you to be so completely spaced out you are incapable of doing your job effectively. I know this as I have a back problem that has caused me to be off work for 6 months so far. I am now about to start on ESA and will have to go through one of these assessments, face to face. I’ve done one on the phone but the next phase involves me having to travel..something I find very painful. Should I take sufficient painkilling medication to allow me to take that journey? Or would the roads be safer if I was to stay home and let a ‘caring’ government allow me to take the time to allow my back to heal naturally, without having to jump through their insidious hoops!
If, as has been revealed in previous posts on here, ATOS are a company with less than satisfactory scruples then I think we, as a nation, are taking this sitting down and need to stand up and make more noise about it through the press and whatever media necessary, to get this government to think again about this issue, in this parliamentary session, and not leave it until the next one! Most people are not aware of this situation – why should they be, if they’re healthy and working, they won’t have to endure these procedures, will they? I voted for Conservative all my working life, supported them, sold raffle tickets for them and lost my marriage to them, but this last time I voted UKIP and will continue to do so. Never again will I put my cross against the Conservative box and as much as ATOS were brought in by Labour, well, lets face it, they’re only Tories by another name anyway!
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bobchewie said:
http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24630321
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bobchewie said:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/universal-credit-encourages-people-to-look-for-jobs
@Tom Pride and all
I would like to inform you all that this present govt does indeed have a sense of humour..they have set up the Department for Bad Jokes
The above link is one of their latest offerings
Its a strange surreal humour I must confess
But am confident it is meant to be taken in jest…
After all they could not meant for it to be taken seriously …now could they ?
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bobchewie said:
“Taking this sitting down and need to stand up “. Is this a new dance craze ?
Or is this a left / right / up / down thing ?
Its left me all over the place …
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Crunchycakes said:
Same as my pain leaves me. I face ATOS soon as part of my ESA claim and financially sinking fast. I don’t have anyone else to pick up my pieces though. Maybe once my work has finally let me go I’ll be another of those statistics not collected since 2010…there again, I may just stand for parliament….can’t do any worse than the soulless morons running it now!
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bobchewie said:
@crunchycakes all kidding aside I am sorry you are in pain what with that and the way Atos treat ppl is pretty horrible…
To think they get paid for it as well..
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nick said:
tecnically speaking yes but if he has no money and legal aid has been scrapped how is he gonna take on a goverment backed large company?
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operacat said:
I doubt whether any Tory, Lib Dem or UKIP councillor would try to help their vulnerable constituents.
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