Can't cancel my medical after ATOS cancelled mine!

I have MS and have been on incapacity benefit, have recently been called in for an ATOS medical.

I live in a small town in E.Sussex and medical was arranged in Hastings, about 20 miles away, with no bus or train link, but arranged for a friend to take a day off work to take me.

I was having a relapse in the week of the original appointment so had to cancel and rearrange a new one.

Then, a couple of hours before the new appointment, ATOS called to cancel as their medical examiner had called in sick.

Then, without checking whether I could make it, they sent me a new appointment for 2nd December, but the lady who has offered to give me a lift is herself going to have an operation that week.

BUT THEY WON'T let me rearrange it because I'm not allowed to cancel twice - even though it was ATOS that cancelled the 2nd appointment!!!

The person I spoke to was very inflexible and apparently there is nothing I can do apart from requesting my GP to agree for me to go by taxi - but I don't want to have to go on my own, and anyway, that is going to cost the taxpayer a fortune!!!

CatherineS wrote:

I have MS and have been on incapacity benefit, have recently been called in for an ATOS medical.

I live in a small town in E.Sussex and medical was arranged in Hastings, about 20 miles away, with no bus or train link, but arranged for a friend to take a day off work to take me.

I was having a relapse in the week of the original appointment so had to cancel and rearrange a new one.

Then, a couple of hours before the new appointment, ATOS called to cancel as their medical examiner had called in sick.

Then, without checking whether I could make it, they sent me a new appointment for 2nd December, but the lady who has offered to give me a lift is herself going to have an operation that week.

BUT THEY WON'T let me rearrange it because I'm not allowed to cancel twice - even though it was ATOS that cancelled the 2nd appointment!!!

The person I spoke to was very inflexible and apparently there is nothing I can do apart from requesting my GP to agree for me to go by taxi - but I don't want to have to go on my own, and anyway, that is going to cost the taxpayer a fortune!!!

Hi CS,

Have you thought of contacting ATOS from their web-page, here :

www.atoshealthcare.com/index.php?option=...ion&id=14&Itemid=288

As a public service provider they are supposed to make "reasonable adjustments", and pay due regard to a claimants disabilities and needs.

You may also like to contact the DWP, and your G.P., and inform them of your problems.

I am afraid that unless you can come to another arrangement (in writing) before the date of the face to face, that failure to attend may result in you being found "fit for work"

cheers

bro58

Hi Catherine

It's worth bearing in mind that only a DWP decision maker can stop your benefit. Atos can only advise that a claimant has failed to attend.

Atos seem to have a policy that a claimant cannot cancel twice and still receive a face-to-face assessment but it is really a matter for the decision maker to decide whether a claimant has failed to attend without good cause, not Atos.

Good luck

Derek

Hi Catherine,

I am so sorry you are having all this hassle. ATOS also cancelled my first appointment for IB to ESA transfer and then sent me a date that was impossible for the friend who was going to accompany me. When I phoned to explain, the ATOS person I spoke to agreed to change the date for me because he understood that the first cancellation had not been down to me. You could perhaps try phoning ATOS again because the person you speak to next time might interpret the rules more sensibly like the person I spoke to did.

Good luck,

Matty

MattyB wrote:

Hi Catherine,

I am so sorry you are having all this hassle. ATOS also cancelled my first appointment for IB to ESA transfer and then sent me a date that was impossible for the friend who was going to accompany me. When I phoned to explain, the ATOS person I spoke to agreed to change the date for me because he understood that the first cancellation had not been down to me. You could perhaps try phoning ATOS again because the person you speak to next time might interpret the rules more sensibly like the person I spoke to did.

Good luck,

Matty

It shouldn't really make any difference as Atos have no right to tell you that you are only allowed one cancellation, but the difference in the OP's case is that Catherine cancelled her first appointment.

Atos cancelled the second appointment so the score's 1-1, and a further cancellation from the claimant will leave the score 2-1 to Atos!

That may be the thinking behind it, if there has been any thinking.

I've heard of claimants having more than two appointments cancelled by Atos for various reasons including HCP sickness and administration errors but they don't seem to understand that ESA claimants can suffer from sickness as well.

Derek4 wrote:

Atos have no right to tell you that you are only allowed one cancellation...

I just read a post on Moneysavingexpert dot com from an ATOS representative who claims that this is DWP policy.

"If you are not able to make your appointment, you can call us to rearrange it, but under current DWP guidelines, we are only allowed to do this once.

"If you can’t attend your new appointment, we send your information back to Jobcentre Plus.

"You then need to contact them to explain your circumstances and they will then tell you if you can rearrange your appointment again".