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Super Efficent Atos ?

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10 years 11 months ago - 10 years 11 months ago #101701 by leed46
Super Efficent Atos ? was created by leed46
Hi all

I am a Carer who has just completed and sent in the newly revised ESA50 form. It took 138 hours to complete and I had to attach no less than 39 pages of additional evidence. The person I care for is transferring from Incapacity Benefit to ESA. I think that the transfer was prompted by her recent DLA renewal (a 5 year award: HRC & LRM).

The completed ESA and all the supporting evidence was delivered to Atos on 26.03.13 (I have the Royal Mail's special delivery reciept). I have today received a letter from Atos summoning the person I care for to an assessment centre. The letter of this 'summons' is dated 26.03.13. The same date that Atos received the completed ESA50.

I find it incredible that Atos could have reviewed all the detailed evidence so quickly: that they concluded there was a need for an assessment ...and then typed-up and sent out a return letter all in just one day.

Something doesn't feel right. Any opinions or thoughts would be welcome.
Last edit: 10 years 11 months ago by . Reason: Tick.

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10 years 11 months ago #101703 by Gordon
Replied by Gordon on topic Super Efficent Atos ?

leed46 wrote: Hi all

I am a Carer who has just completed and sent in the newly revised ESA50 form. It took 138 hours to complete and I had to attach no less than 39 pages of additional evidence. The person I care for is transferring from Incapacity Benefit to ESA. I think that the transfer was prompted by her recent DLA renewal (a 5 year award: HRC & LRM).

The completed ESA and all the supporting evidence was delivered to Atos on 26.03.13 (I have the Royal Mail's special delivery reciept). I have today received a letter from Atos summoning the person I care for to an assessment centre. The letter of this 'summons' is dated 26.03.13. The same date that Atos received the completed ESA50.

I find it incredible that Atos could have reviewed all the detailed evidence so quickly: that they concluded there was a need for an assessment ...and then typed-up and sent out a return letter all in just one day.

Something doesn't feel right. Any opinions or thoughts would be welcome.


ATOS operate a system, where for the majority of claimants they assume that a assessment is required and book one, even if they have at that time not received the claimants ESA50.

Many of the Healthcare centres have been over whelmed with assessments over the last year, so the practice has not been prevelent, but it sounds like your local office has started to catch up and they have started doing this again.

An ATOS doctor should still look at the ESA50 and anything attached to it to decide whether an assessment is required, and one is not you should receive notice of this.

I know it sounds suspicious, but the reason they do this is to maintain a constant throughput of claimants through each centre, they also overbook, as a significant number of claimants fail to attend on the day.

Gordon

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems

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10 years 11 months ago - 10 years 11 months ago #101740 by leed46
Replied by leed46 on topic Super Efficent Atos ?
Thank you Gordon for your prompt reply as always. Appreciated.

I note with interest your statement that: “…An ATOS doctor should still look at the ESA50 and anything attached to it, to decide whether an assessment is required or not. You should receive notice of this.” Is this likely to be the case even though a pre-scheduled ‘auto-summons’ letter has already been issued? That I might not perhaps have to attend after all; that another letter cancelling the first could arrive, depending upon the Doctor’s initial assessment of the paperwork?

I am concerned that I have only been given 5 working days notice (the assessment is scheduled for April 9th) to attend an assessment and that this short timescale is unlikely to allow an Atos doctor time to evaluate the completed ESA50 & accompanying evidence and to then write back to me about whether there is a continuing need to attend an assessment centre or not (…assuming that this is what is supposed to happen?).

I should mention too that the completed ESA50 was 48 hours late in being returned due to the inability of anyone to get to the post office because of the severe weather (snow) last week; this was explained at the bottom of page 17. I am uncertain if this fact has any bearing on events.

Kind Regards
Leed46
Last edit: 10 years 11 months ago by Gordon.

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10 years 11 months ago #101747 by Gordon
Replied by Gordon on topic Super Efficent Atos ?
leed46

Yes, there is still a possibility that they may decide that there is no requirement for an assessment, my understanding is that some 15% of claims do not require one, although I think a significant proportion of that number are claimants being re-assessed or being transferred from another benefit.

ATOS are required to give you seven days notice in writing, however, this is calendar days and not working days so I am afraid that an appointment for 9 April, meets this requirement.

The major issue with a late submission of the ESA50 is a closure of the claim, which has obviously not happened, so I would not worry about it being late.

Gordon

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
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