Mental Health Champion

Hi, I am appealing decision ESA WRAG to support group.
When your medical report is completed by atos HCP (registered nurse in my case) without having a face to face assesment, how can I find out if the nurse used or took advice from a Mental Health Champion relating to my mental health conditions.
Atos returned my telephone call and they are sending me a complaint form and they advised me to put in writing any individual questions that I have, also they said to me, not to believe everything I read on the websites.
It is important to me to find out if the medical report was done to a standard that I deserve, which means if the nurse didnt understand mental health, did she seek advice from a mental health champion.
What does anyone think ?
Thanks.

noel wrote:

Hi, I am appealing decision ESA WRAG to support group.
When your medical report is completed by atos HCP (registered nurse in my case) without having a face to face assesment, how can I find out if the nurse used or took advice from a Mental Health Champion relating to my mental health conditions.
Atos returned my telephone call and they are sending me a complaint form and they advised me to put in writing any individual questions that I have, also they said to me, not to believe everything I read on the websites.
It is important to me to find out if the medical report was done to a standard that I deserve, which means if the nurse didnt understand mental health, did she seek advice from a mental health champion.
What does anyone think ?
Thanks.

Hi n,

Besides checking on the NMC Register (Link already provided) to see whether the Nurse had any previous mental health care training or experience.

If the Nurse in question, was classed as a Mental Health Champion by ATOS, she would have received additional training from ATOS in Mental Health Functional Assessment, therefore they should have written proof of this.

bro58

Oh thanks bro, we have checked the NMC register and she is a registered specialist comm pulic health nurse-OH, no recorded qualifications found.
When the complaint form comes from ATOS I will include the question asking if she had additional training in mental health functional assessment, and hope that they can provide written proof.
What would I be able to do if the nurse had not had the additional training?
Thank you.

noel wrote:

Oh thanks bro, we have checked the NMC register and she is a registered specialist comm pulic health nurse-OH, no recorded qualifications found.
When the complaint form comes from ATOS I will include the question asking if she had additional training in mental health functional assessment, and hope that they can provide written proof.
What would I be able to do if the nurse had not had the additional training?
Thank you.

Hi n,

If you look para's 52 and 99 to 101 of : Harrington's Year 3 Report

You will see that MHC's are mentioned, it seems from the text that they may only be at the centres in an advisory capacity to the normal HCP's .

As to any implications of the assessing HCP not being a MHC, I can't really add any more helpful comments.

bro58

Hi again bro, if it is the case that the MHC'S are only at the centres in an advisory capacity to the normal HCP'S , I wonder then where I stand in finding out if my HCP nurse sought there advice in my case. If so do you think there will be written proof of what advice the MHC gave to the nurse.
Also you would think that when the HCP does the medical report and they state what information they used to reach the decision that they should have to include this on the report, that they sought advice from a MHC.
Do you think that this would be unreasonable ? Thanks.

noel wrote:

Hi again bro, if it is the case that the MHC'S are only at the centres in an advisory capacity to the normal HCP'S , I wonder then where I stand in finding out if my HCP nurse sought there advice in my case. If so do you think there will be written proof of what advice the MHC gave to the nurse.
Also you would think that when the HCP does the medical report and they state what information they used to reach the decision that they should have to include this on the report, that they sought advice from a MHC.
Do you think that this would be unreasonable ? Thanks.

Hi n,

Unfortunately, as I have not dealt with this situation personally, nor have I seen the outcome of such a complaint on the Forum, any advice that I could offer would be pure supposition.

My only advice would be, if you wish to continue with the complaint, be prepared to take it where ever it may go.

Have a look at the response to this FOI regarding ATOS MHC's :

www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/what_ment...is_g#incoming-315353

www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/126931/re...se%20Ms%20Rogers.pdf

Maybe another MOD or a member who has personal experience of this could offer further advice.

bro58