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ASSESSOR QUALIFICATIONS

wildlife
wildlife Community member Posts: 1,293 Pioneering
I have found out from Facebook and then a link to a business website that my assessor has never worked in the profession she said she had at least not during the dates she is registered on at HCPC. Also there is strong evidence that she was working as a massage therapist from March 2015 to date and my assessment was on 20th Jan. 2017 so before and after my assessment. There is no mention of her ever training as a Paramedic either although as I said she is registered with HCPC as one. I could report her to them but first would like to know how she could have been doing assessments apparently working for ATOS whilst being self employed as a massage therapist. Under the freedom of information act what info. can I ask ATOS for about her. Her qualifications and whether she had a proper contract to work for them? There's something not right here. What do you suggest I do?  
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Comments

  • johnny100
    johnny100 Community member Posts: 125 Pioneering
    if you have any evidence whether hearsay or not that  any person carrying out such a profession like this they obviously have to be trained and be cleared by the police.If you are in any doubt give ATOS a call 
  • wildlife
    wildlife Community member Posts: 1,293 Pioneering
    Do you mean paramedic, what she's doing or working for ATOS sorry I don't understand. I just want to find out how she was sat in an office doing assessments when Facebook tells a different story.   
  • johnny100
    johnny100 Community member Posts: 125 Pioneering
    where is it on facebook or any other link please
  • wildlife
    wildlife Community member Posts: 1,293 Pioneering
    edited March 2017
    Hi Johnnie, I've just rung the Scope helpline and you can't use any information from Facebook as people can write anything on there. That's even if you think it's true. Strange that it's ok for DWP to catch scroungers with info from Facebook. The assessor's name is on the PA4 report and I searched for her on Facebook and checked out her posts. 
  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Community member Posts: 2,621 Pioneering
    Hi wildlife,
    As my colleague David has already suggested, you can make Freedom of Information requests about your assessment company in relation to their contract with the DWP. FOI requests apply to the public sector, so that particular aspect would be relevant, as you would essentially be asking for information about the DWP and it's agreement with ATOS.

    Freedom of Information doesn't apply to private companies but you can of course make a complaint if you feel that your assessor/your assessment was not of an appropriate standard. As you've been advised, people can write anything on Facebook. Also, your assessor may be part-time employed by ATOS, or may practice her self-employment in the evenings.

    If you make a complaint, you can raise concerns you have about her there, but I think they should focus on what happened at your assessment. You can of course request more evidence of her qualifications/employment status as part of your complaint but I don't think ATOS are obliged to give you that information. They are obliged to respond to your complaint however.  They state that they want comments on their service, so I would take them at their word and make the comments. However, I think the complaint needs to focus on the assessment/your assessor's behaviour when you met her etc. You can draw the Facebook etc comments to their attention but it's the standard of the assessment that really matters. 

    Will
    The Benefits Training Co:

  • johnny100
    johnny100 Community member Posts: 125 Pioneering
    but why is it that these complaints are by the hundreds.for ATOS ann Capita.It always seems that ATOS is the most complained about and the DWP should be looking at them,they probably do but ignore it.We complete our forms to the best of our ability yet the constant lies from ATOS is never ending..
  • wildlife
    wildlife Community member Posts: 1,293 Pioneering
    Thank-you Will, I have done most of what you advise. My ATOS complaint was mostly about the assessment to start with but they wouldn't investigate what happened in the room and made that the excuse not to investigate it at all. After sending a 2nd letter focussing on the written report and saying if they still refused to investigate I would take the complaint to the next level and that my MP was being kept informed they agreed to investigate. So I am now waiting for the outcome of their investigations. I have sent them an update on the info. I have about my assessor and don't expect them to discuss that with me but hope they will use it to find out whether she lied to gain the job in the first place. I know from a detailed description she wrote on my assessment about of something I did not do which was to make out I had no problems using my hands that she has no conscience about being dishonest to achieve her aim. I have booked a call back from a Decision maker in 2 days time to give me time to prepare some questions I want answering. I am at a loss to work out why DWP decision makers are insisting that the word of a lesser qualified assessor should overrule any amount of genuine Medical Evidence we have supplied them with. DWP now insist they have to do this in my case till they hear any different from ATOS as they know I have complained. But STILL after a Mandatory Reconsideration with a 4 page letter detailing how I do things and why I need help with references all the way through to the relevant medical evidence they persistently are ignoring everything but the assessor's report. Talk about banging your head against a brick wall !!!! 
  • johnny100
    johnny100 Community member Posts: 125 Pioneering
    These people are not infalable stick to your gun and do write to your MP ,hope you dont have a tory MP they all fall into Teresas lap,you do what I say.I asked with my Assessor why medical resords are not used,the excuse I got was they are not allowed any more to access them,I dont believe this.They cannot refuse your request on any grounds,they think you will just go away
  • wildlife
    wildlife Community member Posts: 1,293 Pioneering
    We do have a Tory MP but he's very good. He helped me a few years ago when my son was having problems and I was his appointee. Now it's my turn and he knows I'm having problems. He's due an update. He gets his secretary to ring people if necessary.. 
  • wildlife
    wildlife Community member Posts: 1,293 Pioneering
    I have been reading the replies from DWP to FOI requests on What do they know website and DWP are telling enquirers that if you want to know what qualifications your assessor holds then you should ask the provider, i.e. ATOS in my case and presumably they have to tell you. This is different to asking for information about where someone has worked in the past in a none medical capacity. WE HAVE A RIGHT to know who we are dealing with. It also mentions that DWP have set out minimum qualifications that assessors should have and that they should be registered with the appropriate medical body. HCPC in the case of my assessor. I have written to them to ask for a check as to whether her registration was based on having trained and worked as a Paramedic. Registration should also be followed by 2 years experience working in the profession they have registered as which I'm pretty sure does not apply to her.
  • wildlife
    wildlife Community member Posts: 1,293 Pioneering
    OK here's a quick update. My assessor is not the one registered on HCPC but I need this in writing before I really kick up a fuss as it appears she wasn't registered as a Paramedic therefore could have been anyone sat there behind her computer screen with all my personal information and medical history. Will update when I hear from HCPC. Their fitness to practice dpt. will investigate claims of misconduct one of which is pretending to be someone who IS registered. This will be a very serious matter if proven to be true. Watch this space...    
  • johnny100
    johnny100 Community member Posts: 125 Pioneering
    I do hope this perxon is not who she is supposed to be,Once you have the proof then ineeds to go further up the picking order which no doubt it will and well done to you on  your investigations.Will the DWP/ATOS try and butter you up.They need taking to court and fining for putting you under stress etc,Could I ask where your assessment was carried out.This could open  the door  for other PIP claiments.Again well done
  • jose2
    jose2 Community member Posts: 127 Pioneering
    At my assessment,  3 weeks ago ,I offered this nurse I saw more medical letters concerning my health problems that I hadn't sent with my PIP form,she totally dismissed me on that,I then offered her a long list of all my illnesses which I told her I take to other consultants whom I may have not seen before(saves a lot of going over same ground over and over again)she dismissed that too!, she told me it would interrupting her typing-but wanted to see one sheet of paper I had as she wasn't sure of how to spell arrhythmia's. I noticed she was wearing a nurses uniform of sorts -she told me she was infact a nurse and I asked her how long she working at this PIP place,she said 6 months,now! to me this nurse was maybe 27yrs ,so roughly say 9 yrs or so been in nursing, could have just finished her training who knows when ,last year for all know,now here she is talking to me 67yrs old woman with 30yrs in nursing,she couldn't see a very sick individual sat infront of her to save her life,NURSE my .............   I have done ICU, District Nursing ,looking after the elderly ,surgical,medical,private care etc!!! ,I almost burst into laughter at the way the strength test was conducted and exercises (I was sat in chair all the time),then when I received the PIP assessment form back of their findings on me, I must say only 3 weeks later ,I was totally dumb-founded that she found no muscuoskeletal problems and all seemed that I had normal pinch grip ,bending and bending and crouching (which I did not do any )all was normal  and I was awarded 8 points,I am so angry that this girl ,and these so called Decision Makers have thought it fit that after 14yrs of being in constant pain fatigue and the rounds of hospital appointments with different specialists ,and to boot having cancer ,now see to it  that I will now lose my only way of being independent taken away from me.Could Weep!!!!,who are these people, how do they rest at night when their alone in bed at night with their thoughts ,because by golly we all have to do that and do it,every-body does that don't they!.I'd never go or get to sleep ever again.
  • sundontshine123
    sundontshine123 Community member Posts: 92 Courageous
    If your not happy with your assessor and the way she/he conducted the assessment and the lies and fabrications on you report.
    Report them and also to DWP not that they want to hear it but eventually someone is going to take notice of these fake assessors and the fabricated lies.
  • jose2
    jose2 Community member Posts: 127 Pioneering
    DWP didn't want to hear any of it,neither did Decision Maker,looks as though I could be banging my head against a brick wall on this,I have got another organization and  health-care team involved today  ,they too are sending a letter off to PIP tomorrow.
  • kass
    kass Community member Posts: 65 Connected
    I had my assessment in 2016 with Astos and when i got my report back from DWP it said my assessor was a Nurse...... she was in plain cloths no Nurses uniform when i got the report it said they checked my ankles shoulders did not touch them...she was typing on a cumputer and said to me we don't need to do that as we have it here on your form....she never moved of her chair.....she asked me to move my knees couldn't and arms could  do that she then said don't  move them don't what to hurt your self........it lasted 30 mins I got 9 points for Standered rate and 4 points for Mobility.....I did ask for a reconsideration but it was not loged so I rang them and they accepted my reconsideration.....

  • sundontshine123
    sundontshine123 Community member Posts: 92 Courageous
    KAAS

    what was ur out come for your M R?
  • sundontshine123
    sundontshine123 Community member Posts: 92 Courageous
    Its so sad that genuine people with disabilitys are been turned down by these so called HP with not a medical qualification except for box ticking and there opinions which to me is doing nothing but damage than good. 
    When u get refused they give u a glimmer of hope say do an MR. But realistic its a ploy to delay so you have to wait even longer before taking your case to appeal. 
    It makes claimant ill all this extra stress.
    so if you do feel cheated by the system dont give up dont be that statistic who gave up because thats what they want.
    fight for whats yours!

  • johnny100
    johnny100 Community member Posts: 125 Pioneering
    I agree with all the comments made by people who use this site.It has got to the stage where I have more or less described in intricate details what my problems are,like many others  have done also.These so called assessors are not doctors or if they are they are in the wrong job.I have sent letters for example about prostate cancer and the impact it has on myself,I asked them to seek further advive on this condition and the word incontinance etc  from a specialist(GP etc)Whether this falls on deaf ears,well its anybodys guess.Again the condition muscularmysketleton what do these decision maker know about this condition ,I keep saying these decision makers are not doctors,some of them think they are.Just keep making comments on this site and give the help to other who really need it,maybe some day the people who decide our health will sit up and listen,when will this be,NEVER? 
  • bendigedig
    bendigedig Community member Posts: 254 Pioneering
    The lack of accountability in the private sector in roles that were previously the domain of state run public bodies with a long evolved and clearly defined system of accountability is an issue that is threatening the very fabric of our freedom.  Farming out work to Private Sector Administration Companies like ATOS, CAPITA and MAXIMUS has to stop!

    There are so many examples of this in our lives that our rights as citizens are beggining to erode.  Ha ha John Major was so concerned that we would notice this that they created the "citizens charter", remember that chestnut?  Nobody talks about that any more do they?  That was the genius stroke that created the endless complaints process system that denies you the right to resolve disputes in the UK now witout getting mired down and beaten by the system thats "supposed to help you"!

    Standardised, regulated public services across the UK no longer exist.  I was raised in a Britain which once aspired to expect standardisation and propper regulation of services.   Sadly due to the decline in services within our infrastructure younger people are raised in a climate of acceptance of poor and unequal services.  People think that it is normal to have to go through the PIP assessment!  As the years go on its getting worse and worse.

    If we dont move quckly and firmly on this as a nation we will only have ourselves to blame.  

    Mindless compliance with every edict no matter how detrimental to our lives will only serve to ruin our country.  This is not about how money is spent!   They are wasting money hand over fist in other areas.   This is about human dignity and human rights!  

    We have expectations that are entirely reasonable.  We have rulers who are not.... Somthing needs to be done to address this imbalance.

    Discussing how they are using unqualified, inexperienced staff to conduct PIP assessments is kind of closing the door after the horse has bolted?

Brightness

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