Published on 12, July, 2020
I would say I've had a most horrible day, went back for ESA assessment as did have one with a nurse on 20th July, tho she postponed it as she'd thought I'd be better assessed by a doctor given me being a prem baby , and I had difficulty breathing. So went along to another assessment today ,( which was running 2 hours late), when the "doctor" said about his qualifications , he wasn't a doctor at all but a physiotherepist. My main issue is Aspergers and mental health issues, and WTF would a physio know about them?
I don't know if you can lodge a complaint about this, but I'd look into it.
Having said that... I was assessed by a woman who reassured me by telling me she was a trainee CPN. A specialist in MH, in other words. I failed the assessment. I appealed, and failed that - even though I had excellent back-up from my GP, a therapist and a key worker at a substance misuse facility. I took it to the tribunal - and won. It's a horribly stressful process. But remember, these assessments are a farce. They're designed to catch people out. You get marked down for things like looking smart, turning up alone, traveling there alone.
Fight them.
I hope my hair was at least a little messy, and was quite pale as on day 8 of a cold, so it's fizzling out, had a friend travel with me and come into the assessment. Tho as I drive, I gather I might be marked down for that, but I think had I gone alone I would have been more tempted to turn back. I hope my clothes weren't too smart. I think I said some things like I don't answer the door unless I;m expecting visitors or a delivery, so I think I said some of the right things, but there's others I don't know. I said I mainly do an online shop for groceries, and if I do need to go to a store in person , I go when it's quiet. I did say I had an interest in railways and music, tho I can loose interest if feeling low. I didn't mention going to the Nene Valley Railway or friends who live about 60 miles away, as if I can drive that far I can work right? . Tho these are familiar settings, tho I do get stressed out if I encounter traffic or maybe a diversion.
This is one of many such reports. One assessor who blew the whistle basically said that they had targets to meet, as all these agencies do, and sometimes they knew they were failing people who were borderline - simply to reach the targets. Another said she was told by a colleague 'If they can press a button, they can operate a checkout. Even if it's with the tip of their nose.'
I was in the work-related activity group, so I had to attend another agency once a month to see a 'job coach'. First visit there, in a crowded office, she said 'So, can you explain to me the nature of your illness?' It left me in a mess - having all those people listening in. At my second visit, I took a representative from MCCH with me, and she was a great help.
When I finally got a job and went back to work, it was entirely off my own bat. But a month later, I had a call from the DWP wanting to confirm that Avanta (the agency) got the job for me. That's what they were claiming. Performance targets again. Even now, five years later, I recently had a call from an agency to confirm that I got the job myself, without Avanta's help. They're all shysters.
Atos whistle-blower