Monday 25 July 2011

**URGENT APPEAL**

Hi guys.

Tomorrow, a terribly damning report will be released on ATOS. http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/jul/24/atos-faces-critical-report-by-mps?CMP=twt_gu

Our phones and emails haven't stopped ringing today with media requests and we simply don't have enough people to cover them all.

Most importantly, ITN want to do a piece for tomorrow on people who've HAD AN ATOS ASSESSMENT AND HAVE GONE ON TO A TRIBUNAL. 


If you have I'm asking you a very big ask. Are you prepared to be interviewed? Will you tell them your story?  Could you cope with TV cameras coming to your home today or tomorrow?

I know it's absolutely terrifying. I understand with all my heart how many of you are so frightened by the DWP and ATOS that you daren't even leave your names when you comment here, but this is a big chance. It is our chance to tell our stories, a chance to show the public how real people are made to suffer every day by these reforms.

If you think you might just be able to do this, please get in touch at suey2yblog@hotmail.co.uk and I promise, I will do everything I can to make it as painless as possible.

It means taking a personal risk, but it might also mean that you help to save millions from going through what you had to go through.

Thanks,

Sue

22 comments:

  1. Usually ask but time is of the essence will mass post to all my 600+ members

    Ms B

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  2. Thanks Miss Ben E Fit! you're right, it really is of the essence (like, now, lol) and anyone who wld like to cross post or put on a forum is more than welcome.

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  3. Already been on TV Sue last year and it was edited to about 2 minutes and even then my points were not aired accuratly. That was the main concern i had. I can understand the fear because they are the Govt and they could hack your phone?

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  4. Been through the whole process Sue and am still waiting for the upper tribunal to reach a decision even though all the information was relevant and i should have passed the medical, its disgusting but i am glad they (Atos) are being investigated but i fear it will amount to nothing but re assurances yet again

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  5. I've done three BBC TV programs had my name plastered all over you tube and then found two investigators going through my bin bags, and was followed for about six weeks.

    I then did a TV interview with Peter Hain MP over the closure of Remploy factories.

    Problem is the TV camera's actually looked around my house, they showed I had a TV shock horror they even looked at the bits and pieces on top of the mantale piece as if to say look he's not so poor.

    I have been asked dozens of times since and have refused done my bit thats enough

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  6. Hi Sue, If I was available I would definitely be happy to help, I had to go to tribunal last July, the Judge and the Doctor were great, in fact the Judge asked why I didn't claim DLA, I told him it's because ATOS made me feel like I was wasting people time, so I didn't think it was worth the terror of being turned down again. I have just sent my ESA form back as I expect to be called back for another 'assessment', I'm dreading it, also I have just applied for DLA, and found out that ATOS do the assessments for them as well, I've lost before I even begin. Sorry, I was awarded esa at my Tribunal last year.

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  7. Why are we living in fear we are sick!!!. what kind of country does this to people who may or may not have worked all their lives. I am sad that it has come to this is there any point in carrying on with life that is. So very sad

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  8. Will you be offering your self Sue?

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  9. I haven't been assessed yet as I get IB

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  10. I asked the BBC to come to my house and they refused as my interview with them went outside their guidelines IE i came across like Dom littlewood ruthless and determined to make a point and with my weight on the low side like a prisoner of war and by my tone of voice they said it wouldn't be possible to broadcast it
    They did however understand why i sounded like i did and how my anger was as it was but as i say their was no way this was going to fit in on a news program and to contact panorama

    So i contacted panorama and they to felt my views were to extreme but in the event of my death then that would be a different story and they would take it up with my wife who is more balanced then i

    Good luck to everyone who gets selected but it ain't going to be me as I'm far far to aggressive for the likes of sucking up to a TV broadcast and painting a mild picture when the picture I'm painting is as dark as can be but it's the truth and that's the only think i care about

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  11. My wife has an Atos questionnaire re. Incapacity Benefit. She also receives DLA at the higher rates for Mobility & Care.

    She recently had to undergo re-assessment for DLA, and completed the entire from in again, with rafts of evidence. She suffers from Hemicrania Continua - which leaves her in constant pain, has developed double vision as s result of this, so wears a light occluding contact lens to correct this - but which makes the pain worse - so she has the choice of being blind in one eye with really bad pain, or having double vision with well not quite as bad pain. The indometacin she takes to treat this, has caused slow internal bleeding, which leaves her anaemic and unable to walk more than a few yards without becoming breathless - and has caused depletion in her bone marrow which we've yet to discover what the side effects are.

    All this was explained in the form, with lists of all the eminent consultants who treat her, and an explanation of the surgery she was to undergo in July to implant an Occipital Nerve Stimulator in an attempt to control her pain. The form was sent off in March, in June she was told that she needed to visit her GP for an immediate assessment. She had to this on the same day that she had a colonoscopy procedure under sedation, and the day before she was admitted for her surgery.

    The form at the GP's was already partially filled in - not by the GP but by the administrator who sent out the form, and described my wife's condition as "Chronic Fatigue and Migraine" - neither of which were conditions which she has suffered from or even mentioned.

    Fortunately our GP is reasonably sensible - and her assessment eventually came back confirming her continued entitlement for another year. Not before, however, her Blue Badge parking disc had expired - and was not renewable as we didn't have the award letter - it's now come through after being without it for a fortnight.

    I'll keep you posted on the ATOS questionnaire.

    Keep up the good work

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  12. I have recently heard of a young girl with LD/mental health issues being asked to undress down to her underwear at her WCA. The Doctor was male and alone. She refused and was left traumatized. She failed the assessment. My MP is looking into the rights of ATOS assessors regarding this subject.

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  13. It is a sign of a backward society,a sign of an uncivilised society,big brother has arrived and is thriving with the wealthy in power.The weak are being swept to the wall.It does smack very much of an overall control by the state of the quality of life for the sick and vulnerable.What happens to MP's when they are ill,do they claim the benefits they have contributed toward whilst working like others do?It reminds me of how regimes in China,Nazi Germany and Russia treat their fellow humans.Will we be tortured next to get the right responnse during medicals or would it just be quicker if this governement and the last (as there is not much difference)remove all benefits letting the weak and sick die to reduce the public's spend and increase their wealth?How much is unclaimed each year,where is this statistic?How often do people struggle for years without claiming as unaware,where are these stats?The bullying of ATOS,the sarcasm of GPs ,the scorn of the healthy who do not understand until it is their turn and they walk in anothers shoes and feel the pain of being not just ill but having their character assasinated.In any other walk of life this would be libelous nad taken to court.

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  14. @Anonymous
    Over £1 billion goes unclaimed every year - against an estimated fraud rate of 0.5% for disability benefits, which negates the government's arguments that they are "targetting" benefits more "efficiently" by "reforming" them. On top of this it is estimated (because nobody has been allowed to investigate thoroughly) that over £120 billion is owed in taxes and at least £14 billion goes uncollected every year (an under estimate if you ask me). So the real scroungers are diverting attention from themselves by attacking the sick and vulnerable. It's called Divide and Rule - a neat little trick the wealthy rulers pull out of the hat when things get tough for us. Labour can kiss my arse if they think they're getting my future votes - I'm sticking with The Socialist Party as the only people who are standing up for us and fighting.

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  15. I have copied this to my late night ramblings, the following is what I am about to post, if you wish me to remove any of it please let me know and I will. Thank you for again informing me, although not late night for a change lol
    My comments are not in blog form as yours is Sue but on facebook where not many read it, however it is bringing my plight and now the ones I am reading about to the forefront for my friends and relatives.

    Shona
    x x x


    http://diaryofabenefitscrounger.blogspot.com/



    I have started reading the review of the ATOS/DWP WCA. Its not easy going but its also needed. We need them to know we are NOT going to take them trampling up lying down. They (the government) need to know that we are here and we will NOT stay down where they want us.

    I urge anyone reading this to read the blogs by others such as - diary of a benefit scrounger, benefit scrounging scum, and mason dixon autistic. They are all full of information, they can and are (more importantly) putting their heads above the parapit they are being counted for those of us who cant or dare not put our heads up to be shot at.

    I am adding the link to the blog for anyone to get in touch with Sue, her blogs are very informative and have been a great source of inspiration to me in the wee small hours of the night. Please please please read them and leave a comment, even if like me you can only do it anonymously. Let Sue know you have been informed and that her work is helping even when you cant do as much as her and her team.

    Also a huge thank you to Sue for allowing me to copy this here and I hope you continue to inform and help me to fight as much as I am able and can.

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  16. channel four news report was not bad report at all
    http://www.channel4.com/news/incapacity-benefit-test-leaves-people-feeling-suicidal

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  17. Here we go again the same old same old.
    How come all these papers write the same thing almost word for word and publish it within an hour or so of each other?
    http://news.google.co.uk/news/more?pz=1&cf=all&ned=uk&ncl=dU2FBAHiC966dzMlXbcnbW0p0RbmM&topic=h

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  18. Why can't MP's start attending some of these assessments with people who are sick or disabled

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  19. i have a mental health disability and i get DLA... i am dreading a reassessment for DLA... i read that one lady turned up at her assessment smartly dressed... they turned her down because she was smartly dressed and didn't rock back and forward...do i turn up to mine in dirty clothes, unwashed and rock in my chair... the stress of it all will no doubt kick in a bipolar episode anyway... but as they say, mental health is the invisible disability... looks like they are treating all disabilities as invisible.

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