Earlier today, my friend wrote a blog post over on http://allbigideas.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/in-defence-of-atos.html
I left the following comment and asked her if I could cross post it here :
Well, blame is an emotional issue and a strategic one.
Of COURSE Atos are to blame. Emotionally, they have caused untold harm. By working with the government, of course they have been to blame. They are to blame for carrying out flawed assessments, for providing a target culture amongst their staff, for callous customer service, for not speaking out when it was clear the system was failing, for not being transparent, for not having stringent enough criteria in employing HCPs - they're to blame for all of that and more. Of course they are and no-one would argue in any way that they aren't
But today, in 2012, who is to blame for the WCA? Who is to blame for the descriptors? Who refuses to change them. Who often hold Atos back from making the changes we need to see? For there being too few recorders in centres, for many remaining inaccessible? Who has the power to change it, that's the point. Contracturally, who can change it and who can only follow?
The DWP. Politicians. And they work for us. They are employed by us. And they employ Atos. In our name.
Blame is emotional and it comes in many forms. But only the DWP can change the WCA.
That's politics."
Of COURSE Atos are to blame. Emotionally, they have caused untold harm. By working with the government, of course they have been to blame. They are to blame for carrying out flawed assessments, for providing a target culture amongst their staff, for callous customer service, for not speaking out when it was clear the system was failing, for not being transparent, for not having stringent enough criteria in employing HCPs - they're to blame for all of that and more. Of course they are and no-one would argue in any way that they aren't
But today, in 2012, who is to blame for the WCA? Who is to blame for the descriptors? Who refuses to change them. Who often hold Atos back from making the changes we need to see? For there being too few recorders in centres, for many remaining inaccessible? Who has the power to change it, that's the point. Contracturally, who can change it and who can only follow?
The DWP. Politicians. And they work for us. They are employed by us. And they employ Atos. In our name.
Blame is emotional and it comes in many forms. But only the DWP can change the WCA.
That's politics."
Indeed - even where ATOS aren't applying the descriptors correctly, or producing nonsensical reports, it's the DWP's fault now for putting up with it.
ReplyDeleteWho runs the DWP though? Unum do with a view to doing away with the welfare system completely.
ReplyDeleteAnd who employed ATOS originally,and personally made that decision?
ReplyDeleteIt required an act of parliament, so there is no single individual who can be personally responsible. The political class has colluded in a decades long lie about social security and now that fantasy dreamworld is going to collapse.
DeletePeople were dying under Gordon brown he has always maintained his innocence a common theme from those in power when they keep saying no you don't say and i wasn't aware their not implementing the policy guidelines
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to make out what would be a farce if it didn't cost people their life and it's hard to believe that this farce is still going on
Ed Milliband better make a choice and bl**dy quick. Or he is soon going to be on the wrong side of history.
ReplyDeleteed is not the man to put things right had he been he would have made a stand long ago
DeleteI cant see anyone in the labour party as being competent and take the welfare bill and make it right
With regret the death toll will just get higher and higher until most will have given up and passed away and in years to come say ten years were all be gone
seams very far fetched but you only have to look at history to see how evil minds work
Not this time fourbanks! Be of good heart and confidence that the public will find out and support us.
DeleteWe have the lessons of history to warn us and we have the internet to warn everbody else. We have people who know what it is to fight every day just to survive pain, exhaustion and struggle to stay alive. These wimps in Parliament don't stand a chance. They'd cry if they got a blister!
We are fighting for decency and a society fit to live in. They are fighting for a defunct ideology and their own greed.
We are millions, they are a pathetic handful.
@fourbanks. I can understand your apprehension about Ed Miliband. But how can he ever get Labour into power if he makes too much noise about Disability. The British Public seem to be relishing these measures. A lot of hearts and minds have been warped in Britain because of the Tory Propaganda machine and this level of damage could very possibly take a decade or more to recover from.
DeleteBut surely, the greatest difference in all of this, is that if we have a Labour Government, they will not shut us out like the Tories. At least not to that extent. I think we have a chance of getting some of these measures relaxed but only if Labour are in power. I fear that with this particular current Government, things are going to be very bleak for the Disabled who do "depend" entirely on benefits or allowances.
And it is beginning to look like IDS will be taking Ken Clarke's job, leaving us with an even greater battle on our hands, because Chris Grayling is prepared to do "anything."
Well the one thing that seems to be happening at last is that people are waking up to Unum Atos and IDS and Grayling etc.I mean lets face it it took awhile for alot of the sick and disabled to realise what these people are doing and what the agenda is so it has taken longer for others to do so too.But now we are seeing something of a light in the tunnel we have to realise what i have said all along and that is there are millions of us when you add the familys in to the equation and a lot of those are VOTERS and guess what we can vote these bastards out and we will.Milliband and co better get on our side or we will do the same with them.REMEMBER whatever happens stick together and we can beat these people
ReplyDeleteWell I have my WCA in a few hours.I've had a terrible night with the runs, and haven't been able to keep any of my medications down this morning. I completely know what to expect, yet I'm still terrified.I just hope my heart can cope without me ending up in A&E afterwards, it's so unfair to be made to feel like this. I can see myself going backwards and forwards to the hospital, with an unstable heart until I hear the outcome of the assessment. I will not let them kill me off though.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe everyone's minds have been warped by Tory Propoganda, and the sick and disabled are not the only ones to have been demonised by the Tory government.
ReplyDeleteInstead of laying blame, why not look at how people can make change. It doesn't matter what government are in power, unless people change the way in which all governments work, all we will get is more of the same.
You can lay blame on as many doors as possible, but blame is just a futile thing. labour actually introduced ATOS, the conservative coalition have just tweaked it. What people need to do is start uniting a bit more regarding changes and perceptions that are damaging :-)
I completely disagree, we need to get rid of the Tories if we stand any chance whatsoever of gaining back Disability Rights, and basically some human decency in this sick society.
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