GUEST POST
SUE MARSH WRITES: Wednesday, 6 March 2013
ESA SOS – The Starting Gun
In a few weeks, I’m going to arrange for some very significant stories to break in the very mainstream press about ESA.
I’ve been collecting them for about 6 months and if there’s any justice left at all, they will kill ESA once and for all.
They will totally change your perception of ESA and WCAs
We need a Spartacus 2 and as you all know, I’ve been sick as a dog.
Today is stage one. If you’re in, please leave your Name and user name on twitter or Facebook (Feel free to only provide the latter if you like to keep your anonymity a little) and Constituency
There will be a task most days, so please keep watching my blog.
Today, I would like something very specific. What is the worst thing, for you about ESA/WCAs? I need you to simply leave a one line answer if possible, ie “1 Year Time Limit – It totally undermines any contributory principle”
The most popular of these “subjects” will make up every short section of the new report.
Share this post everywhere you can.
This will be the start of our biggest fightback.
EVERYONE will have to give this everything if it is to work.
We need hundreds of responses to every request to make this a truly representative report from disabled people, by disabled people.
The more join, the more powerful our voice and the more impact any final work will have.
What’s more, by crowdsourcing our information and skills, believe me, we have 100 times the resources and ability of the DWP.
I have an awesome team in place – they produced #esaSOS in just 4 days.
Hard though it will be, PLEASE, I’m still very weak and CAN’T read endless comments or pages and pages of Hansard or reports.
Make this easy for me by keeping as close to the brief each day as you possibly can.
I WILL cover everything, nothing will get missed.
I’ll ask the question you’re itching to comment on, honest, but if we do it this way, I can delegate very much and empower you all to know exactly what we need.
Even a shadow of division will see us fail.
This will need every group, every campaigner, every supporter, no matter how radical or moderate, how powerful or unknown, every journalist that has supported us, every politician who is fully signed up to our arguments.
If you have a prominent welfare/disability/political voice, website or other outlet, please cross post this from me.
So today, in the comment thread below please leave :
Name and social media name/s (or just the latter if more comfortable)
Constituency
The WORST thing for you about ESA/WCAs in one line.
****ESA is the most terrible failure of any developed nation for a very long time. The reasons are numerous and utterly undeniable. The government has failed to implement Harrington with any commitment and is actively increasing the rate at which vulnerable people face a failing and unfair test. We have engaged with a democratic process that has failed us at every stage. We have no choice left but to stop this ourselves. Over 100,000 people now face some kind of ESA assessment every MONTH. We can’t afford to wait. ****
Enough is Enough.
From today, please use the hashtag #ESAendgame in all your tweets.
We must build awareness and create an army of support and dissemination.
“Alone we Whisper, Together we Shout”
PLEASE WRITE IN SUE’S COMMENTS THREAD HERE: http://
the stress of constant reassessment makes my condition worse.
Disingenuous questions deliberately set up to trick and confuse the applicants with forever changing goal-posts to make a system designed for denial of service!
Peachyclair on twitter
Claire Peach
Newport constituency
Politically active and MA Autism dissertation student so any help you need please just holler.
Missed a bit- The WORST thing for you about ESA/WCAs in one line how it take the voice from those least able to fight back, and those who have the fewest alternative options.
False presumption of fakery by sick & disabled people, when we would like to work if only that were possible, if Remploy & supported work weren’t being destroyed.
Medicals undertaken by unqualified staff, with presumption of fakery. Making mental health of applicant significantly worse than the already building pressure of being physically unable to provide for a family causes.
I have long term mental and physical problems i have a lot to cope with already in my life and every day is a struggle to survive as i constantly think about killing myself.
SHARON ROOT – SHAROOT66
Tonbridge&Malling
NoOneIsListening
Hertsmere
Having to repeatedly go through process when you have a lifelong disability that will never be cured; as if by being put through this process you will miraculously get better, find an employer who will support you in the work place, understand the nature of your disability and why you are frequently absent from work (for legitimate reasons) who will pay you enough money to live on – taking account of the extra expense of living with your disability – so you don’t need to claim any help from the State and keep you in the job long term. I wish ….!
I expect to be honestly and fairly assessed and for my long term condition to be taken seriously and it’s affect on my life to be acknowledged, not ignored and brushed aside as if it is of no consequence.
Sue I would like to help in any way possible am not on Twitter or Facebook though.
I’m jumping in here at the first comment that I feel I’d like to have written. Am off for my first ESA interview later today. How was I selected for the Work and NOT the Support group? It seems totally arbitary which one you’re put on. I wrote a letter of appeal in good time and have had no response (it was sent registered mail) Like you I’m not on FB or Twitter. I’ve told my GP and several consultants I can’t handle this and that I have no doubt in my own mind I am prepared to take my own life and how; to blank stares. Is this the NHS colluding with the robber barron Government to deny legitimate diagnosed illness and dissability? This WILL be seen as the most shameful episode in modern UK history. What is so appaling is the wider public supports what’s going on!
Having a sham of an “assessment” which decides your benefit.
Sue- I am not on Twitter or Facebook but want to help in any way i can manage.
I do not use Twitter or FB but I would like to help. My one line is, ‘completing ESA forms that are misleading and don’t ask the correct questions’.
A hypocritical, two faced, unprofessional approach to assessments. A complete disregard to any evidence or information that contradicts their pre-determined conclusions. The whole process is a package of lies, discrimination and harassment, designed to dishearten and demoralise honest, deserving, disabled people,to the point where they are made to feel guilt for being disabled and forced to accept accusations of lying and fraud. This not just an issue of bad management or bad government; This is an issue that breaches our basic human rights and people need to be held accountable.
DAVID A SHAW. FACEBOOK
ARET08 . Twitter.
South Swindon
I am yet to have a WCA and considering the apalling stories i have heard and the phenomenal debate over the matter in the house of commons, i lend my full support to stopping this appalling process and preventing the deliberately inflicted suffering on vulnerable people by those who knowingly and willingly are doing so.
ESA/WCA is a joke, the HCP that did my WCA said at the end of my report that “The available evidence suggests improvement is unlikely in the longer term”. The HCP had (Registered Nurse) (Approved Disability Analyst) after their name. (it was all done in Scotland, according to what i’de been told? (I live in the south of England).. I then got hold of the WCA worksheet, it had gone to a Decision maker, it said, [Part A] refer to decision maker/ decision type (you must select a Decision type from the ‘drop down list below)=In the opinion of the approved HCP the customer can be treated as having LCW. further information. WRAG UNDER SCUTINY(day/date/year), 2 years DMACR (followed by 6 numbers) RE-REFER 2014. [Part C] AS PER ESA85 AND ESA50, CLAIMENT HAS BEEN AWARDED WRAG UNDER SCRUTINY(day/date/year)spinal problems.(i have a whole raft of things that go with my spinal problems, lifting/bending/kneeling sight/balance,etc) on the score sheet becouse i had no medical i scored ‘NO POINTS’???? i had asked for a reconsideration, the result was that i was placed in the support group, and in the revision decision i was refered to as a “HER” no more than 3 times,[ didn’t even know i was female, could of sworn i was a male], (if they can’t get my gender right what chance do we have on them getting the decision right in the first place).
Now i hear that ATOS is the principal subcontractor, (which Accenture one of the suppliers IT consulting & outsourcing provider) had choosen ATOS for it’s “STRONG TRACK RECORD OF SUCCESSFULLY DELIVERING ‘IT’ SERVICES TO THE DWP…(no i’ve not made this last bit up, it was in the guardian news paper). Yes this means “ATOS” are doing the IT systems for universal credit, GOD HELP US ALL………………..
I just got my Letter today telling me I had Failed my ATOS Medical that I had 4th Jan. Its so Full of Lies .I Have Severe Hyperhidrosis .dripping wet hands that barely stay dry for 5 mins the ATOS woman saw them dripping wet even commented how dangerous it must be having wet hands yet says in her report has wet hands but that is unlikely to cause significant disability.she even states I omitted to do some of the tasks yet when I arrived for medical she Apolologised to me for the fact I had to attend the medical . she said Im meant to get you to bend & stretch but I can see your in pain so I wont get you to do that today. I even alternated between sitting and standing because I cant do either for great lengths of time due to having torn discs in lower back yet she said I sat for 5mins .she said I told her I have problems lifting pans etc due to my wet hands so contradicted herself by saying earlier my wet hands would not cause significant problem.
My Health Issues are Severe Hyperhidrosis (wet hands) .Torn Discs in Lower Back..
barrett’s esophagus (constant Reflux) Asthma .
how the hell can anyone work safely with dripping wet hands is beyond me plus my torn discs caused by my grip slipping when trying to lift something in a nursing home …I have been married most my life so never had to fight to prove before how difficult it is to have wet hands . my marriage ended after 23 1/2 years in 2005. I was a Battered wife . I tell you this much I should have remained a Battered Wife at least I was not Living in Poverty at least I could heat my house up. Now Ive been told I can not have any money until I appeal on the Atos letter the assessor states I appeared to have Difficulty Sitting due to the back problem & even States I had to Stand after 5 mins due to discomfort & that I had difficulty rising from an Up -right Chair with Arms on & I had to use crutches to help me stand Yet I still scored O Points she stated I completed the Questionaire No I did Not I told her my son did it due to my hands always wet they would soak the Paper so filling in written paper I can not do my son even signed it to say he completed it on my behalf .its swings and roundabouts really I failed one ATOS in 2011 they remarked in that one that I did not take my crutches or walking stick even though I pointed out that my wet hands cause me to slip if I use crutches out doors so this time I took my crutches she commented in this report how I seem to manage crutches yet have wet hands
Yet On The Other Hand Today
I have just been for my Yearly Industrial Injuries Medical that Looks at my Ability to Bend /Lift or carry & looks at reaching up just those alone the GP marked I have 16% disability thats without my Asthma & Barrets eosophagus
And Without Taking My Hyperhidrosis into account
diversion. why? ask yourself some serious questions here please, don’t make me point it out.
Disability denial by statute on the most weakest leading to poverty and suicides….
was in armed forces for 9 years then got medically discharged , got my self back up to health only to find pins and needled in left leg , doctor says just a pulled muscle , fought for over a year to get mri scan to find out had prolapsed discs , 2 surgerys later back is alot worse and have severe nerve pain , atos dont seem to care and i failed assesment , applied for dla turned down , took them both to tribunial and won , me and my partner fought my case , atos still harass me every year with forms , what a joke , the government dont care about us or who fought for there country , because i got a medical pensions i have to pay full rent and council tax which is a joke , they classed it as income , i got dla but they dont count that as income , i agree disabilty needs looked at as i know a few people who milk the system , but the government need to listen to us to make things work , i dread when letters come through the post , sometimes makes you feel suicideal, government and atos are a joke , keep up the good work blacktrianglecampaign , very good information and help , thank you
Worst thing re ESA is that it tests function and not employability.
The LIES that the DWP hide behind..BLATANT
I am classed as disabled for life, yet recently had my ICA reduced to nothing because of the connivance of atos and DWP.
We are falling into a trap and starting to fragment by looking at disability and the bedroom tax…
Disability has nothing to do with the issue, the issue is that the government are planning to penalise ALL.
We should stay united and follow an agenda to disgrace the politicians to think again. They are a minority, we the majority. Sticking together we can easily force them into a corner. People power is an almighty tool.
Neither party are listening so it is time to make them aware of their mistakes……
It can go down several routes to achieve our goal, namely the obvious, public demonstration and peaceful picketing and use of the media, failing that, taking the law into our own hands.
Personally, i see the first route as already being blocked due to the containment of the media to suppress the information on the onslaught of the poorest.
Radical things will have to be considered. It may not be seen as wise by many, but the bullying will not stop till the bully is tackled head on!
Factually, if the bully is seen to get away with it, then the bully will strive to bully you even further…..
People are suffering and dying as we speak. Its no good hiding, we must come out as one and nip the bully in its tracks.
Smug elitist factions of this country are hell bent on putting you into the history books. You have a right to live a normal life, yet they are not happy with this, demanding poverty and squalor……..
Its no good telling them to f**k off. We might have to f**k them off…………
Don’t vote vote for the far right UKIP vote socialist .
http://www.socialist-labour-party.org.uk/health.html
The proposed culling of wild deer will not put venison on my plate. It is the meat of the privileged elite……….
Culling of the disabled and poorest has already started, perhaps they will be banqueting on the finer things in life that their wealth affords them.
Meanwhile i will just enjoy the few things that are left in my culinary selection, an out of date pie or pizza on the reduced counter of my supermarket……….
I live to my means, therefore , i mean to live!
,
All this bullshit in our papers on obesity and how to live a healthy lifestyle, why dont they come down to earth with a bump and join the real world!
Choice is not something we have the option of taking, our destiny has been thrust upon us……….
all medical records, from gp and hospital consultants. should be obtained, by the DWP.
Worse thing about ESA is that it’s a farce, they don’t want people on it !!
When you’re on the same wages as Bill Gunnyeon, Chief Medical Officer of the now infamous, DWP, disabled people become nothing more than an irritation……
Single handedly he developed a warped system of “Disability Denial” that has caused misery and even death.
While he puts on his tuxedo and wines and dines we face poverty and starvation.
The DWP are striving to stop recordings of claimants with ATOS HCPs in an effort to bury their links with suicides.
Ultimately their time will come, exposed as probably, the vilest attack on our human rights in this decade. Lowest of the lowest, criminals by any other name………
Had my first ESA ‘interview’ today. I never heard from Atos, but it turns out their recomendation put me on work related ESA without even seeing me. How efficient and cost effective is that! The appeal I submitted was never acknowledged, but I did find out it is pending (up to six month wait). The lady I saw today took one look at me and treated me with respect and compassion. In that regard I am truely impressed. She gave me a bit of faith in human nature; something I did’nt expect. Suppose it goes to show they arn’t all out to get ya.
It is realistic to assume that the DWP and ATOS are petrified of the thought of any claimant, who has been wrongly identified as fit for work and subsequently committed suicide, may hold a record of their interview.
The DWP are trying to make it impossible for anyone to link them to the deaths.
Strangely, by taking all these steps to stifle media attention into the complicity of Bill Gunnyeons twisted and warped disability denial factory (DWP), they have drawn more attention than ever.
Time will tell…………….
if you live in Thurrock Essex check out Thurrock Heckler they are running a story about your local MP Jackie Price MP
BILL GUNNYEON The Angel of Death, decided that the disabled of the uk had no place in society. He developed a system of disability denial to demonise the weakest.
Using the health insurance biased Biopsychosocial software, a failed product of UNUM CORPORATION of America, he notched up his first victims.
Suicides have been experienced across our land as ATOS HCPs connive to steal disability benefits with the blessing of Gunnyeons department, the DWP.
The media is being manipulated by the “money men” to hide the true extent of misery and death caused by this warped individual.
Any government who actively support these heinous acts should be shamed by future generations……..
People draw similarities between the actions of the Nazis and what is happening today. Sadly, todays events are far worse, because we are supposed to have learned from the evils of our past.
Evil has many faces, parliament harbours many………………..
According to the Daily Mail, it seems the NHS has been employing foreign nurses with fake qualifications.
Interestingly, ATOS also employs foreign nurses and medics – often because even such qualifications as they (claim to) hold do not meet NHS standards.
So could the DWP/ATOS’s murdrous and inaccurate WCA tests in many cases be carried out by staff with fake qualifications?
ATOS has already cost thousands of innocent lives.
There needs to be an investigation. NOW.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2290920/Freeze-foreign-nurses-NHS-chiefs-admit-idea-lied-qualifications-experience-using-fake-IDs.html#ixzz2N7aTXHcX
All disability welfare ‘reform’ has been on the basis of UNUM and their fraudulent BPS Model of disability denial.
This is why the government has been pretending that ‘reform was needed’.
Without the BPS Big Lie there would have been NO justification for changing the old IB disability support system which worked fairly well for most, and where fraud was already minimised.
The IB system was never so broke that it needed mendin’ with ESA, WRAG, WCA and forced labour.
IB needs to be reinstated for all NOW, with any further reviews pending until after 2015.
And the involvement of Atos needs to be suspended until such time as they can prove that they have never employed medical workers with bogus qualifications (something they will be unable to do – LOL).
To realise which direction we are going you must first sit down and realise from whence we came……………
Suddenly we are going backwards……
Living conditions are in reverse, quality of life in a downward spiral.
……and all because the very people who purport to raise your views in parliament, are doing just the opposite!.
Banking and Finance run this country, people are secondary. The boundaries are widening all the time.
Media coverage of benefit claimants take centre stage whilst the true corruption at the very top, goes virtually unnoticed.
Warped media coverage camouflaging the real rot and the institutions that connive to deceive………..
The worst part for me was probably being placed in support group then 6 months later after a serious decline in my mental health and an attempted suicide having some prat with a clip board ask me “do i not want more from life” and then sending a report claiming im magically all better.
This Bloody Mess is a Real Life Horror Story
Welfare Yes Gormless Grins on Politicians Faces No
Take a bunch of lying, avaricious pseudo HCPs and add the one size fits all assessment, where no matter what the condition or disability if the questions do not apply to you then you are declared fit for work. That is the WCA.
If they want to cause the deaths of the disabled and sick of society, then the current WCA combined with the appalling state of the NHS is proof of this intention.
Then systematically removing support from legal aid, charities (because many are in the govs back pockets), and the last hope …….removing us from ECHR =reduced population=reduced unemployment figures=reduced welfare bill as only the toughest will survive. No wonder they changed the name form Dept Health and Social Security to DWP.
Death Wishes for the People Department?
Train fare…Bus fare…Work fare..!! Hmmm All cost !
Received a brown envelope today, from the DWP, of course. They had suspended my Industrial Injury Disablement Benefit on the 18th july 2012, the same time that i got my Incapacity Benefit stopped due to a twisted ATOS examination.
Obviously i appealed straight away.
The letter stated that they were paying me arrears of £1075.08, in other words they had withheld my payments for 8 months whilst my family and i struggled to make ends meet.
Mum, a widower, helped me along the way, bless her………….
Nevertheless, why would the DWP withhold payment due to me for this amount of time?.
A lot of discussions within the disabled community have expressed suspicions that DWP are trying to starve claimants from withdrawing from the appeals process.
Surely this must be their ultimate aim, given that i was humiliated into borrowing whilst my payments had terminated.
This is not the action of a caring society. It is the action of an unjust regime that glories in its ill treatment of the weakest……
Sarcastically the letter states they will be sending me another letter to explain the change in payment………
Make your own minds up………
Maybe now is the time you sought legal advise for compensation for their deliberate incompetence? Start with a complaints procedure and involve your MP.
The worst thing about ESA is my survival is at stake; the pressure of continually having to prove that a mental disorder is not just “in my mind” is making my behaviour violent and unstable even though I hate violence and will inevitably lead to my hospitalisation, a situation which is much more costly to the state
mr c potts did this, work or die or be shot, beheaded, carmarouge, spelling awful this morning, k l it dont make sense, black triangle not heard of for a while must be holidays or warned not to post on site
I found this on another forum.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/scotland-21754173
I spent the 75 minutes watching it and was reassured by a lot of the panels comments. Scottish parliamentarians seem to have grasped the impact that proposed disability changes, PIP, will mean to their electorate. They all recognise that the long term impact of taking away the higher rate of mobility allowance will be critical.
Lord Fraud was mentioned, tricking the 20 metre proposal through parliament in january!
Most, if not all, of the panel seemed to agree that 100 yards seemed more fairer.
Furthermore, the members recognised that the reason our coalition government wanted to opt out of the human rights act was solely to persecute the disabled and poor of our society……….
Overall it was a good debate with similar views, completely different to those who seek to shame us in whitehall.
The basic rights of the disabled were seen to be being railroaded at great pace, with no regard to other measures such as the bedroom tax being taken into account.
The committee also said they lacked clarity on all proposed issues which were seen to be pushed through at an alarming rate without much written evidence to explain what they meant. In a nutshell, kept in the dark.
Only time will tell…….
One thing i did pick up on was the governments insistence on regular health examinations, perhaps every few months. Surely this is against a persons human rights. Stress levels are high up to, and beyond, one examination. Why a protracted demonisation and fear should be ongoing, i dont know.
Just the DWP BULLY BOY MENTALITY IN ACTION……………………..
From: GEOFFREY REYNOLDS
14 March 2013
Dear Department of Health,
Can you please tell me if the certification awarded by Derby
University to ATOS health care professionals is recognised as a
proper medical qualification, recognised by the General Medical
Council?
Yours faithfully,
GEOFF REYNOLDS
Link to this
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/atos_certification
I’ve just had a ESA Medical last Monday, I’ve not worked since 2005 and have numerous things wrong with me. My husband comented that the lady I saw seemed genuinely concerned about my discomfort throughout the medical, and even told me I didn’t need to carry out the physical side of assessment. Which I declined to do, she did seem genuine. I commented to my husband, I’ve heard so many bad stories re these medicals I’m taking it that she is faking her concern. How bad is that, I’ve always worn my heart on my sleeve and trusted people if they were genuine but not in this case. The experience of this medical actually took me three days to get over, I felt like I was on trial. I’d already waited 6mnths for a reply to my assessment form, which I thought after waiting all that time would be the same as the one I’d filled in 18mnths earlier. Which transfered me to the ESA from incapacity benefit I was put in support group. Then it was more worry where I ended up getting myself in a right state. I do believe putting people who are genuinly i’ll through this is a breach of our human rights, and something needs too be done. The scammers won’t be bothered about this medical it will be a game to them, which they will take great pleasure in beating. Not like the people who are really i’ll, who end up being even worse of medically as its made them poorlier than they are. The ESA is a failure of this goverment and needs squashing like a dirty big fly.
My Rant straight from the heart. MG XX