Tuesday 11th Septemeber 20.00 hrs

Today at 3.30 p.m. Merry Cross of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) and John McArdle of Black Triangle Campaign held a short protest with a small group of friends and family at the exit of a lecture theatre at Imperial College, London, where Professor Mansel Aylward had just given a talk as part of ‘IFDM 2012’.

Professor Aylward came out to speak with us and we filmed the exchange in full. Also in attendance was John Pring of Disability News Service. We will be posting the video unedited as soon as technically possible (hopefully tomorrow morning).

We also handed him the following letter signed by over 420 people in a 36 hour period and copied it to The Guardian newspaper:

This week sees the 6th International Forum on Disability Management ‘IFDM 2012’ take place at Imperial College, London. It is sponsored by some of the world’s largest medical insurance companies, Unum among them, and Keynote speakers include DWP Chief Medical Adviser Dr. Bill Gunyeon and Professor Sir Mansel Aylward formerly DWP Chief Medical Adviser and Director of The Centre for Psychosocial and Disability Research at Cardiff University which was sponsored by Unum from its inception in 2003 until 2009.

Unum’s website states that during this sponsorship period ‘a series of papers was published, identifying the range of factors that determine why some people become long term absentees.’ The Cardiff papers advocated a ‘Biopsychosocial (BPS) Model’ of disability which Unum says ‘informed its approach to medical underwriting’. It is the same approach upon which the current Atos Work Capability Assessment (WCA) is based. Concomitantly, the company were advising the UK Government on welfare reform.

Last Tuesday (4th September), during an emergency debate on Atos and the WCA held in Parliament, Kevin Brennan (Lab Cardiff West) demanded to know if DWP Minister Chris Grayling was as concerned as he was ‘ that Atos’s Chief Medical Officer is one Professor Michael O’Donnell, who was previously employed as Chief Medical Officer by the American insurance company, Unum, which was described by the Insurance Commissioner for California, John Garamendi, as an “outlaw company” that has operated in an unlawful fashion for many years, running (disability) claims denial factories.’ Mike O’Donnell was Unum’s CMO for 10 years before he joined Atos in 2010.

We strongly condemn the Royal Society of Medicine’s decision to host IFDM 2012. By so doing they have lent an aura of legitimacy to a pseudo-scientific approach to disability that is as far from evidence-based medicine as it is possible to imagine. It is an approach that continues to devastate the lives of patients, scores of whom are tragically no longer with us as a direct result.

These for-profit corporations should never have been permitted to sequester such power and influence over public health and social policy. We submit that there may be clear conflicts of interest at stake and that the public interest now demands that an urgent and thorough independent public inquiry into the relationships between, and roles played by, senior Unum, Atos and DWP staff in the creation of the current government disability assessment régime be instituted without further delay.

Some more background for those who need it:

https://blacktrianglecampaign.org/2012/09/08/dwpunumatos-scandal-welfare-reform-redress-for-disabled-people-report-by-mo-stewart-wraf-rtd/

John McArdle, Founding Member Black Triangle Campaign
Dr. Stephen Carty MRCGP Member and Medical Adviser Black Triangle

Co-Signatories:

Dr. Margaret McCartney FRCGP Glasgow

1. Mo Stewart WRAF (Rt
2. Debbie Jolly Co-Founder Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC)
3. Linda Burnip (DPAC)
4. Pat Onions Pat’s Petition and 46,000 other signatories  
5. Sue Marsh Diary of a Benefit Scrounger, Author of The Spartacus Report
6. Kaliya Franklin Benefit Scrounging Scum, The Spartacus Report
7. Ian Sandeman DLA Help Group
8. John McDonnell MP
9. Adam Lotun Disability Risk Management & Reasonable Adjustments Consultant – Workplace Disability Adjustments
10. Denise McKenna Mental Health Resistance Network
11. Samuel Miller Disability in History Montreal Canada
12. Steven Preece Founding Member Social Welfare Union
13. Dan Morton Social Work Action Network (SWAN)
14. Rich Moth, Social Work Action Network
15. Mike Dailly, Principal Solicitor, Govan Law Centre, Glasgow
16. Alan Wheatley Kilburn Unemployed Workers Group
17. Brian Smith Branch Secretary UNISON Glasgow
18. Andrew Burgin National Secretary Coalition of Resistance
19. Peter Kelly The Poverty Alliance
20. Susan Archibald Archibald Foundation
21. Jock Welsh Blackwood Care
22. John Dalrymple Neighbourhood Networks
23. Denise MHRN
24. Stephen Cruikshank Renfrewshire Access Panel
25. Bill Scott Inclusion Scotland
26. Norma Curran Scottish Campaign for a Fair Society
27. Norma Curran Values Into Action Scotland
28. Stuart Bracking DPAC North East
29. Vanessa King – The Isadore Foundation CIC
30. Tony Greenstein, Secretary, Brighton Unemployed Centre
31. Dave Harker Secretary North East Shop Stewards’ Network
32. Adrianne Sebastian-Scott
33. Joe Kane ME victim
34. Jim Paterson disabled war veteran
35. Bill Kruse SIGsec for Mensa’s International Special Interest Group on Economics Trade & Finance
36. julia warman PWME
37. Linda Kirk mental health support worker
38. Laurel Duut
39. Rory Beaton, Disabled Members’ Rep, St Andrews UCU
40. Beverley Rawsthorn
41. Janella McCabe
42. Alisdair Cameron, Team Leader,Launchpad,NTWSU&C and NEt
43. Leon Carter – Stroke Survivor and Social Welfare Union Committee Member
44. Anita Bellows
45. Paige Rawsthorn
46. Margaret Keavey
47. Eddie Keavey
48. John Sweeney Member Ucatt Eastern Region Council
49. Anya-Nicola Darr
50. Rebecca Devitt
51. Serena M Williams
52. Kristian Thomson
53. Jim Gilroy
54. Adrian Wait – ‘Still-Alive’
55. Patricia Walker (Virtual Resistance) – online activist, Cornwall.
56. Bridget Price
57. David Smith
58. Gillian Pryor
59. Merry Cross
60. Mark Dale, Basildon Disability Equality Forum (Chair)
61. Andrew David Hunt
62. Debbie Sayers
63. Jonathan Wilson
64. Rachel Pembro
65. Alex Hunter
66. Celine Lecompte
67. Anne Holt
68. Harry Williams
69. Jayne Linney
70. Cátia Freitas
71. Kathryn M. Meadows
72. Andrew Meadows
73. Paul R Barnard
74. Imogen Frere Clarke, Counsellor/Psychotherapist
75. Lesley Roberts Robert Beard
76. Rachel Hoare
77. Lauretta Pearson
78. Kayla Lowes
79. KJ Walsh
80. Jackson Cullinane, Unite
81. Dr George Berger, Retired philosophy teacher.
82. Sheryl Odlum
83. Chris Gregson, Support Worker
84. Eileen Powrie, Retired Teacher
85. Mark Jones
86. Billy Ross
87. Emma Hanby
88. Ali Pugh
89. Bill MacLeod Mentally and physically disabled
90. Anthony Adshead

    71 Lyn Phillips
    72 Sheila Howells Physically disabled
    73. Ross Allan Mental Health Disabilities
    74. Pete Finnemore Mental/physical Disability
    75  David W Shaw, Teacher with mental health issues
    76. Jane Russell    
    77. Joy Scobby (Severe ME)
    78. Karen Grieve (Son with learning difficulties)

Tina Roberts (ME/CFS)
Jennifer Parsons Carer

Paula Peters

82. Joss Bateman
    83. W Snow
    84. Alice Brown Right to Work Edinburgh (work with disabled children and young people)
    85 Raymond Watt Right to Work Edinburgh
86. Vivien Bartlett
87. Rob Marsh disabled activist
88 sharan hendry syringomyelia/ chiari/ crohns/mental health probs
89 jo pickles
90 Christopher Colin Wilson (Chronic Pain Syndrome, Aspergers Syndrome).
91. Susie Staplehurst (Borderline Personality Disorder)
92 Owen meharry Glasgow illnessess too many to mention
93. Annie Bishop Northumberland Disability and Deaf Network
94 Mervyn Carter, Colchester Essex
95 Linda Pugh
96. Marc Campbell-Black, Hertfordshire Severe heart/lung condition/pulmonary hypertension
97 hilary cooper chronic heart /lung condition severe arthritis
98. Tony Bradstock. ME sufferer.
99.Glynis Ward DDD/OsteoArthritis/Fibromyalgia/CFS/CPS/Thyroid Disease/IBS and now being  queried for Sjogrens Disease too. (No DLA= No Home..No car..and No Existence any more 🙁 ) IF we lose our home (two disabled people here with a possible third atm, we would then need to be re-housed..We could THEN claim ALL our rent, which WILL cost the Government approx 2-3 times the amount we receive towards our Mortgage atm.Makes sense this??? NOT!!!…….
100. David Churchley-stroke – disabled activist – Black Triangle Campaign West of Scotland
101. Steve Maley ME/CFS/Fibromyalgia/Osteoarthritis +mental health probs.(Fiance of Glynis Ward (Signature no.99. See details.)
102. Danielle-Laura Ward DDD/ME/CFS/IBS (working P/T in a LOT of pain and needing DLA) (Daughter of Glynis Ward(Signature no.99.See details.)
103. Glenn Mrosek ME/CFS/IBS/GWS/Aspergers/Depression/Tourettes/Arthralgia

104. Nicola Cowdell-Murray :~Severe Psoriatic arthritis affecting most joints and surrounding tissues causing severley impaired mobility and constant agony ,migraine, High Blood pressure & Depression general poor health due to autoimmune disease and associated medications  , carer of child with ADHD & oppositional behaviour
105. Lindsay Lee, wife and carer of husband with asperger syndrome, gallstones, sleep dysphasia, depression/anxiety, spinal injury, missing knee ligament, severely impaired mobility; also mother and carer to 2 boys with asperger syndrome.  Loss of benefits would see our children taken into care costing the country tens of thousands of pounds a year more than the  we would be robbed of.
106. Rosena McKeown, Polio Survivor, Post Polio Cafe
107. Susan Smith OsteoAthritis sufferer

108. Sandra Arnott, Son with Klinefelter Syndrome XXY and learning difficulties.
109. Rachel Rose Edmunds, nurse
110 Julie Gordon mental health issues
111. Helen H Green – mental and physical health disabilities.
112. Wes White – British Citizen
113. Sandy Scott, physical disabilities
114. David Beal Disabled chef
114. Chris Dunn, late-life mental health sufferer, father of a daughter with Asperger’s Syndrome
115. Julie Frid, MS and mother of a son with AS.
116. Madelaine Wood Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy
117.Rosalyn Adams cfs/me sufferer
118.Abbe Keating
119 Belinda Walker Severe ME
120 Peter J Wild, Leigh, Lancashire
121 Ebony Marsh  – Campaigner (mental & physical disabilities)
122 Gerald Wardman, Merthyr Tydfil, S Wales
123 Jacqueline Welsh (Mental health and panic/anxiety disorder)
124 Helen Brown, Polio Survivor, Post Polio Cafe
125 Margaret McGivern, Hull
126 Erica Leighton, Stoke-on-Trent (Addisons Disease, Fibromyalgia,mental health)
127 Linda Welsh ( heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis)
128 Dr Sarah Campbell, Southampton, disabled, author Spartacus Report
129 Neil Harrison – Denbighshire, North Wales
130 Robert Craig – spina bifida, severely disabled.
131 daniel waddell- agoraphobia and anxiety disorder
132 Janet Graham – ME
133 Rachel Blake-Severe depression, Anxiety and mood swings
134 Robert Punton – DPAC member activist BIRMINGHAM
135 Sonia Poulton, journalist & broadcaster
136 David Haymes – ME/CFS
137 Ben Golightly – ME/CFS, Swansea Youth Fight for Jobs
138 Helen Sims- Cerebral Palsy from Birth
139 James Arands Tory hater
140 Mary Stuart Youth worker
141 paul hewitt
142 Jamie Goodwin – Fibro, ME, etc –
143 kevin mansfield cancer survivor
144 Colin Nicholson Arthritis sufferer due to industrial poisoning
145 Peter Kemp MA. London. M.E. patient and advocate
146 Cal Cooper
147 Kevin Liversage
148 Ian Smith – Disability Support Information Worker – Armed Forces Disability Consultant
149 Jennifer Slingsby – Hertfordshire – support for son
150 Robert Slingsby – Anxiety, Depression and OCD
151 Nicholas Csergo, London
152 Mandy Lawrence
153 Michelle Nix, Exeter – currently awaiting assessment for ESA and appeal for DLA, worked for years supporting people with disabilities
154 Caroline Richardson                                                                                         
155 Tony Britton
156 Stephen Barksby, Anti UNUM/ATOS, also chronically disabled
157 Fiona Ambrose former youth worker & CAB worker
158 Helen Woodhouse . Agoraphobic, clinical depressive, Sjogren’s Syndrome . In total despair .And also signing on behalf of my autistic son Paul Woodhouse for whom I am appointee.
159 Teresa Catto-Smith, Autism Campaigner, Edinburgh (Autism in Scotland & Act Now For Autism)
160. Patrick Brett, Extrinsic Allergic Alveolitis, Spinal Degeneration, Tendonitis, Frozen Shoulder, Depression, Psoriasis, Insomnia and general sleeping difficulties.  I would have died 4 years ago if the NHS had not been there to save me from lung failure!
161 Carole Rutherford, Autism Campaigner, Sunderland Autism-in-Mind and Act Now for Autism.
162. Nicola Lawson, Chronic Depression, Oedema, Weight problems, partial incontinence, Arthritis, Insomnia and general sleeping difficulties.
163 Ciara Doyle. (DPAC member)
164 Mandy Lawrence, Bipolar et al that goes with it
165 Terrijayne Butler mother of child with cerebral palsy
166 Helen George (Southwark Mind and Kindred Minds)
167 Gareth J Parfitt – Chronic back neck and leg problems from bad surgery
168.Michael Sherry Connective tissue disorders.
169.jason hanratty off sick for a while till i get better
170. Pam Griffin – COPD, PTSD, heart problems, severely underweight (no fault of my own) so constantly fatigued, underactive thyroid, vitiligo, photosensitivity, arthritis in back, neck, knees, hips, ankles and hand plus IBS and general poor health. Disgusted at the way those with disabilities are treated by ATOS and the way ATOS assessors do not ask the questions as they are supposed to be asked and the FACT that they don’t even ask some of the questions and yet give ‘0’ points and also blatantly lie in some cases, thus giving a false representation of that persons health. I would love a job but can’t find one I can actually do or an employer who would even dream of employing me. We are NOT scroungers, we are human beings struggling from day to day.
171. Gillian Neeve-Outraged at the level of suffering and loss of life caused by this unscientific, financially motivated, wreck of a policy. Those with vested financial interests should not advise or influence policy making or be allowed to subvert medical professionals so that they become complicit partners with this company that profits from peoples pain & suffering.
172. Jane Cooke -Anxiety/Depression/OCD, carer to husband with Schizoaffective Disorder
173. Mary Stuart – Outrage at the way disabled people are treated by this government. Shameful.
174. Lindsay McKeown, mother of an 8 year old girl with complex disabilities and who is not a scrounger. Gizza job.
175. Chris McCabe, spondylosis, cervical spine disappearing, frequent severe pain, immobility. If there were some supported industry, like Remploy (qv), we might have a chance of a job, & this wd be less costly than using Atos’ flawed system.
176 Greg Wait Just a concerned citizen watching the tories dismantling everything great about our country.
177. M Stanley, chronic mental health issues
178 Kenneth Cook
179 Fiona Bruce
180 Raymond Shemilt
181 Paul Wogden FM sufferer since 2000
180 Caron Harrison FM sufferer since 1997 with autistic son aged 14. Atos victim 2 years ago when ALL DLA was stopped and given back on appeal 4 months later (NOV-MARCH no money and no heating)
181. Rita Cowdell carer for daughter with Epilepsy, brain damage and
learning difficulties, daughter with autoimmune arthritis , Grandson with ADHD & oppositional behaviour, and neighbour with cerebral palsy
182.Gail Ward SWU disabled person
183. patricia Helme disabled person
184.Christopher Murray carer for wife who suffers Psoriatic Arthritis and depression
185 Andy Kirkham. Vote Liberal if you don’t want the Tories. said Little Nicky!
186 Jon Allen,
187 Holly Nolan  NUJ  Suffers with depressive illness
188 Neil Harrison carer for disabled wife and autistic son and working full time.
189 Robert Swinn recovering from brain injury

190. Denise Bennett Disabled person who has been poorly treated by ATOS on 3 occassions each time at appeal the verdict was over turned into my favour ….how can ATOS disagree with medical professionals who are ACTUALLY trained and specialise in my specific condition
191 Jan Dodds supporter/care giver to daughter, mother & mother-in-law all with long term conditions. I have left ventricular hypertrophy which limits my own physical abilities.
192 Mary Mathers. I’m 85 & have Macular Degeneration.
193 Rosemary Spencer
194 Helen Boston. For the past 19 years, since the age of 11 I have had an undiagnosed hip problem which means I walk with crutches & live with chronic pain. I work full time but I don’t know how much longer I can carry on.
195 Peggy Dodds. My daughter-in-law is writing this because I have been left paralysed & aphasic following a stroke.
196 Clare Jordan, Ex mental health worker, disabled due to multiple physical conditions.
197 Trev Fairminer – Severe Osteoarthritis +
198 Jane Burkinshaw – Late Lyme Disease and unable to get appropriate treatment in the UK. Denied ESA after one year.
199 John Mortimer – Rheumatoid Arthritis now being reassessed to see if it’s got better.
200 Martin Smith: Depression, Social phobia and fibromyalgia , made far worse by repeated so-called medicals and years waiting for appeal tribunals.
201  Sam Downie – has Epilepsy, has Autism (ASD). Been treated badly by the DWP, by ATOS and by the HMRC all to do with disability and benefits. I blog about it at : http://dwpstories.blogspot.com . And recently I’ve become an activist and researcher in all kinds of disability issues, I’m part of #sparticusreport  
202 Linda Ashford – Parkinson Disease, Pernicious Anaemia, activist and advocate.Former disabilities artsworker.
203. Dr Gary Wood, Social Psychologist and Development Coach

204. Terri Henderson refused DLA unable to appeal as own house and can’t get legal aid multiple health issues
205. Cheryl Moncrieffe MS sufferer
207 Linda Ellis Mental health problems Please try TUC or Citizens advice for help Terri.l
208 Carole Foster suffering Myalgic  Encephalomyelitis  M.E is NOT a long enough name for the devastation  it causes.
209. David Golledge – On TPN as a result of Crohn’s Disease!
210. Annd Wood
211.  Fiona Goffe, ME, FM, Arthritis, Diverticulitis, Thyroiditis and associated conditions.
Rosie Cox.  42 yr long sufferer of ME.  Having developed this disease as a child I have had little to no autonomous adult life and still wait to start living properly.  ATOS and the DWP seem unable to comprehend that such lives exist..lives which are dependent in many ways on others’ help and assistance.  Being required to provide one word answers for a complex medical condition is laughable.
212. K M Brown:   my wife has been very  ill for two decades now and is getting worse progressively  due to a number of  disabling, debilitating conditions.                                                                                                            The worry caused to us both by the government’s actions and lack of action
to properly and fairly care for the vulnerable in our society has made my own,  health much worse.  As for my wife, she suffered a Transient Ischaemic Attack (a type of “stroke” akin to CVA)  last weekend and her left side face,  and limbs became paralysed. She is also a sufferer of severe depression and has stayed mentally on a fairly even keel for the past fifteen years or so.   Now she is also developing a further episode of depressive illness to have to contend with – placing further burdens upon us in our daily lifes and also upon the health services.   Enough is enough – how many more of us must be made more ill than we are already and eventually killed by stress and  worry?  The former DLA system was rigorous enough; benefits are NOT dished out in an irresponsible manner to all who apply for them – as is implied by propaganda and disinformation.   DLA was intended to support people with the extra costs that chronic illness/impairments bring, whether those people are in work or unable to work.We are extremely grateful to the support groups assisting us all – especially this one,  by helping us to send this letter, giving us some strength and hope of the eventual justice that will follow.
213. Neil McKenna.
214. Nicola Reid
215. Julie Carden
216. Chris Fairlam.Cystic Fibrosis.
217. Craig Mason dpac black triangle supporter
218. Jack Trice.
219. Chris Tandy
220. Yvette Broadhurst
221. Fred Williams
222. Paula Allen, Vice President European Operations. Trans Purple Panthers Party
223. Denise Longman, disabled for 27 years by Lyme disease and ME
224. Tim Ponting
225. Alison Orr, ME for 12 years.                                                                                                
226. Ivan Thomas
227. Rick Burgess @TenPercent
228.  Fiona Webb.  ME sufferer of 15 years.
229. Stuart Wyatt (CFS/Fibromyalgia)
230 Ann Archibald.Retired Pensioner. Fervent supporter of the Welfare State.
231 Kay Archibald Fervent supporter of the Welfare State
232. Ann Lennox  Becoming more depressed and disillusioned with every day this TORY Government tries to grind us further down.
233. Robin Thompson. Chronic depression and anxiety
234  T Kent
235  Katherine Fox
236  Maurice Fox
237  paul whiteley ‘’stroke victim’’ retired pensioner.
238  pat whiteley ‘’M.S ‘’
239  C.White  ME advocate and activist. PVFS and Benign Myalgic Encephalomyelitis is coded by the WHO in ICD-10 under Other disorders of the nervous system at 93.3.  CFS is not there, though fatigue syndrome is…but under Neurasthenia, Other neurotic disorders. It excludes PVFS as that is a disease of the nervous system.The biopsychosocial model denies the pathological basis of diseases and proposes people shouldn’t have the tests they need to prove that their explanations of illness is based on theory. It’s them that have the false illness beliefs…unfortunately, this is very economically convenient for government health and welfare.
240  Julia Cameron – Islington Disabled People Against Cuts
242  Jay Astarte, Asperger syndrome, M.E., PTSD, depression, anxiety
243  Lynne Valentine, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitisi, Sjogren’s Syndrome
244  Marie-Francoise O’Donoghue  ME
245 Mark Lingard.
246 Genna Foden (Brother has autism)
247 Pam Long
248 Alexandra Hall. ME sufferer  who wants FAIRNESS
249. Dugald Ferguson.  ME suffer; husband of MS sufferer.
250  Yvonne Troth.  Carer to long-term ME sufferer
251 Rev. Paul Farnhill, HR campaigner
252 Gaynor Underhill
253 Amanda Middleton
254 Geraldine Harvey.  FMS, epilepsy, depression
255 Amanda Adlem, Southampton.
256 Hattie Giles, Depression, PCOS, Trauma, unexplained chronic pain
257 Chris Brown, former optometrist, now largely housebound with chronic fatigue syndrome.
I also have Asperger’s syndrome.  I did not fit ATOS tick boxes, but won my appeal.
258. Jo Colby, very concerned with they way the NHS is using vested interest to make medical decisions with no medical knowledge.
259. Chris Welton, Carer for my wife who has ME/Fibromyalgia for over 20 years.
S Davis. bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder.
260 Henry Sherlock, registered blind, diabetic, heart disease, depression, Disability Activist
261. Elaine Stammers ME/CFS sufferer
262 Alice Wedderburn NEFB W.I.G
263 Christine Chidzomba
264 Noel Blair
265 Brenda Mary Boyd, BA Hons PGCE CMIPR
266  Jane Clout, barefoot benefit advisor, poorly person, pensioner and Spartacii

267 Alison Jeavons, has ME.  Currently waiting appeal for ESA via tribunal.
268 Ann Whitehurst born with difference & disabled by an oppressive society
269 Alan Fergus, concerned citizen and believer in representative democracy
270 V Evans
271  Ria Fletcher
272 DT Fraser
273 Jonathan Swift, diagnosed with depression and paranoid schizophrenia
274 Paul Sharrock, M.E registered disabled and mental health issues.
275 Sara Keable, registered blind.
276  Sue Hamilton, Multiple Sclerosis/
277 Judith Webb, Has M.E. and is mother of an M.E. suffer.                                          
278. E.V.Britton, Rtd. Registered Nurse 40 yrs service including ; 20 years A&E, Geriatric Ward Sister, Continence Advisor, District Nurse, Busy Practice Nurse.
279 Phil Lockwood, Founder Member, Disability History Scotland
280 Steve Hawkins severe ME being tortured by NHS with misdiagnoses of hypochondria and/or somatisation. Hospitalised 21 months, shortly to be discharged with ‘diagnosis’ that will leave me at the mercy of Atos/DWP, whose tests I will fail, but there is no hope of me working because no one in the NHS is interested in finding out what is really wrong with me.
281 Ben Clarkson, Severe Myotonic Dystrophy. Placed in “work group” before even being seen by their doctors. The new regime is a tragedy and a farce. It would be funny if it wasn’t so horrifically damaging.
282 Tracy Harman, Teacher of Adult Learners with Learning Difficulties and Disabilities,
291 Mike Caics, Disability Activist
292 Stacy hart a.k.a Mama Chill  had M.E for 22yrs been left to rot & treated like scum  wrote to my MP today apologising for the inconvenience of being struck with illness and losing my job, social life, independence and everything i’d known & asked if it would be easier if i hurried up and passed away.
293 Nicholette Lippiatt ESA survivor and general mad person
294 Wendy LongworthDisability Rights Campaigner and Advocate.
283.     Lou Sedgwick    M.E. suffer , mostly housebound, often bed bound with no support from any service, just left to rot and die. severe debilitating depression, with no support from any service, just left to rot and die. probable aspergers or something similar, social phobia, with no support from any service, just left to rot and die. husbands caring role unrecognised. infact, just made out to be a scrounger, liar and cheat. existing, not living.   lost nursing job due to M.E, retired on ill health grounds, a job i loved and which defined me. I will never have the chance to get better with all the stress and hardship due to the governments discrimination. funnily enough, all this stress is making me really ill !
284. Robert Taylor. me sufferer and nurse unable to work at the moment due to condition and scared for my future under a government who punishes the disabled.
285 Margaret Rumney, my daughter is housebound with severe M.E and yet is being threatened by Job Centre to stop her benefits for not being able to attend work focused interviews despite letter from GP confirming that my daughter is too ill to attend work focused interviews. She has been ill for 9 years since the age of 11.
286 Emma Rumney severe M.E sufferer.
287 David Chowcat, Brighton DPAC, ME diagnosed 1990.
288 Diane Howells#
289 Andy Carling, Human Being
290 Christine Hubbard For all who need help/will need help

295 Ross Campbell, Essex (denied DLA & ESA – the only option left is suicide)
296 Catherine Verney, M.E. sufferer 13years.  Diagnosed with M.E. in 1999 and still affected by it in 2012.  There is no magic fix, I only wish there was!
297 Deborah Briggs Fleetwood Lancashire. M.E Survivor since 1997 Fibromyalgia – Chronic fatigue disease. Anxiety Depression.Barely surviving alone trying to live on £71.00 impossible.
298 Margaret Burton, Minster on Sea, Kent. MS
299 Arron Burton, Minster on Sea, Kent. Anxiety and depression.  
300 Samantha Griffin Daughter of M.E/Cfs/Depression sufferer disgusted at what I saw at
my mothers tribunal. She is not a criminal for becoming ill.
301.  David Verney, husband of M.E.  sufferer.  I suffer myself with Paranoid Schizophrenia and anxiety
302. Claire Leiper
Lucy May
303.  Terree Selby
304 Alison Jones – disgusted at the attitude of this government
305 Charlotte Bainbridge Human Being
306 Gail Edwards, socialist
307 kemal ibrahim
308. J Best, Rtd service manager for children with disability
309 .A Lyons, Disabled, angry as hell at this so called government.  
310 Neil Devlin
311. Douglas McHugh, Just someone who cares.
312 Alice Devaney
313 J Lornie.
314. Adrian Ogden
315. Nick Llewellyn. Very worried son of a disabled mother.
316. Kim Johnson, former social worker and substance abuse counselor now suffering with anxiety, panic attacks and many physical symptoms as a result (i.e. pain, high blood pressure, fear of driving, inability to work, etc).
317.Sarah Burrows Disabled mum of a son with SEN.
318. Diane Richmond

319, Yvonne Parmenter
320. Andrea O’Donoghue
321. Anne Selby, cancer patient suffering from Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, mother of 41 yr old son with Aspergers Syndrome and Gulf War veteran.

322. Stef Benstead ME Sufferer
323. Jonathan Eyre
324. Valeria Tello Giusti
325. Nancy Farrell, IOW DPAC
326. Liane Gomersall, person with MS
327. Nicky Bettany too sick to work, too tired to care
328. Mark Romano
329. Linda Kilpatrick, Anti Unum, Anti Atos. Acute disabilities. Sjogrens Syndrome, Asthma, low level COPD, Hypertension, Osteoarthritis, Hypermobility Syndrome, Internal Psoriasis, Stenosis and Curvature of the Spine, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Fybromialgia to name but a few. Survivor of Malignant Melanoma and Myeloid Lymphoma.

330 Norma Anderson Lupus (SLE), Osteoporosis, Auto Immune Hepatitis, COPD, Asthma, Arthritis, have previously had Non Hodgkins Lymphoma, Pancreatitis, Gall Bladder removal and others.  I wish IDS would walk a mile in my shoes – except he wouldn’t be able to because I can barely walk 10 yards never mind a mile.

331  Jason Vaughan-Philiipps  – Scrap the WCA and sack ATOS.

332. Kate Mayer – Learning Mentor – this government’s attitude towards the disabled is totally disgusting – the mark of a civilised society is how we treat the most vulnerable – sack atos now – defend disabled people!

333.  Doug Johnson

334. Jenny Roberts – Chronic illness from M.E, fibromyalgia, anxiety and depression
I’m very concerned by the lack of empathy shown by this government.There is no sign of compassion or concern over the devastating effects of their reforms, and now they want to take away our means of fighting back, and punish us financially for doing so. This is not a Britain to be proud of. This is bullying and persecution at the highest level. People should not be afraid to live in a civilised country with a disability.
335. Fallyn Spinks – The Liberation Fund. Liberating the people from your poverty trap of manipulation and control, restoring dignity and allowing the vulnerable to stand up and fight. Good luck.
336. Cary Brown – former carer for my late disabled husband who had osteogenesis imperfecta. The government’s present treatment of disabled people is appalling.
337. Nikki Harwood Total hip replacement at 21., from  misdiagnosis  now 42 with same failing replacement
338. Nile Nugnez
339. Ama Menec. I have the debilitating illness of Fibromyalgia, which wasn’t recognised under the old system, and certainly won’t be under the new one.
340. Dana Olarescu
341. Kate Rigby – Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, migraines, agoraphobia, anxiety, panic disorder, social phobia and more.
342 Diane Cramp. Chronic ME, fibromyalgia, hallucinations, deaf, depression.
Lynn Kelly mother of son with Epilepsy
343 Dr. Stewart Kirk
344. Jo katerinas
Sara Heath – mother of a son with Asperger’s syndrome – runs a self help group for
Asperger’s people.
345 Ruth Chafin
346 Brice Chaffin
347 Rowan Chaffin
348 Ember Ffin
349 William Henry Hall
350 Mary Hall
351 Amanda Browning
352 May McGrath, 27, severe ME since 2008
353 Linda Hall
354 Dawn Marie
355 Max Wootton Asperger’s syndrome and severe anxiety and depression
356 Sarah Ross, 25, EDS type III, CFS and PCOS
357 Kirk Ross, 27, Full time carer for my wife
358 maria j barton. 48, diagnosed ms 2007.
359 Rachel ray. ME/CFS, Panic Disorder, Interstitial Cystitis, Acute TMJ.
360 Clare Long-Summers
361 Vanessa Haley, ME, Klippel-Feil, Clinical Depression, Degenerative Disk Disease, Arthritis.
362 Lyn Clarke. Diabetes, Diabetic Neuropathy, Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, Peripheral Vestibular Dysfunction, Chronic Pain, Migraine without headache.
363 Nicky Jones CFS/ME, BPD, Anxiety, Chronic Depression
364.  Dr Rebekah Gronowski – Multiple disabilities [one from birth], member of several Disability Action Groups, member of several Equality Action Groups & general Human Rights and Social Justice activist.
365.   Liz Clover.   COPD, including asthma, many bouts of pneumonia.  Substantial Osteoperosis.  cervical spondylosis, osteoarthritis, bowel condition, Muscle atrophy. Migraine and visual migraine, osteochrondritis  chronic fatigue, heart problems, many allergies.   I believe there is something called the Disability DIscrimination Act, where is it now with all these government cuts on Disabled people?
366. Christina Sosseh, i object to how people with disabilities are being villified by these companies. this could be any of us.
367. Dave Neeves
368. Donald Anderson, Glasgow.  So much for “Improving the Life Chances of Disabled people”.  
369. Melanie Eggleton ME/CFS
370. Claire Nance Saving the goverment thousands of pounds over the last eleven years as a carer and support person to several people with disabilities, including my foster daughter with ASD, and paying for it with my own health and well-being.
371. Marina Caird. Atos is the problem. A full investigation into this company needs to be undertaken and if needed a class action against them should be initiated, and also press coverage and petitioning.
372 Barbara Bates
373 Linda jameson, cfs/me.
374 Nicky Gatward, CFS/ME
375 Melanie Chandler BScSoc Social Work, CFS/ME
376 David West
377 Emma Heskey CFS/ME, Anxiety, Depression, Agoraphobia, Asthma, Heart problems, Undiagnosed Autoimmune disease causing Anaphylaxis on a weekly basis, Allergies that do not respond to treatment and lead to Anaphylaxis, Visual Migraine, Trigeminal Neuralgia, Carpal Tunnel, Arthritis in my fingers, Dysphagia, Hyperhidrosis, Incontinence, Esophageal Spasms, Balance problems, Frequent falls, Severe chest pain, IBS. Every few months (or when I am well enough to get to the surgery!) the doctors will add something else to the list. I can’t remember them all. I’m not being treated for everything. Now all I get is “It’s because of your M.E” and asked to leave. Thats not care. No-one cares. I feel like I am rotting away.
378 Dr. Ann Wilson Disabled Activist
379 Margaret (Chrissie) Fryde. Terrified of losing my independance through this barbaric ATOS rubbish. The way the government is treating people is a HUGE enfringement of Human Rights.
If my benefits are taken away, I intend to hunger strike until I die, because I want more people to know about the cruel treatment meted out to those most vulnerable, and because I do not want to be a further burden on my family.

380 Anne Gill, disabled for 19yrs with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. I am extremely concerned by the impact of the Govt’s welfare reforms on disabled people, and the increasing number of deaths by suicide or ill-health that are occurring due to these reforms.  Serious questions need to be asked about ATOS and their appalling handling of the WCAs which has included blatant lying about some disabled people’s capabilities. If the Govt is serious about addressing suicide, then look at obvious causes like poverty and the resulting social alienation.

381 Andi O’Toole Ex CCU Staff nurse disabled with severe back pain. Scared about what the future will hold financially Ive given so much to the NHS in more way than one and now feel out in the cold with an unsympathetic DWP & ATOS

382. Anita Dawson – M.E.

383. Maggie Wallace, disabled by ME/CFS for 20 years.

384. Nigel Winborne. Numerous, serious and complicated disabling medical conditions!

385. Adrian Wait: Injustice Anywhere is a Threat to Justice Everywhere. Corruption can only be tackled if people are willing and able to tackle it – it is a cancer that is eating away the nation’s conscience and Ethics.

386. Annette Barclay. Disabled

387. Paul Murray. Partner of a disabled person
388. John Ingamells Crohns Disease Colostomy Osteoporosis Severe Arthritis Enlarged Spleen Low Platelets cirrhosis of Liver through Crohns Blood Clotting Problems Anemia Malabsorption
389.  Nessie King – Carer of a severely disabled son who has Autism, physical disabilities also survivor of 3 head tumours and arthritis.. but of course, Im NOT disabled (so DWP says).
390 Gerry Doe, I have been disabled for 23 years but the DWP say I might get better. Nice to know they know better than my Doctor and hospital.
391. Marie Pace, both disabled person with degenerative chronic back condition and carer for Asperger’s child, and co-ordinator of the New Addington Autism Group.

392  Christina Cowin. Ankylosing spondylitis, osteoarthritis, iritis, double incontinence, esophigeal stenosis stomach problems Vertigo, , & many more problems due to all this including side effects from medication,

393  Susan Campen, disabled by ankylosing spondylosis of the spine,cervical and lumbar causing double incontinence and  arthritis in knees, wrists and hips, both are degenerative, both are chronically painful, neither will ever get better and being hounded by the DWP and atos is adding depression and thoughts of self harm to the mix.

394.  I Lavinder   Carer
395.  Shirley Davis Mother of Disabled person
396.  Kenneth McDowall
397. Jayne Gowland, carer
398. Nessie King – carer to severely disabled son and survivor of three head tumours and arthritis (but not disabled according to the DWP)
400. susan kirk – fibromyalgia,depression
401  Tony Walsh
402 Dawn Willson carer for disabled husband
403 Jennifer Le Chevalier severely disabled
fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HMS, chronicin
404 Richard Willson Amputee
405.Robyn Hunt
406. Kirsty Birkner
407. Margaret Park
410. John McCann
411. John Stuart
412. Paul McCann
413. Pamela McCann
414. Christine Farquhaur
415.  Jonathan Bradley carer for Mother with bipolar.
416. Marie Pace, disabled parent, carer of Asperger’s child, and co-ordinator of autism support group.
417. Sharon Wandless
418. Polly Kinnear
419. Samuel Bee
420. A Bunting
421 tina lowry
422. S. Baker
423. D. Harrison
424 A Hill
425 Sarah Campen
426 A Jansen, longtime ME sufferer
427 A Fern, Life long tourettes sufferer
428 A. Berry
429 E. Oldfield- Cancer sufferer , arthritis also
430 L. Oldfield – Arthritis Sufferer, life long disability
431. Fiona MacLean – long term ME sufferer
432. John O’Callaghan-Williamson, Director, Tcell.org.uk.
433.  Danka Gordon
434. Marion Stoner
435. John Howard MBE, emergency aid worker, suffering from PTSD and depression
436. Cait Ni Cadlaig campaigner for human rights and anti-war campaigner Mother of soldier Have been in two wars etc.Have PTSD, Depression caused by both Fibromyalgia and ME. CFSand Ptsd ,IBS,Osteoarthritis Agrophobia,a form of Verticoetc……
437. Becca Gill
438. Katrina Byrne, mother of daughter with High Functioning Autism. Her HFA manifests itself in extreme anxiety and meltdowns. She copes very well in life with a partner, baby, was able to work part-time before baby. Her partner and myself are able to give her huge support. Cannot cope with working part-time and being a mother. So now does not work. She was awarded DLA for Life. This has allowed her to access taxis and such-like when she is anxious. However, with the DLA being scrapped, she will not apply for its replacement because of shame. Also, her anxiety levels will be mega which will effect her and my grand-daughter. So this coalition government will be very pleased that my daughter will be saving them some money. Cruel and callous. They should hang their head in shame. Reading through the comments above, there are far worse cases than my daughter.
439. Gemma Walton, disabled person, daughter of late significantly ill and disabled person.
440. Katherine Gault, previous Film and Video Professional, now chronic sufferer of M.E. and Chronic Idiopathic Angioedema and Urtecaria.
441 Susan Francis.
442 James Horrobin
443 Michael Horrobin
444 Kitty Francis
445 Ernest Francis
446 Robert Ellard. Please see http://llxs.blogspot.co.uk/p/collected-atos-news-articles.html for a list of articles against WCA / ATOS / DWP
447 Sheila Campbell
448 Jackie Ross