FRANCESCA MARTINEZ Comedian and activist says “Please sign the WoW (War on Welfare) Petition!”:
100,000 signatures to stop the War On Welfare! #WOWpetition
We call for a Cumulative Impact Assessment of Welfare Reform, and a New Deal for sick & disabled people based on their needs, abilities and ambitions
We call for:
A Cumulative Impact Assessment of all cuts and changes affecting sick & disabled people, their families and carers, and a free vote on repeal of the Welfare Reform Act.
An immediate end to the Work Capability Assessment, as voted for by the British Medical Association.
Consultation between the Depatments of Health & Education to improve support into work for sick & disabled people, and an end to forced work under threat of sanctions for people on disability benefits*
An Independent, Committee-Based Inquiry into Welfare Reform, covering but not limited to:
(1) Care home admission rises, daycare centres, access to education for people with learning difficulties, universal mental health treatments, Remploy closures;
(2) DWP media links, the ATOS contract, IT implementation of Universal Credit;
(3) Human rights abuses against disabled people, excess claimant deaths & the disregard of medical evidence in decision making by ATOS, DWP & the Tribunal Service.
epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/43154
WATCH THE PEOPLE’S ASSEMBLY LIVE FEED TODAY SATURDAY 22nd JUNE 2013 BY CLICKING HERE
2.15 – 3.30 LOCATION: MARQUEE AT THE SHARP END
Child benefit has been frozen for 3 years, meaning someone with two children is over £200 worse off this year, and low paid workers’ tax credits are being cut too.
From housing benefit or disability living allowance to maternity and paternity pay – cuts to in-work benefits are affecting many people’s incomes as well – and these cuts are part of the same austerity programme making those with the least pay the most.
Hear from our speakers from DPAC, BARAC and PCS and discuss how we can challenge and oppose these attacks on our welfare system.
Featuring: Ellen Clifford (DPAC), Hector Wesley (BARAC), Colin Wilson (Queers Against the Cuts), Anita Wright (National Assembly of Women), Mark Serwotka (PCS), War on Welfare Petition
Chair: John McInally (PCS)
3.45 – 5.00 LOCATION: GREAT HALL CLOSING PLENARY
Featuring: Mark Serwotka, Len McClusky, Francesca Martinez, Rania Khan, Christine Blower, Tony Benn, John Rees, Zita Holbourne
Chairs: Steve Turner (Unite), Vicki Baars (NUS)
Today’s FULL SCHEDULE
The People’s Assembly: what might ‘building from below’ really mean? Posted on June 21, 2013
Caroline Lucas: ‘The People’s Assembly offers hope’ Posted on June 22, 2013
8 Responses
Where do I buy a WoW T-shirt?
Been saying this about GP’s for 2 years.
Hi, All these cases were overturned and won by Bufferzone at tribunals.
ATOS are admitting that they are refusing to pay for medical evidence for appellants to prove their illnesses at WCA run by ATOS and paid by the DWP are genuine disabilities evidence by GP’s. Black and white,absolute proof of poor working standards and practices by refusing to pay for access to relevant medical evidences for assessment.
Therefore Paranoid Schizophrenics being harassed and harangued which causes them to become danger to public, a woman found in a bath of her own blood as ATOS refused to accept Psychiatric and GP evidence,a person with Stage 5 caroco-clavicular dislocation ligament, awaiting major surgery found fit for work, stage 4 Parkinson disease an 60 yr old person being told their lying that they cannot not attend appointment and monies sanctioned,lady with dislocations daily forced up stair on bottom as assessor would not believe client. These are all case studies from 2013 and I have at least another 30 case studies of similar unprofessional, fraudulent applications by ATOS to decision makers.
Also in 2013 since may 28th have had 5 suicide attempts in 21 days. We have press releases and statements from witnesses and people willing to be contacted over this foulest of foul behaviors from a alleged professional company being paid 110 million pound a year for CORPORATE MANSLAUGHTER OF THE HIGHEST ORDER and clear breaches of a DUTY OF CARE to the vulnerable.
We are a very small charity in Cornwall and this is just tip of the iceberg. http://www.bufferzone.org
thankyou
T.Lea
Deear Tony,
I refer you to the email below that you have received from Nikki Thomas in which it states “Atos will contact GPs if they need any further information and if this sits outside any contractual arrangements then Atos should pay for this information”
If we feel that medical evidence is required, we are able to send a form ESA113 to GPs for advice. However in the event that a customer wishes to obtain supporting evidence from their GP for medical assessments or tribunals, this is not a requirement of Atos and therefore any costs that are incurred are not payable by Atos.
Yours sincerely
Gemma Fowler
Customer Relations Team
Hi. This is where patients stand with current regulations regarding GP’s letters for medicals and tribunals. As you can see, it is clearly stated that ATOS, should be meeting these costs, not the appellant,vulnerable or disabled individuals.
Dear Tony
Thank you very much for all the information that you have shared with me over the last few weeks. I have been asking my colleagues a number of questions regarding the GP contract that might help answer the concerns you raised although this may well not give you the answers that you are looking for.
I can tell you at this stage that the Primary Care contract is a national one and not local with GPs, therefore we have no room for negotiation. It does not appear to detail that a GP must provide a letter of assessment or support to any external agencies or partners. As independent providers of healthcare, all GP’s are able to decide locally how they approach these requests which would be in line with what you have seen and indeed to how the LMC have responded. ATOS will contact GPs if they need any further information and if this sits outside any contractual arrangements then ATOS should pay for this information.
It does appear that there don’t seem to be any contractual levers that can provide a solution however there may be other organisations that we can make aware of the issues that you have raised. Can you let me know if you have had any correspondence with HealthWatch Cornwall, Cornwall Partnership Trust and Volunteer Cornwall to name but a few? In turn I will raise the patient experiences you have outlined to me to the National Patient Experience Lead in Leeds.
Look forward to hearing from you
Nikki
Nikki Thomas
Patient Experience Manager
NHS England Devon and Cornwall Area Team
Kingsmill Road, Tamar View Industrial Estate, Saltash, Cornwall PL12 6LE
Main Switchard: 01752 315001 Office: 01752 315044
Email: nikki.thomas@nhs.net
Hi, All these cases were overturned and won by Bufferzone at tribunals.
ATOS are admitting that they are refusing to pay for medical evidence for appellants to prove their illnesses at WCA run by ATOS and paid by the DWP are genuine disabilities evidence by GP’s. Black and white,absolute proof of poor working standards and practices by refusing to pay for access to relevant medical evidences for assessment.
Therefore Paranoid Schizophrenics being harassed and harangued which causes them to become danger to public, a woman found in a bath of her own blood as ATOS refused to accept Psychiatric and GP evidence,a person with Stage 5 caroco-clavicular dislocation ligament, awaiting major surgery found fit for work, stage 4 Parkinson disease an 60 yr old person being told their lying that they cannot not attend appointment and monies sanctioned,lady with dislocations daily forced up stair on bottom as assessor would not believe client. These are all case studies from 2013 and I have at least another 30 case studies of similar unprofessional, fraudulent applications by ATOS to decision makers.
Also in 2013 since may 28th have had 5 suicide attempts in 21 days. We have press releases and statements from witnesses and people willing to be contacted over this foulest of foul behaviors from a alleged professional company being paid 110 million pound a year for CORPORATE MANSLAUGHTER OF THE HIGHEST ORDER and clear breaches of a DUTY OF CARE to the vulnerable.
We are a very small charity in Cornwall and this is just tip of the iceberg. http://www.bufferzone.org
thankyou
T.Lea
Deear Tony,
I refer you to the email below that you have received from Nikki Thomas in which it states “Atos will contact GPs if they need any further information and if this sits outside any contractual arrangements then Atos should pay for this information”
If we feel that medical evidence is required, we are able to send a form ESA113 to GPs for advice. However in the event that a customer wishes to obtain supporting evidence from their GP for medical assessments or tribunals, this is not a requirement of Atos and therefore any costs that are incurred are not payable by Atos.
Yours sincerely
Gemma Fowler
Customer Relations Team
Hi. This is where patients stand with current regulations regarding GP’s letters for medicals and tribunals. As you can see, it is clearly stated that ATOS, should be meeting these costs, not the appellant,vulnerable or disabled individuals.
Dear Tony
Thank you very much for all the information that you have shared with me over the last few weeks. I have been asking my colleagues a number of questions regarding the GP contract that might help answer the concerns you raised although this may well not give you the answers that you are looking for.
I can tell you at this stage that the Primary Care contract is a national one and not local with GPs, therefore we have no room for negotiation. It does not appear to detail that a GP must provide a letter of assessment or support to any external agencies or partners. As independent providers of healthcare, all GP’s are able to decide locally how they approach these requests which would be in line with what you have seen and indeed to how the LMC have responded. ATOS will contact GPs if they need any further information and if this sits outside any contractual arrangements then ATOS should pay for this information.
It does appear that there don’t seem to be any contractual levers that can provide a solution however there may be other organisations that we can make aware of the issues that you have raised. Can you let me know if you have had any correspondence with HealthWatch Cornwall, Cornwall Partnership Trust and Volunteer Cornwall to name but a few? In turn I will raise the patient experiences you have outlined to me to the National Patient Experience Lead in Leeds.
Look forward to hearing from you
Nikki
Nikki Thomas
Patient Experience Manager
NHS England Devon and Cornwall Area Team
Kingsmill Road, Tamar View Industrial Estate, Saltash, Cornwall PL12 6LE
Main Switchard: 01752 315001 Office: 01752 315044
Email: nikki.thomas@nhs.net
At long last,someone willing to make a stand against this criminal government.
Amazing lady, excellent!
“Portland, Oregon: School board denies education to disabled children”
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2013/06/25/port-j25.html
There today, here tomorrow.
“The “People’s Assembly Against Austerity”, held in London on June 22, was a desperate attempt to uphold the threadbare authority of the trade unions and to suppress any movement independent of them and the Labour Party.”
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2013/06/26/asse-j26.html
So say the International Committee of the Fourth International. What would they have us do, wait for the International Socialist revolution to sort it all out ?