To wish ATOS would leave me alone

I hope you have someone with you for that, vampirequeen.

An ATOS inquisitor is visiting me at home tomorrow afternoon as my GP told them I was too ill to go to them.

A total stranger who hasn't spoken to my doctor will decide if i'm truly ill or playing the system.

Stress makes it almost impossible for me to speak and often leads to panic attacks or disassociation.

Agreed, Flickety, but it's the company which gets the profit when the work is outsourced. Atos said it could do better than an inhouse company, then found it could not. Now Maximus thinks it can do better than Atos.
I read an article yesterday about the probation service. Paul McDowell is the chief inspector of probation. His wife is the deputy managing director of a company that has just been awarded the largest number of contracts to run probation services in England and Wales. It stinks.

Fully agree with that, FlicketyB

A company can be no better than the terms of its contract. If we have a government whose aim is to get as many people of sickness and disability benefits as they can and give the contractors who get the contracts cash incentives to declare as many people as fit for work as possible; that is what the company will do.

It is very convenient for the government if we blame the contractor; but we shouldn't let them off the hook. ATOS and similar organisations do the assessments the way they do because the government specifies it in the contract. It is the government that is to blame and lets not forget it.

Probably missed it because I've actually been working!

Really depressing how the worst-off are being attacked while David Cameron & his rich chums continue to look happy & well-fed.

Not going to be worth anyone applying for ESA soon, if this happens.
However, Maximus will get the kudos for cutting the waiting lists.

www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CC0QqQIwAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fsociety%2F2014%2Foct%2F30%2Fcuts-employment-support-allowance-papers-jobseekers-allowance&ei=ft1SVOHcG8fdaLecgbgG&usg=AFQjCNGLMQVYzphWXV0jNf9tMbajuBMuSQ&bvm=bv.78677474,d.d2s&cad=rja

This is a very informative web site and it's worthwhile signing up for its emails even if you don't choose to pay the membership fee for fuller information.

The company is not liked, Galen.

dpac.uk.net/2014/10/secrets-lies-maximus-the-new-leader-of-the-inhumans/

It bills itself as a for-profit company. Not many companies own up to that.

It was only announced officially today on the government website.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/maximus-appointed-to-carry-out-health-assessments-for-the-department-for-work-and-pensions

Not sure how you can have missed it, Galen, it's been out there in the media for a couple of days now.

It's on Maximus's website, the BBC and on Reuters where IDS is quoted, so I think it's official now, Galen.
Here's another mention.

www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CDIQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdisabilitynewsservice.com%2F2014%2F10%2Fincompetence-discrimination-and-fraud-the-us-company-that-could-take-over-from-atos%2F&ei=trtSVO3JNsjkaMnbgogF&usg=AFQjCNHfzb-2JeI_xcHyzGsEf3F5dfWDqg&bvm=bv.78597519,d.d2s&cad=rja

Ah! Found reference.
Apparently not announced officially

Durham
This is the first I've heard of this.
Can you give me the source please.
I only heard today that appeals are unlikely to return to normal for at least two years.

Maximus has been involved in several scandals in its native US — from mishandling public money to alleged falsification of health insurance claims, apparently!

Frying pan and fire spring to mind...

I may just be getting old and past it, but I just can't see howcontracts can be given to foreign companies when there must be people in this country that could do it. How does it make economic sense? An American company presumably expects to make a profit from it - why can't that money go to a British company!

Sorry! I will keep trying to apply logic

I wrote above that Atos had given up the contract to run the DWP contract.

weownit.org.uk/blog/secret-government-contracts-stop-citizens-knowing-if-outsourcing-works

However, it now seems that the contract has been given to an American company instead of the French company Atos. This is by the government that does not like foreigners. Why does it not like British companies.

Tory MP Michael Ellis said: ‘This politically motivated loony left decision brings the UN organisation in to disrepute.

No, it doesn't Mr Ellis. It tells the British people that someone is looking out for them - especially important given the amount of cuts and pressures being applied to the poorest members of society whilst leaving the richest virtually untouched.

30 years ago my cousin with MS was forced to crawl up a flight of steps to prove she couldn't walk up them

Disgraceful - that saddens me so much, they can't even allow a person to retain a shred of dignity

Thank you,Durhamjen.

Hang on in there Vampirequeen. The UN might come to your rescue.
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2735958/UN-sparks-fury-launching-human-rights-investigation-Britain-s-treatment-disabled.html

You do realise that's a DM link I've given. Washing my mouth out with wine.

ATOS is a private company that thinks it is capable of running our public services. Unfortunately the government thinks it is, too, and gives it lots of contracts.
This is what it does to ordinary people who are disabled or unemployed, etc.
https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.politics.co.uk/news/2014/06/19/trapped-in-a-bureaucratic-nightmare-as-money-runs-out-the-re&sa=U&ei=NVf-U6hux5Vqu4SC2AU&ved=0CAkQFjAC&client=internal-uds-cse&usg=AFQjCNH7bWeChk08cy7kgGn2RtLFuZ-i8A

What is ATOS,please?

Thanks everyone. I have to admit I was feeling very low when I posted but you've all buoyed me up a bit.

Thanks for the offer of help, Galen. I'm crossing my fingers that my GP's fax telling them I'll be incapable of dealing with the interrogation at their choice of venue and, if they insist on grilling me it has to take place at my home. Not that a nice building would make any difference but they do all their interrogations in a concrete box with bars on the windows and an airlock entrance situated in one of the most frightening areas of the city. I hope they can't be bothered to visit me and leave me alone for a while longer.