The state benefits system mega-thread.

If you do not have the means to get supporting evidence off the GP and then the DWP does not ask for information how in gods name can they come up with a proper decision ?

My GPs recently have been less than useless I continually go with my issues asking for help but come up short every time all they ever want to do it give me pills. The evidence of my condition however dates back to when I was 12 so there are a lot of reports in my files dating back the 30+ years that would need to be looked through

[Taf]

Our local GP is saying that providing additional information to ATOS or DWP is in excess of his contract, so more money is needed.

[solitaire]

Originally Posted by Taf

Our local GP is saying that providing additional information to ATOS or DWP is in excess of his contract, so more money is needed.

Probably looking for his £20 per support letter (or whatever he charges)

My consultants all told me the DWP could request any information but wouldn't give me anything I could send to them myself so not as clear cut as the system seems to think I know at the time of my atos assessment my gp submitted info as requested by the DWP but they didn't contact any of the consultants which I thought a bit weird.

[peanut]

The best thing you can do is request all your notes from your gp and demand that they arent to be edited in anyway way. It may cost up to £50 for this. Your notes will include any letters sent to and from your consultants and all test done and the results.

If you want to do this then please bare in mind that some of your notes might not be easy reading and could also do harm. They will state this or maybe if that is the case they could refuse to comply with the request altogether.

[Gary L]

Police and Crime Commissioner for the West Midlands Bob Jones says the force is seeing big increases in thefts of essential items like food and nappies
Instead of criminals trying to steal high value items Mr Jones revealed that “desperate” people have been snatching bread, milk, meat and nappies.
The force has seen a big rise in the number of shoplifting offences – last year saw 29,104 in the West Midlands – a rise of 11 per cent.
The trend has been called “poverty crime” by the force, which they have admitted is “worrying”.
Mr Jones said the increase in low-level shoplifting could be linked to job losses and benefit cuts.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news...arents-6735348

I bet there's a few people that didn't see that coming.

[Mr Angry]

Originally Posted by peanut

The best thing you can do is request all your notes from your gp and demand that they arent to be edited in anyway way. It may cost up to £50 for this. Your notes will include any letters sent to and from your consultants and all test done and the results.

If you want to do this then please bare in mind that some of your notes might not be easy reading and could also do harm. They will state this or maybe if that is the case they could refuse to comply with the request altogether.

You can get this information for no more than £10.00 under the terms of a Subject Access Request should you wish but you have absolutely no right whatsoever to "demand that they arent to be edited in anyway way".

[peanut]

Originally Posted by Mr Angry

You can get this information for no more than £10.00 under the terms of a Subject Access Request should you wish but you have absolutely no right whatsoever to "demand that they arent to be edited in anyway way".

Is that to just look at them but not to have a hard copy?

Hard copy (I know someone who has done it).

It can cost up to £50 to access paper based records,

http://ico.org.uk/for_the_public/personal_information

[nomadking]

Originally Posted by RizzyKing

My consultants all told me the DWP could request any information but wouldn't give me anything I could send to them myself so not as clear cut as the system seems to think I know at the time of my atos assessment my gp submitted info as requested by the DWP but they didn't contact any of the consultants which I thought a bit weird.

When I found out the consultants send letters to the GP, whilst visiting my GP for I asked for a copy and they printed it off there and then for no cost. That may be one way of doing it as it only costs a few pence and doesn't involve other admin staff etc. From then on, I asked the consultant to also send a copy to me. It is the same report, therefore little extra cost and/or effort involved by them. The downside is that the reports are aimed at GPs and can contain medical terms which need further explanation to the DWP. I use the internet to find impartial explanations to give them. It can also be useful to point out the DWPs own medical advice to decision makers. That is available on the internet.

[Arthurgray50@blu]

Why is it that ATOS have won this contract, l dont know. They dont bother obtaining a GP details for the patient. As they just decide that a patient - even if his is dying, is fit for work to save the government spending money on benefit.

As far as l know - isn't the Patients details strictly confidential. And doesn't the Data Protection act come into it.

Many times l have contact the surgery on behalf od my wife and the first thing they say is ' We are not allowed to give this out due to the DPA.

[Gary L]

When the government do it. all the rules go out the window.
that's what we vote for. we elect a government that we are happy to break the rules. plot against us. and give their mates in their circle loads of our money.

[Osem]

A council housing officer who faked documents to secure properties for illegal immigrants in one of the biggest-ever frauds of its kind is facing jail...

... His “audacious” fraud was uncovered when auditors carried out an investigation into a housing application in 2011. They found that every document used to support the request was fake.

The team uncovered a paper trail of forged references and medical letters stretching back three years which resulted in 23 homes being given to bogus applicants, conning the council and the 20,000 on one of Britain’s longest waiting lists in genuine need of social housing out of properties.

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime...y-9123030.html

“I’m pleased to say that this is much harder since we clamped down hard on fraud, introduced passport scanners to help identify fake documents, and started using ever more intelligent data checks to uncover anything suspicious.”

Why didn't they 'clamp down hard' on this type of fraud before then?

[nomadking]

Originally Posted by Osem

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime...y-9123030.html

“I’m pleased to say that this is much harder since we clamped down hard on fraud, introduced passport scanners to help identify fake documents, and started using ever more intelligent data checks to uncover anything suspicious.”

Why didn't they 'clamp down hard' on this type of fraud before then?

These sorts of cases will keep happening until councils etc realise that they are meant to employ people in these types of positions, that represent this country, rather than are representative of it.

[denphone]

Disabled benefit delays unacceptable, say MPs.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-26615853