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Post by nickd on Aug 26, 2012 7:51:43 GMT 1
ATOS & their 'healthcare' assessmentsAre they an occupational hindrance? ..French IT firm Atos has come in for a lot of adverse publicity of late over the apparent unfairness caused by the way they are assessing thousands of benefit claimants as 'fit for work'. Disability campaigners and charities have spoken out condemning the firm's computer based assessments as 'not fit for purpose' . Atos are contracted by the DWP to assess thousands of benefit claimants using a 'Work Capability Assessment' to determine whether they are entitled to claim Employment & Support Allowance. Those who are assessed as fit for work will be expected to claim Jobseeker's Allowance and to find work with little support to help them find it. The assessments have been condemned by many, there are reports of suicides and people dying of serious health conditions shortly after being declared fit by Atos & the DWP. Thousands appeal against the unfair findings of Atos and their healthcare professionals and of those who are professionally helped in the appeal process around 80% succeed at Tribunals.
But beware, it's not just benefit claimants who could end up subject to the dreaded Atos assessment. As an employee it's quite likely that you may find yourself subject to one of their occupational healthcare assessments. Unsurprisingly the firm which boasts it has the second largest numbers of doctors next to the NHS has a number of private contracts in assessing public sector workers including those who work for the DWP and the HMRC. It seems the HMRC's workers aren't too happy at the prospect of being assessed by Atos, see what the Euston branch of the Public & Commercial Union say of their HMRC experience here. You can also read how Atos were awarded a 3 year contract to assess DWP staff in 2008.
Atos seem to have an alarming number of government contracts. Not only do they assess thousands of benefit claimants for Employment & Support Allowance but they've recently been awarded a £400 million pound contact to assess claimants for the new Personal Independence Payment. We know from our research on Mylegal that they also have IT contracts with the Ministry of Justice and a number of other public service departments. However perhaps most controversially they have sponsored the Paralympics, many disability campaigners are saying that Atos are simply using the games to their own advantage by highlighting how disabled people can compete despite having the most severe of limitations; the inevitable conclusion many people may reach is if disabled individuals can compete in such a testing range of sports what's the problem in finding so many people fit for work?
It's a fair question but one which Atos may find hard to answer given their tough stance on actually recruiting people into the workplace, for amongst Atos's ever increasing range of services they also offer to carry out 'pre-employment screening' and it's quite a revelation as to how rigid it is:
Atos Pre-Employment Screening
"Pre-employment screening gives a potential employee and their new employer the opportunity to ensure that the employee’s health and fitness meet the demands and risks of the job. It’s also good practice because recruiting the wrong person can be costly both in financial terms and in disruption to your business."[/i] You can read more about Atos and their pre-employment screening here. Indeed you can go a step further and view a questionnaire which you would need to complete if applying for a job with the NHS in Southwark. The questionnaire asks you an absolute preponderance of questions including the following: Do you have, or have you suffered from any of the following (please circle YES or NO): - Back/neck/limb ache/ joint pain/arthritis etc that limits your normal movement?
- Epilepsy/fits/blackouts/ fainting etc?
- Diabetes or other endocrine disorders, Jaundice or other blood disorders?
- Current or previous Chest disease/angina/ heart attack/ Heart problems etc?
- Asthma or other breathing problems/conditions?
- High blood pressure/giddiness/prolonged headaches or migraine?
- Do you have any problems relating to shift working or night duty?
- Eyesight problems not corrected by glasses or contact lenses?
- Hearing impairment requiring assistance or special equipment a work or any recurrent or persistent ear infections or other ENT problems?
- Allergies to dusts, chemicals, foods, drugs or other substances?
- Latex/rubber allergy or any other skin related dermatitis/ eczema type condition or other skin disease?
- Psychiatric ill health, including diagnosed conditions, treatment or ongoing therapy/support?
- Bulimia/anorexia/eating disorders?
- Depression/anxiety reactive or endogenous even if mild?
- Gynaecological/Bladder or Kidney problems where this affects your ability to work and results in frequent absence?
- Do you have any health problems relating to night work or shift pattern working?
- Do you have, or have you had, any health problems which resulted in a change or restriction in your professional activities?
- Other not mentioned above
[/size] There are two questions I would like to ask Atos:
Do you assess DWP & HMRC staff under the Work Capability Assessment when assessing their ability to work?
How many potential employees who are disabled end up being selected by employers after you have carried out your 'pre- employment screening'?
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Post by daveplummer on Aug 26, 2012 11:32:17 GMT 1
Hi nickd, I'm the Dave Plummer who wrote the article on the Euston Tower site. I should clarify that it's a PCS (Public & Commercial Services union) branch site, not an HMRC one. We work for HMRC but the views expressed on the site are almost certainly not shared by them.
Thanks for linking to us. Euston Tower's about thirty seconds from Atos's UK head office so we've been involved in quite a few protests outside and were probably more aware than many of the potential implications when they were awarded our OH contract. Unfortunately our experience as union reps is proving many of our concerns justified.
I don't think Atos use the Work Capability Assessment for OH referrals but suspect they are using something similar. It would be interesting to find out either way.
I wasn't aware of the pre-employment screening. To the best of my knowledge HMRC aren't using it but it's a worrying prospect. Having said that, I think HMRC's diversity policies as they currently stand, particularly around disabilities, would preclude such tests.
I'd guess a lot of other employers aren't quite so inclusive.
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Post by nickd on Aug 26, 2012 14:56:13 GMT 1
Many thanks Dave for posting and your interesting insight into the views of your members. It doesn't surprise me in the least that Atos wouldn't use the Work Capability Assessment (or to give it its correct name 'the Limited Capability for Work Assessment') to work out the degree of limitation experienced by employees within the DWP & HMRC.
Yes I must say I was surprised to see how Atos are involved in pre-employment screening. It has to be viewed with some degree of scepticism when Atos are finding so many people either fit for work or with some limitation in their ability to work and yet as part of their service to employers they are essentially saying that appointing the 'wrong' person can be bad practice. In the context of what they say I'm curious over this statement as it seems to imply it is wrong to recruit people with health problems!
Many thanks for your input and please do come back with any further comments particularly if you can shine some light on the assessments carried out by Atos for employees. Sorry over the inadvertent reference to HMRC, I realised the error after posting it but haven't been able to change it until now. I've amended the wording to reflect it is the views of your members you are expressing, is that okay?
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Post by nickd on Sept 22, 2012 13:03:31 GMT 1
Why isn't this being exposed as an absolute scandal?Atos are earning millions out of finding thousands of disabled 'fit for work'
- whilst they put in place all the obstacles to stop them getting a job!This is outrageous.....
Atos the private healthcare contractor engaged by the DWP to assess thousands of incapacitated & disabled benefit claimants in controversial 'Work Capability Assessments' in an effort to find them 'fit for work' is exposed as making it very difficult - if not impossible - for them to find work.
ATOS may well be in breach of the Equality Act if information found on an NHS website is correct. We have already established that Atos are carrying out 'pre-employment' checks aimed at making sure the difficulties facing a disabled job applicant are made well known to the NHS before deciding whether to or not take them on. The number of questions Atos ask as part of their 'pre-employment' screening is truly staggering. You can read the long string of questions they ask in the questionnaire used to 'pre-select' potential job applicants for a job with the NHS in Southwark. The questionnaire is bound to make it very difficult - if not impossible - for an employer to even consider offering a disabled applicant a job.
The pre-screening questionnaire used by Atos in selecting applicants asks them to provide details of all manner of health complaints. It shows every sign of being geared towards selection of those who are fit rather than catering for the disabled. The Atos website maintains their assessments are compliant with the Equality Act 2010:
"Pre-employment screening gives a potential employee and their new employer the opportunity to ensure that the employee’s health and fitness meet the demands and risks of the job. It’s also good practice because recruiting the wrong person can be costly both in financial terms and in disruption to your business."
"Our pre-employment health screening is in compliance with the 2010 Employment Act to assist employers in determining candidate’s ability to undergo an assessment for work capability or whether reasonable adjustments are required to for potential employees to can carry out tasks which are an intrinsic part of their job."
Read the questionnaire and make up your own mind as to whether the questions are aimed at making sure the 'wrong person' isn't selected. It strikes me that Atos seem more concerned about making sure their employer customers don't end up with employees who are 'costly' and 'disruptive'. The Government website sets out how pre-employment screening should be used in the recruitment process. Read what the Directgov site says here . It recognises that there are limitations on the extent of screening:
"When people are recruiting staff, there are limits on the health or disability-related enquiries they can make during the recruitment process. These limits apply up to the point where you are offered a job or placed in a pool of people to be offered a job."
Has Atos crossed the line?
The NHS website doesn't like what they're seeing:
We are, however, disappointed that NHS Employers recommends the continued use of a form of pre-employment health questionnaire (PEHQ), albeit with only 2 questions. New staff will still be required to ‘respond’ to the questions.
If the NHS think two questions are two too many then they would be astounded to see how many are being asked by Atos in the recruitment of staff at NHS in Southwark!
Surely this in clear breach of the Equality Act?
You can find out more about NHS and their range of occupational health services here. It may be of interest to stray across the English Channel where you can take a look at what a harsh line Atos take in France when it comes to assessing the efficiency of their workforce, it's alarming. Read the French article here (there is a translation facility). Noteworthy is the key headline:
"Atos: Thierry Breton home, 20% of employees must be bad"
Why should we be alarmed? - Because the French IT firm Atos seems to be assessing people in a cyber like manner which makes no allowances for the problems experienced by individuals within the workplace. It's survival of the fittest and a streamlining of the workforce all in the interests of 'efficiency'. Atos isn't just reassessing thousands of disability benefit claimants, it's 'occupationally cleansing' thousands of prospective and existing employees within the public sector. Atos has a number of occupational health related contracts, check out just some of them here..
We should all be deeply concerned about Atos. We all saw what happened with private outsourcing A4E, Atos well and truly puts them in the shade when it comes to the extent of the contracts they hold with central government. Their role in the assessment of thousands of Incapacitated claimants is to say the least 'questionable' given their recent and well earned exposure on Panorama and Dispatches. Read some Guardian coverage who reported ' Sick and disabled people are being pushed off benefits at any cost'. It's set to get worse as Atos moves on to yet another £400 million contract to assess millions more disabled claimants.
We shouldn't be talking about a 'bloated public sector' when the reality is public services are outsourced to huge numbers of private sector firms who certainly know how to make a profit, but at what price? Is Atos and its close links with government putting fundamentally important commodities such as justice at risk? Yes I think it is, Atos are up to their eyes in £3 billion pounds worth of contracts with Government. I think its nothing short of scandalous that Government allows Atos to go on assessing so many incapacity claimants incorrectly and yet cuts off all support to those who want some help in contesting these injustices.
Thousands of benefit appeals are being appealed against the dastardly Atos assessment. Legally aided benefit claimants are achieving success rates of around 80% in showing up Atos and the DWP as being in the wrong. Isn't it strange how legal aid costing around £20 million for this work is being withdrawn from next April? You can read of the success rates in article which exposes how advice agencies are 'buckling under the strain' in dealing with these appeals.
How can it be right that claimants are being disabled from proving that they are in fact disabled?
Someone has to put a stop to this. Atos are not only wrongly finding thousands of disabled claimants 'fit for work' but also streamlining the workforce in such a way that the disabled and less than 'efficient' are effectively being weeded out so that only the fittest remain.
Where will all the disabled and 'inefficient' end up? I'll tell you: at the Jobcentre where they'll be labelled 'feckless and jobless'. Here's someone who won't be too bothered....
French Atos boss Breton won't be complaining.....
The Atos fat cat still picks up his £1 million bonus!
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Post by nickd on Oct 1, 2012 21:00:07 GMT 1
promote
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