Some changes came into effect yesterday on the 28th January 2013 in relation to ESA and the consideration of cancer treatment. The Department for Work and Pensions explained the changes in a press release issued in September.
The ESA50 limited capability for work questionnaire has been updated so that a healthcare professional can add relevant details to the questionnaire. For anyone not receiving cancer treatment the questionnaire asks for very similar information as before.
On our blog earlier this year, we talked about our commitment to improvement, to ensure the part of the ESA process that we deliver is as straightforward as possible for all our customers, especially those who need the most support.
With the majority of the population now online and regularly using the internet as a primary source of information, we are looking to see how we can offer more advice where it is being sought.
Why is Atos Healthcare going online?We know people often go online to seek advice and answers to any questions they may have about the ESA process. We’ve worked hard to make sure that the Atos Healthcare blog and FAQ are as comprehensive and useful as possible for people at any stage of their claim. However, we’re aware that many people also use online communities, such as MoneySavingExpert.com, to seek information and answers about the process.
We therefore feel that there’s an opportunity for us to be more helpful to customers by making ourselves available on select forums and online communities to answer queries about our process. We’ll be piloting this over the next few weeks to see if we can make a positive difference.
A lot of myths and confusion exist around the WCA process, which can often heighten people’s level of concern. By directly publishing responses to queries raised on forums and online communities, we can help to ensure accurate information reaches people.
Naturally, we’ll be transparent about how we go about this. We’ll seek permission to post from site administrators or forum moderators and we’ll clearly signpost who we are when we respond. We can only answer questions about our process, but if there’s a query about a part of the process that we don’t manage, we’ll try to tell you where you can go for help.
What about privacy?In line with our customer charter, we are committed to treating all customers with respect and that means we protect personal information.
If we engage with you online, you needn’t worry about us disclosing any of your personal data; if we can’t answer your question there and then, we’ll ask you to contact us direct so that we to discuss the matter with you confidentially.
You are welcome to bring a relative, carer or friend to the assessment. However, it is important to note that the assessment and discussion will always be focused towards you although we recognise that a companion may provide a valuable contribution. The health care professional will explain how they will proceed at the assessment.
If you need to bring children with you, please also bring someone to look after them while you are having your assessment.
If you are looking for any further information on the part of the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) process and Work Capability Assessments, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions section.
If you have any questions you would like us to answer then do get in touch directly via the blog.
If you have been referred for a Work Capability Assessment, you may not always need to have a face to face assessment. This article explains how Atos Healthcare reviews medical evidence before an appointment is made to see if there is enough information for the DWP to make their decision without a face to face assessment.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) sends a referral to Atos Healthcare if you:
• register a claim with the DWP for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA),
• are currently receiving Incapacity Benefit (IB) and need to be reassessed under ESA guidelines,
• are due to have your current claim for ESA reassessed
The DWP will write to you to advise you to expect a questionnaire and that this should be returned to Atos Healthcare after completion.
The questionnaire is sent out when a referral is received. This is called a “Limited Capability for Work Questionnaire”. The questionnaire is important, because it gives you the opportunity to detail the effects of your illness or disability on your everyday life. You return this questionnaire to Atos Healthcare.
Your questionnaire is then reviewed by a doctor or nurse along with any other evidence you may have submitted, or has been obtained from your GP.
We would encourage you to send us any medical information you hold which explains how you are affected by your medical condition.
In most cases, the DWP require us to ask you to attend a face to face assessment. However, there are specific circumstances where, if sufficient medical information is available in your questionnaire, from your GP, or in further evidence you provide, a face to face assessment will not be necessary. This usually occurs when evidence clearly demonstrates that you should be placed into the “Support Group” for ESA. It can also happen if you have IB or ESA award and the evidence demonstrates that you should be placed in the “Work-Related Activity Group” (WRAG) as you are likely to have ongoing limited capability for work.
In both cases, we can only provide advice that a face to face assessment is not needed if the evidence is sufficient to meet DWP requirements.
The DWP will then make the decision, taking into account all the available evidence and will notify you of their decision.
If you have already been given an appointment and then additional evidence is received from your GP or treating healthcare professional, we will consider whether you still need to attend. If not, we will inform you that you no longer need to attend the assessment that has been booked and the appointment will be cancelled.
Please don’t worry if you are asked to attend a face to face assessment. This is part of the normal process and means that our health care professionals can find out more about your circumstances. They can then provide the DWP with as much information as possible.
The DWP will assess your claim and make a decision on benefit entitlement. Much more information about the Work Capability Assessment is available on our website at www.atoshealthcare.com/claimants/
See also:
The importance of additional medical information to the WCA process
As we announced last week, we have been selected as one of the regional partners by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to deliver assessments for those claiming the new Personal Independence Payment (PIP) benefit, which replaces Disability Living Allowance (DLA) in April 2013.
We are currently speaking to a number of Disability Rights Groups to understand their views on how we as a provider can make our part in the process work effectively. We are also asking their advice on which communication channels we should use when PIP is underway to make sure that those people seeking PIP support are fully informed. We recognise that there is a wide range of disabilities that PIP will support and we are keen to speak to a cross representation of groups so that everyone’s view is considered.
We are interested in building strong relationships with a small group of organisations who can coordinate views and work closely with us. If your organisation has not yet been contacted by us and would like to be part of this process, please let us know by using the Contact Us form on our website. You will be contacted by a member of the PIP team over the next few days.
See also:
Atos Healthcare: partnering with NHS Lanarkshire to deliver PIP assessments in Scotland
Personal Independence Payment: recent coverage
Atos Healthcare: our role in Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments
