ATOS doctors- the “proper” ones!

Reading this post by intrested and the reply by bro58 led me to wonder about ATOS doctors as opposed to the standard HCP:

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/forum?view=topic&catid=10&id=99086

1. bro58 referred to neurological conditions but are there conditions beyond neurology that require a doctor?

2. What sort of doctor? For example, a claimant suffering from a neurological condition such as Parkinson’s Disease would probably not fair any better or worse seeing a GP or a specialist in General Medicine than an HCP. A PD patient requires a neurologist—and a specific sort of neurologist at that. A claimant who has suffered a brain injury through a stroke or tumour needs assessment by a different type of neurologist. Similarly, a claimant disabled by Rheumatoid Arthritis requires the expert input of a Rheumatologist to gain anything more that seeing a HCP. In short, how specialised are the ATOS doctors?

The DWP/ATOS stance is that, by dint of their training with ATOS, all HCPs are 'experts' in disability assessment and they don't need anything else...

Gordon,

That’s just what I suspected…

I haven’t forgotten that a WCA is an assessment of limitations rather than diagnosed medical conditions but it is the diagnosed conditions that result in limitations. In drafting answers, I refer to diagnoses but spend more time relating my primary condition to the multiple limitations it has caused and that impact on just about every aspect of my life.

MW

Mrs Hurtyback wrote: The DWP/ATOS stance is that, by dint of their training with ATOS, all HCPs are 'experts' in disability assessment and they don't need anything else...

I've heard that, Mrs HB. It's beyond the ken of rational people... until they find it's true.

Hi MW,

I agree with comments already made, and intimated as much in my post that you refer to.

My comments were made under the scenario that if you don't inform the DWP/ATOS of any particular request or facts prior to an event, you are going to find it difficult to argue that they should have paid heed to them after the event.

This would also be applicable to a request for any reasonable adjustments, or the recording of a face to face, or indeed evidence that was not provided by the claimant at the time of an assessment/award.

bro58