Work Related Activity Group

Further to my earlier post (i.e. the disgraceful way I was treated at my medical assessment) I have now sent in a letter of complaint although I do not expect anything to happen as a consequence.

I have received the results and I have been assigned to the Work Related Activity Group (well, it's better then the no ESA at all which I was expecting given her attitude). I have been to see my G.P and discussed this with him at length. He was very annoyed at the way I was treated and he said it was obvious the nurse didn't have any proper understand of CFS and Fibromyalgia. He is adament that I am not fit to work, not only for those reasons but I suffer with epilespy and having treatment for anxiety attacks and severe depression. I am receiving treatment as I have suicidal thoughts and have taken overdoses my my health and circumstances feel too much to cope with. I am of course appealing and he is going to give me his full back-up.

The GP is also prepared to say that should my condition deteriorate or any harm come to me he will hold them personally responsbile as he had advised them it would be detrimental to my physical and mental health. While the appeal is happening please could someone tell me

1) will I still have to attend the work related activity group.

2) as I suffer with CFS and Fibromyalgia if I am exhausted and in pain while I am there how do they expect me to cope

3) The nurse accepts that I can neither sit or stand for longer then 10 mins at a time due to pain so how do I cope at the centre

4) I am already stressing out and am anxious about having to go. I do not go anywhere with my husband and very rarely go out. What do I do then?

I am so worried and scared that this whole thing is getting too much for me. My doctor says there is no point him advising me not to work if someone who doesn't appreciate all my medical history ignores it. Please, can anyone tell me what to do?

Hi Marie,

I just like to say I sympathise with your plight. I recently had an ATOS medical where I felt as though the HCP was putting words in my mouth to help her accommodate the criteria on the computer screen. I found the whole process degrading; being asking to raise my arms, or touch my toes like a performing monkey, as though this quantifies one’s ability to sustain some type of employment.

Anyway I just wrote to mention that following a week after my medical I attended a pathways to work interview at the JCP. It was explained to me that if I don’t get into the WRAG then I could no longer claim ESA (which is obvious). So I explained that my medical certificate doesn’t expire until May 2011 and therefore my GP deems me unfit to work. The advisor replied that the ATOS HCP assessment OVERIDES that of your GP!!! So unfortunately it would seem all my medical history would not be appreciated and in short IGNORED.

This seems like a totally irrational course of events, because ultimately I am still unable to work due to illness. I have never been workshy and want nothing more than to return to employment, but only when the time is right for my health. ‘HEALTH IS WEALTH’ as they say. The whole process makes people worse than they already are, so how can this be good for any work force??? RANT OVER