Before your assessment

You may be asked to complete a questionnaire about your illness or disability before you are invited to an assessment. If required this will be sent to you.

You may be contacted by telephone to arrange the medical assessment. We will try to arrange a convenient date and time with you. Your appointment letter will provide a contact number and further information to help you find the assessment centre.

It will be helpful to think about the following before your assessment:

• Any relevant information and key dates in your personal medical history.
• How does your medical condition affect you in daily life? What are you able to do and how do you do it?
• Does your condition vary day-to-day or over periods of time? What are good days and bad days like?
• What is the difference between what you can do and can’t do?
• If you have a condition that affects your mental health, please try and tell us how this affects your daily living.

During your assessment

Upon arrival at our assessment centre, or when talking to you, we have a duty to confirm your identity. Please ask any of our staff if you need any assistance or information while visiting the centre.

Trained healthcare professionals perform the assessment and it may take between 20 minutes and 2 hours. The time depends on your claim and your circumstances.

During the assessment, we will note relevant information on a computerised form.

Some of the questions may not relate directly to your medical condition but to daily activities. The assessment may include:

• Tests such as blood pressure, formal or informal sight, and hearing
• A physical examination where you may be asked to remove some outer layers of clothing
• Limb examination such as limited stretching, standing and bending. You will only be asked to move your limbs as far as you are able. You will not be asked to complete any movement that causes you undue discomfort.

After your assessment

Following your assessment, the healthcare professional will complete the report and it will be sent to the office dealing with your claim. You have a right to see your medical assessment report and they will give you a copy.

The office dealing with your claim will use our report as one piece of evidence to decide your entitlement. They will also take into account any other evidence you personally provide.

Our complaint process

Atos Healthcare aims to provide high standards of customer service. If you are unhappy with our service, please contact us or request a customer care booklet which explains our complaint process.

More information

• Read the frequently asked questions about the assessments
• Read the Jobcentre Plus notes pages about the assessments
• Download our list of assessment centres
• Download a map of our assesments centres across the UK.

For further information, please contact Atos Healthcare."

To complain you can contact ATOS Healthcare as described above, write to your decision maker via the letter sent to you by the DWP and/or complain to the Department for Work & Pension direct (click here).

NOTE. A complaint of this nature is usually about the level of service recieved. If you wish to appeal the decision of a claim decision that is different ask your Decision Maker that should be listed on the top of the decision letter that you want to make an appeal and follow up in writting. It maybe that you both complain & appeal. If you want clarification speak to a welfare advisor i.e. Citizens Advice Bureau.