Earlier this year ATOS took over the contract to carry out occupational health assessments for DWP staff. When a members of staff is referred for an OHS assessment it is usually because of an underlying health issue or disability, and the resulting report can help to determine what reasonable adjustments need to be put in place to help the staff member. This can involve anything from a change of duties to the introduction of specialist equipment, or simply an increase in the trigger days.
When ATOS took over the contract from Capita, they inherited a large backlog of work. However months later there are still many people waiting for this vital health assessment to take place. While they wait they continue to suffer from the impact of their health condition, as well as the stress of possible disciplinary action.
Across the region those who have had an assessment and are waiting for the reasonable adjustment to be put into place have been identified. In some cases staff have been on "gardening leave" for months while they wait for specialist equipment to put put in place.
However management do not have any idea how many staff are lost in the system awaiting the initial OHS assessment. If you have been waiting for ATOS to carry out an assessment on you for more than two months, please let me know so that we can esculate this issue with management and ATOS.
Don't suffer in silence. Your local TU reps can only help to get this issue resolved if we are made aware. Please contact me on john.andrews@jobcentreplus.gsi.gov.uk
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