Domecilliary Visit rules?

In connection with IIDB, have the rules/guidelines that Atos work to changed when deciding whether to agree to a DV?

My reason for asking is, at my last IIDB review they asked me to attend a centre with a one hour 45 min journey either way, even though their literature says you wont be expected to travel for more than an hour each way (I think it was around an hour).

Long story short, despite a letter from
my consultant explaining I couldnt travel and asking for a DV it was still declined, then agreed within 3 minutes of the CLS phoning Atos.

2.5 years later and here we go again, letter arrived with appointment details but this time it is even further from home, it would take around 2.5 hours from leaving home to arriving at the med centre.

Today a letter arrived refusing my request for a DV - even though I HAVENT asked for one ........ yet.

The receptionist at Atos says they 'dont do DV's anymore' and hence my question - have the rules changed?

Any tips for me?

Hi pol,

I'm afraid we don't cover IIDB on this site so I don't know what the rules are relating to DVs.

However, there is still a right to DVs in connection with any benefit medical.

If Atos really did have a policy of never doing them this would be a very clear breach of the Disability Discrimination Act.

There is no legal journey time that a claimant can be required to undertake - for some even requiring them to go out of their own front door would be unreasonable.

And, in the end, that's what it comes down to: is it reasonable in all the circumstances to require the claimant to attend a medical examination centre or is it necessary to make the reasonable adjustment of carrying out the medical in the claimant's home?

Good luck,

Steve

Thanks for the clarification Steve, very helpful info as always.