ATOS, unwanted phone call

Could anyone please help! are atos allowed to phone people to arrange medicals? I did not put my number on my esa50 and i asked that they only contact me by letter due to my mental health conditions. They just ignored this request and phoned me today, which was really upsetting, and when i asked is this not against the disability discrimination act, the man just said i dont know, the dwp gave us your number to arrange a medical. Is this allowed under the dda?

Hi sproger

I don't have a great deal of knowledge about the Disability Discrimination Act. This thread here may help.

But putting aside the DDA for a moment; I recently complained to my energy supplier that I had received a bill without being given a breakdown of the charges. When he tried to read the figures over the phone I simply told him that I'm not interested and wanted to be sent a printed bill or I would refuse to pay.

I think asking for information in writing and not over the phone is a reasonable request regardless of whether or not you have a disability. If you asked to be contacted by letter due to your mental health conditions and Atos or the DWP blatantly ignored your request, I think you are entitled to make a complaint.

If your request not to be phoned was on your ESA50, I understand this would have been received by Atos and the DWP would not have been aware of it. If this is the case and the DWP instructed Atos to arrange a medical, Atos should have been aware instead of simply saying 'I don't know, the DWP gave us your number'.

Regards

Derek

Thankyou Derek4

sproger wrote:

I did not put my number on my esa50 and i asked that they only contact me by letter due to my mental health conditions. They just ignored this request and phoned me today, which was really upsetting.

Hi, sproger

If you can cope with the extra hassle I'd recommend putting in a formal complaint to ATOS. If you explained on your ESA50, they should have done as you asked.

I imagine it's due to incompetence rather than anything sinister, but still OUT OF ORDER.

Andy.