Dear Sir/Ms,
Name:
National insurance number:
WCA medical date:
WCA medical venue:
Re: recording of my face-to-face work capability assessment
I wish my forthcoming face-to-face work capability assessment to be recorded and to be provided with a copy of that recording.
I understand that Atos will provide the equipment and carry out the recording on my behalf. This was confirmed by the DWP Central FoI Team in a response dated 24 January 2012, your reference: VTR 2714-3878. This stated that:
“Provision is currently available for the recording of assessments upon request by the claimant to the office which administers the claim for benefit and Atos Healthcare. In these circumstances, Atos Healthcare will provide the requisite audio recording equipment, which will provide each party with a recording of the medical assessment.”
The correspondence is available online at:
In addition, in a private members debate about the work capability assessment on 1st February 2012, employment minister Chris Grayling stated:
“On audio recording, we will offer everyone who wants it the opportunity to have their session recorded. We decided not to implement universal recording because, based on the trial experience, people did not want it. Few people wanted their sessions recorded, and some said that they definitely did not. We decided therefore to offer recording as an option to those who want it. That seems entirely sensible.”
I would therefore be grateful if you would ensure that the facilities are available for my assessment to be recorded. If for any reason this is not possible, I wish to be provided with notice and an explanation prior to the date of my assessment.
Yours faithfully,
I would just like to add to the above template, ring before you leave for the WCA and ask them if the recording equipment is there and functioning. Also, get your expenses form off them first, then enquire about the recording equipment again. If it's not working, then Foxtrot Oscar. And always have your own means of recording with you whenever you attend these things, just in case.
If they say it is working, ask for a demonstration before beginning. And make sure you get your copy once they're finished.
Treat home assessments in the same way. Ring them well before they are due to arrive to confirm the everything is well with the recording equipment. Tell them you will expect a demonstration first, and if it is not working you will not be proceeding with the assessment.
For those who are desperate for money and can't afford to wait for them to get their act together, then record the WCA yourself. Do it covertly, and ALWAYS have a back up - perhaps use a recorder and then a mobile as back up. Dismiss all that rubbish about it not being their policy to accept private recordings as proof of anything: it's your right to record under the law. Just be careful that you keep the recorder hidden, as they have been known to terminate WCAs when they know they are being recorded. This may be fine if you're already on benefits and it's just a reassessment, but a disaster for those of you in a hurry to get some money coming in.
You can actually buy little recorders without a blinking or red light that gives away the fact that you are recording. Browse Amazon; they aren't expensive and may well save you a lot of money and heartache.
The DWP try and tell you you can't record your assessment yourself and they won't accept it as proof of anything - but see how fast they back down from a BS decision when confronted with a covert recording. Anecdotal evidence suggests that most tribunals don't have a problem with it, either - although you always get the few dodgy ones that do. My understanding is that tribunals want the recorded information transcribed, though, and that is a LOT of work, but the alternative is MUCH worse.
Read more:
http://fightback.boards.net/thread/562/template-letter-request-wca-recorded#ixzz3JbrEJRVY