The Atos complaints procedure - absurd delays

The request was partially successful.

Dear Department for Work and Pensions,

I underwent a WCA with Atos in Feb 2011 that was so poorly conducted I registered the complaint even before I knew the subsequent DWP decision over my ESA payments. Since then I have been bogged down in their complaints process. Initially it took them 6 weeks rather than 4 to sent their first report, which was incomplete. Since then they have taken inordinate amounts of time to reply to my legitimate questions about their complaints process and I continually have to send them reminders about information that is outstanding. So after 8 months it is still not resolved.

Surely this is unacceptable? Chris Grayling has stated that DWP will support claimants, but my local JCPlus office is just not interested, openly saying it has no responsibility to do this and obviously I have no influence with Atos myself whatsoever.

What can I do to force Atos to comply with its own Customer Charter?

Yours faithfully,

J Newman

DWP Adelphi Freedom-of-Information-Request, Department for Work and Pensions

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Dear DWP Adelphi Freedom-of-Information-Request,

Please advise precise reason for the delay.

Yours sincerely,

J Newman

DWP Adelphi Freedom-of-Information-Request, Department for Work and Pensions

This is an automated confirmation that your request for information has
been received at the DWP Central FoI Team.

We will forward your request to the relevant information owner within the
Department who will respond to you direct. 

Should you also have any further queries in connection with this request
do please contact us.

For further information on the Freedom of Information Act within DWP
please click on the link below.

[1]http://www.dwp.gov.uk/freedom-of-informa...

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Mr Taylor left an annotation ()

I'm surprised the DWP have responded to this request as the answer is simple, there is nothing that you can do do to force Atos to comply with its own Customer Charter.

J Newman left an annotation ()

You may well be right, but if this is the case DWP needs to say so clearly.

Mr Taylor left an annotation ()

Have you reached the Independent tier yet? Thats another joke as they wont tell you who they are, another secret but we have established they are paid by Atos...independence Atos style.

J Newman left an annotation ()

Mr Taylor, happy to compare notes. If you send me an email address to tiajunior@ntlworld.com I'll explain where I am with all of this.

DWP Adelphi Freedom-of-Information-Request, Department for Work and Pensions

1 Attachment

Dear J Newman

Please see attached reply regarding your request for FoI 3128

Thank you

Central FoI Team

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Dear DWP Adelphi Freedom-of-Information-Request,

Please confirm that Terry Moran is a DWP employee. How long would one expect to have to wait for a reply from him?

Yours sincerely,

J Newman

DWP Adelphi Freedom-of-Information-Request, Department for Work and Pensions

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been received at the DWP Central FoI Team.

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Department who will respond to you direct. 

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do please contact us.

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Dear Department for Work and Pensions,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Department for Work and Pensions's handling of my FOI request 'The Atos complaints procedure - absurd delays'.

I have just received a "long overdue" reminder, when I responded to your reply 27/11 and have heard nothing since. Over to you.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address:
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/th...

Yours faithfully,

J Newman

DWP Adelphi Freedom-of-Information-Request, Department for Work and Pensions

This is an automated confirmation that your request for information has
been received at the DWP Central FoI Team.

We will forward your request to the relevant information owner within the
Department who will respond to you direct. 

Should you also have any further queries in connection with this request
do please contact us.

For further information on the Freedom of Information Act within DWP
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[1]http://www.dwp.gov.uk/freedom-of-informa...

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DWP Adelphi Freedom-of-Information-Request, Department for Work and Pensions

1 Attachment

Dear J Newman

Please see attached response to your FoI request 3577

Kind regards

DWP Central FoI Team

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Dear DWP Adelphi Freedom-of-Information-Request,

You have provided me here with a link for making a pension complaint????????

Yours sincerely,

J Newman

DWP Adelphi Freedom-of-Information-Request, Department for Work and Pensions

This is an automated confirmation that your request for information has
been received at the DWP Central FoI Team.

We will forward your request to the relevant information owner within the
Department who will respond to you direct. 

Should you also have any further queries in connection with this request
do please contact us.

For further information on the Freedom of Information Act within DWP
please click on the link below.

[1]http://www.dwp.gov.uk/freedom-of-informa...

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DWP Adelphi Freedom-of-Information-Request, Department for Work and Pensions

1 Attachment

Dear J Newman

Please see attached response to your FoI request IR 326

Kind regards

DWP Central FoI Team

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