Who is Atos?

The request was partially successful.

Dear Department for Work and Pensions,

Atos Origin IT Services Ltd ( not...UK Ltd) is a holding company, the ultimate holding company being Atos Origin SA. Companies often split into several entities for legal or financial reasons.
Atos Origin IT Services UK Limited was signatory to the Medical Services Contract to carry out assessments etc.. for the DWP.

Atos Origin IT Services UK Ltd changed its name in 2011 to Atos IT Services UK Ltd.

The ICO register has “other names” being registered for Atos IT Services UK Ltd as... Schlumber Gersema, BR Business Systems, Sema UK Ltd, Atos Origin Medical Services, Atos Healthcare, Shere, and Atos Origin.

From Atos site.. re Derby University..”The accreditation has been made possible through a collaborative partnership between Atos Healthcare, a business division of Atos Origin”

So Atos Healthcare is a division of Atos Origin, which in itself is a division of Atos IT Services UK Ltd. However Atos Healthcare is also listed as a division of Atos IT Services UK Ltd.

Claimants receive ESA50 etc. with letterheads “Medical Services” which are a remnant of the Benefit Agency Medical Services (BAMS) and has a return address to Atos Healthcare. That title “Medical Services” being retained and later used by Sema and then Atos.. There is also an Atos Origin Medical Services in the ICO register (above) yet another division.

1) As Atos Origin IT Services UK has the contract with the DWP and has numerous divisions (Atos Healthcare being a division of a division) then which divisions exactly are we required to supply our confidential and sensitive information to?

2) What restrictions and safeguards are carried out by the DWP to protect our sensitive information. with regards to so many divisions and sub divisions having possible permissible access to our data under the contract. e.g. under the contract British Rail Business Systems have as much right as Atos Healthcare.

3) Does the heading “Medical Services” relate to Atos Origin Medical Services. If so then why reply to Atos Healthcare a different division. If not, then other than adding further confusion to the claimant, what does this title signify?

4) With regards to the confusing network within Atos, it would be unreasonable to expect a claimant to provide confidential information to unknown sources unless notified clearly by the DWP. What measures are taken by the DWP to notify the claimants exactly who their information is to be supplied to and who will have access to it.. in order for them to give informed consent. Without which the consent is not informed and as a consequence is not valid.

Yours faithfully,

B. Adams

DWP freedom-of-information-requests, Department for Work and Pensions

This is an automated confirmation that your request for information has
been accepted by the DWP FoI mailbox.

By the next working day your request will be forwarded to the relevant
information owner within the Department who will respond to you direct. 

If your email is a Freedom of Information request you can normally
expect a response within 20 working days.

Should you 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...

**********************************************************************

This document is strictly confidential and is intended only for use by the
addressee.

If you are not the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying,
distribution or other

action taken in reliance of the information contained in this e-mail is
strictly prohibited.

Any views expressed by the sender of this message are not necessarily
those of the Department

for Work and Pensions.

If you have received this transmission in error, please use the reply
function to tell us

and then permanently delete what you have received.

This email was scanned for viruses by the Department for Work and
Pensions' anti-virus services and on leaving the Department was found to
be virus free.

Please note: Incoming and outgoing e-mail messages are routinely monitored
for compliance

with our policy on the use of electronic communications.

**********************************************************************

References

Visible links
1. http://www.dwp.gov.uk/freedom-of-informa...

hide quoted sections

John Slater left an annotation ()

Apologies if you already know this but there is another issue regarding the use of the Atos Healthcare name. Both the DWP and Atos have confirmed that Atos Healthcare is a trading name of Atos IT Services UK Limited.

The Companies (Trading Disclosures) Regulations 2008 states:
“Registered name to appear in communications
6.—(1) Every company shall disclose its registered name on—
(a) its business letters, notices and other official publications;
(b) its bills of exchange, promissory notes, endorsements and
order forms;
(c) cheques purporting to be signed by or on behalf of the
company;
(d) orders for money, goods or services purporting to be signed by
or on behalf of the
company;
(e) its bills of parcels, invoices and other demands for payment,
receipts and letters of credit;
(f) its applications for licences to carry on a trade or activity;
and
(g) all other forms of its business correspondence and
documentation.

(2) Every company shall disclose its registered name on its
websites.

Further particulars to appear in business letters, order forms and
websites
7.—(1) Every company shall disclose the particulars set out in
paragraph (2) on—
(a) its business letters;
(b) its order forms; and
(c) its websites.
(2) The particulars are—
(a) the part of the United Kingdom in which the company is
registered;
(b) the company’s registered number;
(c) the address of the company’s registered office;”

This means that any official letter or document from Atos Healthcare must include the registered details of the actual company (trading names have no legal personality so cannot enter into agreements, contract etc)which in this case is Atos IT Services UK Limited.

If you look on the Atos Healthcare website at the botton of the pages you will see:
"Atos Healthcare™ is a trading name of Atos IT Services UK Limited."

Most documents I have seen comply with this but the WCA Recording Consent form does not comply with the law.

This adds another twist to your already interesting FOIA request.

B. Adams left an annotation ()

I didn't know that John, could come in really handy, thanks very much,

Dear DWP freedom-of-information-requests

Your response is overdue..

Yours sincerely,

B. Adams

DWP freedom-of-information-requests, Department for Work and Pensions

This is an automated confirmation that your request for information has
been accepted by the DWP FoI mailbox.

By the next working day your request will be forwarded to the relevant
information owner within the Department who will respond to you direct. 

If your email is a Freedom of Information request you can normally
expect a response within 20 working days.

Should you 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...

**********************************************************************

This document is strictly confidential and is intended only for use by the
addressee.

If you are not the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying,
distribution or other

action taken in reliance of the information contained in this e-mail is
strictly prohibited.

Any views expressed by the sender of this message are not necessarily
those of the Department

for Work and Pensions.

If you have received this transmission in error, please use the reply
function to tell us

and then permanently delete what you have received.

This email was scanned for viruses by the Department for Work and
Pensions' anti-virus services and on leaving the Department was found to
be virus free.

Please note: Incoming and outgoing e-mail messages are routinely monitored
for compliance

with our policy on the use of electronic communications.

**********************************************************************

References

Visible links
1. http://www.dwp.gov.uk/freedom-of-informa...

hide quoted sections

DWP DWP Medical Services Correspondence, Department for Work and Pensions

3 Attachments

Please see attached reply to your Freedom of Information request

Many Thanks

Business Management Team | Department for Work and Pensions | Contracted Customer Services Directorate | DWP Operations | Room 306, Block 3, Norcross, Norcross Lane, Blackpool FY5 3TA | www.dwp.gov.uk | Please consider the environment before printing

**********************************************************************

This document is strictly confidential and is intended only for use by the addressee.

If you are not the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution or other

action taken in reliance of the information contained in this e-mail is strictly prohibited.

Any views expressed by the sender of this message are not necessarily those of the Department

for Work and Pensions.

If you have received this transmission in error, please use the reply function to tell us

and then permanently delete what you have received.

This email was scanned for viruses by the Department for Work and Pensions' anti-virus services and on leaving the Department was found to be virus free.

Please note: Incoming and outgoing e-mail messages are routinely monitored for compliance

with our policy on the use of electronic communications.

**********************************************************************

hide quoted sections

DWP DWP Medical Services Correspondence, Department for Work and Pensions

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Adams

Please see your FOI response attached

Kind regards

Health & Disability Assessments (Operations)/Department for Work and Pensions/Room 306/Block 31/Norcross/Norcross Lane/Blackpool/FY5 3TA

**********************************************************************

This document is strictly confidential and is intended only for use by the addressee.

If you are not the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution or other

action taken in reliance of the information contained in this e-mail is strictly prohibited.

Any views expressed by the sender of this message are not necessarily those of the Department

for Work and Pensions.

If you have received this transmission in error, please use the reply function to tell us

and then permanently delete what you have received.

This email was scanned for viruses by the Department for Work and Pensions' anti-virus services and on leaving the Department was found to be virus free.

Please note: Incoming and outgoing e-mail messages are routinely monitored for compliance

with our policy on the use of electronic communications.

**********************************************************************

hide quoted sections

Dear DWP DWP Medical Services Correspondence,

Please clarify the following points...

1) You state in your response that “You are supplying your information to ATOS Healthcare who are contracted to provide medical services to the Department”..... The contract is actually with Atos IT Services UK Limited.. even the DWP seems confused.. could you clarify this..

2) Both the DWP and Atos have confirmed that Atos Healthcare is just a trading name of Atos IT Services UK Limited, whereas on the Atos web page, Atos Healthcare is a business division of Atos Origin”. Are Atos wrong about who they are.. could you clarify this?

3) Could you clarify.. are Atos Origin, Atos Healthcare and Atos IT Services UK Limited the same entities.?
(On the WCA Recording Consent form Atos Healthcare indicates that it is separate legal personality from Atos IT Services UK Limited by the absence of the legal requirement to include the registered details. )

4) The consent on the form required to be signed by the claimant states.. “any organisation with which the Department has a contract for the provision of medical services”, ..this would be Atos IT Services UK Limited, not any of the divisions such as British Rail Business Systems which is a division of Atos, nor does it state Atos Healthcare..

The consent also includes the phrase .. “any HCP advising the Department.”. which in reality could be any department in the DWP and any HCP employed for staff sickness, OT etc... This again make no mention of Atos Healthcare...

a) With reference to the above, could you provide a copy of the information from the DWP giving notification to the claimant of the specific requirement to supply their sensitive information to ANY third party including Atos Healthcare .. prior to the claimants receipt of the ESA50..

b) Furthermore could you provide a copy of the DWP information provided to the claimant requiring them to provide sensitive information in response to letters headed “Medical Services” which is yet another division of Atos IT services.

Yours sincerely,

B. Adams

DWP DWP Medical Services Correspondence, Department for Work and Pensions

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Adams
 
Please see your FOI response attached
 
Kind regards
 
Health & Disability Assessments (Operations)/Department for Work and
Pensions/Room 306/Block 31/Norcross/Norcross Lane/Blackpool/FY5 3TA
 
 
 
**********************************************************************

This document is strictly confidential and is intended only for use by the
addressee.

If you are not the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying,
distribution or other

action taken in reliance of the information contained in this e-mail is
strictly prohibited.

Any views expressed by the sender of this message are not necessarily
those of the Department

for Work and Pensions.

If you have received this transmission in error, please use the reply
function to tell us

and then permanently delete what you have received.

This email was scanned for viruses by the Department for Work and
Pensions' anti-virus services and on leaving the Department was found to
be virus free.

Please note: Incoming and outgoing e-mail messages are routinely monitored
for compliance

with our policy on the use of electronic communications.

**********************************************************************

hide quoted sections

David Alfred left an annotation ()

This does not appear to address the question of how freely the data cabn be passed around the Atos organisation. Say it had a division that offered medical insurance??????

B. Adams left an annotation ()

Exactly David, Different Atos HCP's even carry out examinations and give advice on the DWP's own workforce and many other services such as Occupational Therapy. Also on the other point, any HCP offering advice to the DWP could include a G.P. or practice nurse who provides sick notes..so in theory they too can call us in for examinations.

S. Martin left an annotation ()

Atos are a French company who chase that illusive fund or large pot of money called the European Social Fund, and they are active in any EU country using this fund. They set up different companies to access this pot of money, but their real reason for existing is actually data. You may have heard of something called "Common Purpose" and they are heavily into common purpose and have a vital role to play.

Their ultimate purpose is personal data, basically the collection and collation of this data of all EU citizens as data is big business. There is also a sinister side and this is psychological profiling and they have been proven to be colluding in this EU psychological profiling by various leaked documentation. This is to build up as much data and a psychological profile of every EU citizen and from credible sources, hence the DWP. DWP hold a lot of personal information about a large section of society, the unemployed, pensioners, and low paid workers claiming various benefits. This gives them direct access to a lot of the population's personal information without requiring the populations consent.

B. Adams left an annotation ()

I have suspected that "Common Purpose" was at the core of their operations, by the way obstacles are placed in the way of people trying to find out details or to make challenges to their operations and how they manage to gain strength by having policies and even legislation made in their favour. I agree, it has infected not just the UK Government but has become worldwide and is totally corrupt ..

S. Martin left an annotation ()

They operate in every EU member state to varying degrees, just look at their operating sphere.

Collecting and collating data and producing statistics for various Government departments which is always peoples personal data.

Providing various IT solutions to numerous Government departments, NHS, education, and many others so they have access to all these computer systems and its data.

Undertaking medical examinations on numerous people for the DWP, once again real live data on peoples medical conditions, and access to considerable personal data.

You can figure out the conclusions of this, remember A. Hitler and his master race???

Barbara Richards left an annotation ()

ATOS are the IT partners of the BBC. That interests me very much because I am one of the Staffordshire Pindown child abuse victims and the BBC has deliberatly and wilfully tried to shove the abuse and the fact that it has left victims with severe mental health problems under the carpet with their cover up propaganda programme "Care Home Kid"

William Hammonds left an annotation ()

Atos HCP can misrepresent a client in all wca reports.
The only way to put a stop to this is to have an audio recording made of the wca.
Atos will offer to supply the audio equipment. When you arrive at your wca they will ask you to sign a waiver which states that you will not use the recording for any other purpose than to assist your claim. After all, the recording will belong to them and they can decide what a copy can be used for.
If you have a wca booked you can take your own recording equipment as long as you give formal notice that you intend to record.
This will make the recording yours, and you can use it to prosecute the HCP privately. The Hcp can not hide behind the corporation when accused of misrepresentation which has caused loss or harm.
Small claims courts were designed to simplify claims, and I can assure you that you will be surprised at how easy it can be to prosecute. One step above small claims courts are fast track courts. These courts are also a breeze. Try visiting any of these courts and ask an official how to make a claim, they will gladly help you as it is in their interest to have the business.