'Bless 'em all' - A Hymn to Atos Medical Services

Sent to me by my friend and former Green Party Disability Spokesperson, Alan Wheatley. It is one person's account of their experience with Atos Medical Services, the company given the contract to assess disabled people who are on Incapacity Benefit.

My experience of obtaining justice as summed up by new lyrics to a well known song.

        Chorus:

               Bless 'em all.  Bless 'em all.

               The DWP and Atos and all.

               Bless the Atos nurse who lied through her teeth.

               Bless the Atos doctor who libeled this beast.

        Verse 1:

               And I find it so hard to understand.

               Medical ethics dismissed by a wave of the hand.

               The NMC, GMC, CQC et al are asked,

               "outside our remit", we are not with this tasked.

        Repeat Chorus:

        Verse 2: 

               To the Secretary of State do we go.

               Pleading that the DWP and Atos are the foe.

               "No audit necessary", replies with a jeer.

               "No duty of care" are due to patients here.

        Repeat Chorus:

        Verse 3:

               The denied; suicides, sick, disabled and cold.

               Are left in their homes, so abused they mould.

               Confused and bewildered, called scroungers and malingerers.

               And others are here the real fraudsters and swindlers.

        Repeat Chorus:

        Verse 4:

               And as each claimant dies and returns to earth.

               Executive pay increases trigger faint distant mirth.

               And as each claimant dies and returns to earth.

               Targets met trigger faint distant mirth.

               ------- And all together now one final time

               Bless 'em all.  Bless 'em all.

               The DWP and Atos and all.

               Bless the Atos nurse who lied through her teeth.

               Bless the Atos doctor who libeled this beast.

               Bless Local Councils, never heard of Welfare Rights.

               Bless Borough and County, evading Welfare Rights.

               Bless 'em all.  Bless 'em all.

               The DWP and Atos and all.

A few councils still provide for free a "Welfare Rights Advisor" to advise you.