Great Britain: Atos criticized for work capability assessment awarded by the governement

In 2011, 10,600 people which Atos had not declared ‘unfit to work’ died within the next 6 weeks.  It is after reminding this shocking number – confirmed by government statistics – that hundreds of union officials and members of associations defending disabled people demonstrated on February 19 in front of Atos’ centers.  Once again, the point was to denounce the French multinational’s poor management of this public service.  The Cameron team already announced that Atos was going to lose its contract.  Disappointing unions, the government is allegedly thinking about replacing Atos with other private companies.
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More than 600,000 suits were filed against Atos’ decisions since 2008, when the company won the contract whereby it became responsible for declaring whether all British employees were are fit for work or not. In more than 40 percent of cases, Atos’ decision was canceled. Unions say the tests Atos gives “on behalf of the government are designed solely to cut entitlements.” Thus, the press is full with appalling accounts of people declared fit for work even as they were terminally ill with can

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