Atos Healthcare

Healthcare professionals employed by Atos Healthcare provide medical services to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Their main role is to give medical advice to help DWP decision makers reach an appropriate decision on entitlement to benefit.

Regulation and approval

Atos Healthcare professionals are bound by General Medical Council and Nursing and Midwifery Council codes of conduct and confidentiality. They also have to comply with strict contractual conditions relating to the handling of medical and DWP-related information.

Atos Healthcare professionals are experts in the functional assessment of disability. In order to undertake work for the DWP they must be "approved" by the Secretary of State for DWP. Initial and ongoing approval requires a healthcare professional to successfully complete an initial course of prescribed training, to comply with the requirement for ongoing training and to ensure that their work meets the requisite quality standards.

Advice from Atos

Atos Healthcare can give telephone advice to clinicians on medical matters relating to:

• certification – such as completion of certificates and reports
• disability benefits.

They are only able to offer general advice and cannot discuss individual cases of people who are being assessed for benefit. This advice service is strictly for healthcare professionals.

Atos Healthcare can also provide more formal educational sessions to clinicians by prior arrangement.

For general enquiries on benefit-related matters contact your local DWP office.

Atos help line for clinicians

Atos helpline for clinicians

Helpline number: 0800 288 8777