phone call off ATOS booking my medical

[graemet]

i received a phone call today off atos for a medical, i stopped getting esa at the end of april, i was in the NI based esa, i have had no money off esa since then losing 99 pounds a week. I have appealed that i should be in the support group because of my ostio artheritis, i last saw my specialist in 2010 who confirmed i had the condition and supplied me with a leg brace, i didnt know there were different groups of ESA until mine got stopped because i had received it for 12 months. I have read horrible reports about these ATOS medicals, can anyone give me advice about the medical? Has anyone else here gone through the same thing as me, getting nothing and trying to get in the support group? Its as if they dont believe my specialists medical report that i have sent to the DWP. I get the higher rate of DLA surely they can check the records of that medical can they not? Thanks guys any advice would be much appreciated.

[Carneucopia]

When your Contribution Based ESA stopped at the end of April you should have had a letter explaining what to do next. That would have said to sign on for Jobseekers in order to claim income based benefits - if you qualify for them.
Your appeal to be put in the Support Group of ESA should have been made within the strict time limit - which is within 28 days of the date on that letter.
Without knowing more detail - and whether you have appealed within the time limit - it is impossible to advise on exactly what is going on. But it is possible that the medical is something to do with your appeal.
Osteoarthritis in itself as a diagnosis isn't enough to get into the Support Group. It is how it limits you they are looking at, which again is maybe why they want to do a medical. A specialists report isn't enough - they often simply give a diagnosis, and not any idea of what type of work you might be able to do.
The medicals are supposed to establish how much your condition restricts you, and that is all. If you don't attend you will be expected to just carry on as you are - or to sign on. Again - without knowing if you have any other income it is impossible to say.
You really need to seek advice from CAB or any other advice centre in your area before the medical.