JUST 48 hours after people in Derby protested outside the city office of Atos Healthcare as part of a national day of action, the company has said it wants an early exit from its contract with the Government.
The company, in Normanton Road in Derby,which carries out "fitness for work" tests on disabled benefit claims says its staff have had persistent death threats.
Atos Healthcare confirmed that it has been in discussions with officials for "several months" about ending its £500 million work capability assessment contract which is due to run to August 2015.
The company has regularly come under fire over the assessments - which are used to gauge eligibility for employment and support allowance and incapacity benefit - amid claims people are being wrongly recommended for work, or put through stressful medical interviews.
A spokesman for Atos insisted that they would not "walk away" from the contract and that it would continue to provide a service until new contractors had been appointed.
"For several months now we have been endeavouring to agree an early exit from the work capability assessment contract which is due to expire in August 2015," the spokesman said.
"Despite these ongoing discussions, we will not walk away from a front-line service.
"Our total focus remains on delivering the services we are contracted to provide in a professional and compassionate way until a new service begins."
Nevertheless, relations with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) appear to be close to breakdown amid persistent criticism over the quality of its assessments.
The DWP today refused to comment on its discussions with Atos.
