WCA - paper based assessment

ElsieC1

I called the Health Advisory Service this morning to find out whether they had received some additional evidence I had sent in for the assessment. The customer service agent told me a report / medical opinion had already been sent back to the DWP ESA team - she could not divulge the details of the report. I have not even had an assessment yet - I had been expecting a telephone call at some stage a few months down the line. Do I take it that their report was based on what I stated on the ESA50 and my supporting documents ? Is this common at the moment given the enormous backlogs ? Should I expect an assessment call from the DWP instead ? Can I ask for a copy of the report ?

A little confused by this.

calcotti

ElsieC1 said:

..Do I take it that their report was based on what I stated on the ESA50 and my supporting documents ? 

Sounds like.

ElsieC1 said:

Is this common at the moment given the enormous backlogs ?

A paper based report will be written if there is sufficient information already available to do a report without am assessment (or if you automatically qualify such as cancer patients having chemotherapy or radiotherapy).

ElsieC1 said:

Should I expect an assessment call from the DWP instead ? 

No - although a DWP Decision Maker occasionally rings if they are unclear about something. It's unlikely.

ElsieC1 said:

Can I ask for a copy of the report ?

You can but, in my opinion, there is little point in getting it.

ElsieC1

Thank you for addressing each question. 

Will my GP get a copy of the medical report or just the DWP's decision on which group I will be put in  ? I ticked the box giving them permission to share the details of my assessment.

poppy123456

ElsieC1 said:

Will my GP get a copy of the medical report or just the DWP's decision on which group I will be put in  ?

No, they won't receive a copy of the report. They won't know the decision of the WCA either. Sometimes they contact them to tell them that no further fit notes are needed but not always.

ElsieC1

OK -Thank you

ElsieC1

Just one more thing ( I sound like Columbo) - how long should it take from receiving the Health Advisory report and their making a decision ? I guess it is like saying how long is a piece of string ?

poppy123456

ElsieC1 said:

I guess it is like saying how long is a piece of string ?

Yes exactly. Timescales for the decision are up to 12 weeks.

calcotti

poppy123456 said:..Sometimes they contact them to tell them that no further fit notes are needed but not always. 

They can only do this if claimant has authorised them to do so on the WCA form.

calcotti

ElsieC1 said:

Just one more thing ( I sound like Columbo) 

Hope you've got a better raincoat.

poppy123456

calcotti said:

poppy123456 said:..Sometimes they contact them to tell them that no further fit notes are needed but not always. 

They can only do this if claimant has authorised them to do so on the WCA form.

Yes, indeed, which i should have advised. As the OP said they did give permission i forgot to add it.

ElsieC1

Yes as I said I ticked the box on the ESA50 authorising this. 

No raincoat just a love for those classic 70s episodes of Columbo - being virtually housebound I need something to distract from my aches & pains - Peter Falk does the trick

calcotti

poppy123456 said:..OP said they did give permission i forgot to add it. 

I missed that!