PIP assessment process

dynz

My 41 year old daughter has ASD, a spinal physical disability that causes her great pain If she tries to reach above her chest, suffers severe migraines, suffers from anxiety and depression, and has zero sense of smell. she was born with a severe AV Canal heart condition and was expected not to survive more than six months. But in the final days she underwent an experimental surgical procedure that had only been worked out on paper. She became the first UK survivor of a severe AV Canal condition, and the expetimental surgical procedure became the standard procedure for babies with AV Canal heart defects. My daughter has a leaky heart valve and may require further surgery to correct this.
My daughter was awarded two points at her PIP assessment.
We asked for a Mandatory Reconsideration, which upheld the two points award.
We appealed. At this point we obtained a copy of the assessment report provided to the DWP. All of the medical evidence was mentioned, but the diagnosis counted for nothing.
I tried to compare the assessment report against the assessment recording. This was imposdible because the recording CD had a four inch deap scratch on it. I requested a duplicate CD twice. The 2nd CD had a twenty second recording of the assessment. The 3rd CD contained multiple copies of the first couple of minutes of the assessment recording. I called the assessment company head office (took me over a week to find their phone number) I asked for a copy of the assessment recording and I stated the assessment case reference number. The person I was talking to asked if I was working from home. I said yes, and was told the CD could be sent to my home if I gave them the address. I did so, and later I realised that they thought I was staff. The next day a courier delivered a true recording of the assessment. I identified multiple instances in the assessment report of statements by my daughter being ignored, or the complete opposite being reported.
I got the CD transcribed, and wrote a report about it, which I submitted to the Tribunal.
My daughter's points were increased from 2 to 23. Standard Motability and Enhanced Living was awarded.
We made a professional complaint to HCPC regarding her PIP assessment. This complaint was upheld by HCPC and a hearing was to be held. Since then nothing from HCPC.
In my opinion the DWP assessment process is flawed, unfair, unjust, and is not fit for purpose.

L_Volunteer

Thank you for sharing your experiences and views @dynz. It sounds like a really long process but really positive it increased the points.

Hopefully, you will hear from the HCPC soon. How are you feeling about everything at the moment?

Please don't hesitate to let us know if there's anything we can do to support you. We are all here for you and listening to you 

Alex_Alumni

Hi there @dynz and thank you for sharing your experience, what a huge challenge for you it has been! I'm so glad you had a successful tribunal after all of that.

I hope you know, as our members have said, that you are not alone in feeling the way you do here on the community. If there's anything we can do to help in the meantime, please ask  

How long ago was it you made your last complaint to HCPC?

dynz

The HCPC hearing did not uphold my complaint of unprofessional conduct by the Independent Assessment Services (AKA ATOS) assessor.
The assessor stated at the HCPC hearing that my daughters [LIFELONG CONDITIONS] 2015 spinal disability report, and my daughters 2020 ASD assessment, were both more than 18 months old. These medical reports were therefore ignored, as per standard Independent Assessment Services (AKA ATOS) directions. This was why my daughter was only awarded 2 points.
Nor did the HCPC hearing take any notice of the multitude of assessment statements that were ignored, or which were falsely stated, with a zero points award for almost all point headings. The same award points being upheld at the Tribunal appeal.  
Gosh, HCPC has published unknown details of Independent Assessment Services (AKA ATOS) processing!!!! 
VERY IMPORTANT;
If you are having an assessment Independent Assessment Services (AKA ATOS), or if you are applying for a change of circumstances, get your GP to write a confirming letter to state that your medical reports and assessments still apply, despite what date they were issued. Otherwise, you will be assessed without any of your medical reports/diagnosis that are more than 18 months old.
Lifelong conditions such as a physical spinal disability, and ASD, are not something that can be ignored after 18 months.
The DWP assessment guidance Part-1 & Part-2 have no directions or statements that medical reports and assessments can be ignored if they are more than 18 months old. This is an Independent Assessment Services (AKA ATOS) stance that is not approved or directed by DWP. But of course, and it is obvious, the DWP had no knowledge of this????
My daughter has filed a Judicial Review with the High Court regarding the HCPC decision, assisted by a local Disability Support Group, and my wife.

dynz

No decision yet on my wife & daughter's Judical Review application. The first stage being for the court to grant/refuse permission for the application.

dynz

My daughters application for a PIP change of circumstances has resulted in my daughter being granted Enhanced Mobility.