Psychiatric input

bluefox
bluefox Online Community Member Posts: 647 Empowering
in Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
I was having a chat today with my psychiatrist who said we would want you to work again in the future as it’s good for mental health. 

How do you take this? When ESA/UC have signed you off?

Whose decision is it? The DWP, ESA/UC, or GP/Psychiatrist. 

Comments

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,032 Championing
    edited May 2023
    It’s entirely your decision! Claiming either ESA or UC doesn’t mean you can never work in the future. 
  • bluefox
    bluefox Online Community Member Posts: 647 Empowering
    poppy123456 said:
    It’s entirely your decision! Claiming either ESA or UC doesn’t mean you can never work in the future. 
    Who decides entitlement to benefit? The GP or DWP

    And what of evidence does this require? I don’t disagree with my psychiatrist that working does help mental health but it can also destroy it with stress/burnout/demands particularly with phobias. 
  • bg844
    bg844 Online Community Member Posts: 3,883 Championing
    DWP.

    I would make full use of Permitted Earnings, this is a really good option for you to keep your claim open and get back in to a routine (even if only part-time). Yes, the GP does give a fit note to start a claim but any decision on benefit is not made by them, as I am sure you are aware after multiple rounds of questions.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,032 Championing
    I'm sure we've been here many times before in your previous threads. A fit note is not evidence that someone is unfit for work.
  • bluefox
    bluefox Online Community Member Posts: 647 Empowering
    Poppy, can I just ask? 

    I asked the GP today for a fit note and asked them to write suspected autism on the note and they refused saying they can’t write something down which is suspected. They said they can only write diagnoses. 

    How true is that?
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,032 Championing
    They can put anything on a fit note. May I ask what the fit note is for?
  • bluefox
    bluefox Online Community Member Posts: 647 Empowering
    poppy123456 said:
    They can put anything on a fit note. May I ask what the fit note is for?
    Current employer. I thought that. What a load of non-sense they’ve told me then 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,032 Championing
    Just ask them to put what they always put. What's written on there isn't going to make a difference anyway.
  • bluefox
    bluefox Online Community Member Posts: 647 Empowering
    poppy123456 said:
    Just ask them to put what they always put. What's written on there isn't going to make a difference anyway.
    Aren’t the GP’s held accountable for MED3 statements 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,032 Championing
    No.
  • bluefox
    bluefox Online Community Member Posts: 647 Empowering
    Even with medical evidence. A doctor wouldn’t exactly know how tasks relate to benefits. Would they?
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,032 Championing
    No and again, we've been over this so many times in your previous threads. There's no other advice to give other than what's already been advised.

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