PIP assessment via video

faraway_21

Hi All

So I applied to PIP over 9 weeks ago and today I have been given a video assessment date for next Wednesday. I’m worried not about how this whole thing will play out due to my hearing loss issue as I was hoping for a paper based assessment. If anyone with hearing loss had an assessment, are you able to let me know how it went? 

yanni

Hopefully someone will post their experience of a video assessment for hearing loss but if it is helpful I had a face to face assessment in 2015 when I first applied for PIP.  Like you I wanted a paper based assessment because I struggle to understand what people are saying. I had written War and Peace about my hearing loss but still had to attend an assessment. I got 2 points for needing a hearing aid but  I eventually went to tribunal and was awarded standard daily living and mobility.

The assessor asked if I could hear her OK and if I lipread. She said she would try to speak clearly and to let her know if I needed her to repeat something.( If you have turned the volume up on your phone or laptop or are using headphones tell the assessor. Explain if you need to lipread so can she look at you when she is speaking.)

At my assessment the assessor went through the PIP activities one by one including the ones I had said in the form I had no difficulty with so questions about do I cook? What do I cook? She also asked about my hobbies. Other people have been asked about their pets, work and if they drive.

The assessor won’t be an audiologist. They will either be a nurse, physiotherapist or paramedic who probably won’t know a lot about hearing loss.  They don’t do a hearing test or anything but they will be making a judgement on how well you seem to be understanding them.

The main issue (as happened with me ) is the assessor may think if you can hear them ( in a quiet room where you can see them and lipread) then you don’t have any difficulties in real life.

So I would  be prepared to explain that even when wearing your hearing aids  that background noise is a problem ( and by that you mean other people talking, traffic, TV etc not rock concert level background noise that anyone would struggle to hear in), that in real life people are at least 3-4 feet away from you so their voice is quieter than it is on a video call, that you can see the assessor to lipread whereas in real life people talk from the side, in front or behind you or look away when speaking so you can’t lipread.  Also that the assessor knows you have hearing loss whereas most people don’t.

If you are not already familiar with the descriptors for each PIP activity, have a look and decide which descriptor applies to you most of the time and then give examples of how you meet that descriptor.

https://pipinfo.net/

Say you have difficulty understanding basic / complex verbal information when wearing your hearing aids and give a couple of examples: ‘ I heard XXXXXXXXX but I realised later / my friend told me the speaker had said YYYYYYYYY’, I was trying to order in a cafe but I couldn’t understand what the staff were asking because there was someone else talking at the same time  and I ended up with the wrong drink, the shop cashier was looking at the screen so I couldn’t lipread her and couldn’t understand what she was saying etc.

 Washing and bathing - Explain you need to take your hearing aids out to wash and bath. As you can’t hear a  smoke alarm without them you need someone present to tell me if the smoke alarm goes off.

Engaging with others:  Give examples of anxiety about engaging with other people due to mishearing / misunderstanding them and feeling stupid / rude / anti-social etc and any consequences arising from you mishearing.

Following a familiar/ unfamiliar route:  Give examples of not hearing traffic and / or communication problems when something unexpected happens (not hearing tannoy announcements, not being able to understand bus driver, station staff etc) so needing someone to help you communicate in these situations. Point out that people with normal hearing can rely on their hearing to alert them to approaching traffic that they can’t see (e.g round a corner) whereas if you can’t see the traffic you don’t know its coming and you can only look in one direction at a time.

I find it easier explaining things in writing than talking about them. If you are the same, perhaps prepare for the assessment by writing down some brief statements about what you want to tell the assessor and the details of the examples you want to give or have already given on the form and have them at hand at the assessment?

Good luck with the assessment

faraway_21

Hi All, had my assessment just now.. lasted a painful 1 hour and 30 mins. I also had someone observe the call, a trainee which was super awkward. The assessor seemed reasonable and she agreed told me the descriptors that were relevant most to my condition which I agreed with. Let’s see what comes out of the report, I am mentally preparing myself for a MR.

Hannah_Alumni

@faraway_21 Well done for getting through it! Will be keeping everything crossed for you  

faraway_21

Thanks @Hannah_Scope - hoping for the best. I’ve requested a copy of my report. I know it’s down to the DM but it will be interesting to see what the assessor thinks 

faraway_21

I got my report through this morning, looks like I've been awarded 10 points for daily living and 10 points for mobility and the recommendation suggestions a 5 yr review. Really please with the overall report - the call centre agent advised DMs are currently taking 4 weeks to provide a decision but I am fully expecting 12 weeks 

faraway_21

paries1 said:

faraway_21 said:

I got my report through this morning, looks like I've been awarded 10 points for daily living and 10 points for mobility and the recommendation suggestions a 5 yr review. Really please with the overall report - the call centre agent advised DMs are currently taking 4 weeks to provide a decision but I am fully expecting 12 weeks 

That’s brilliant news and must be a massive relief for you  

Really pleased.. didn’t think I could claim anything for my hearing!

L_Volunteer

It is less about 'hearing' and more about how your 'hearing' affects you on a daily basis @faraway_21. Glad you are really pleased with the outcome