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GoForIt

GoForIt

Please sign. Take these assessments out of inadequate, money making organisations.

brentus

The biggest problems ive found are when they tell you one thing and expect another. They told me in the first instance that they would check my medical history and when i pointed out that they hadnt and couldnt have possibly checked my medical history ,in their MR letter they stated it wasnt up to them it was my responsibility. If they only looked at medical records and talked to GPs many wouldnt even need an assessment. Those that do would have backup from such things.My assessor made several mistakes and manipulated some of my answers,putting words in my mouth.Telling me i had a moderate restriction of the lower back,telling me i couldnt possibly be in pain all the time and that i didnt need the crutches i was using.??? All completely wrong.I put to them that the assessor has made a diagnosis with no history of me or my condition. They basically disregarded all that i told them and took what the assessor decided in a 20min face to face. She basically called me a liar and a fake. I now have my doctors testimony and medical history which should,but probably wont,make them a laughing stock,this all stemming from a letter i wrote telling them my condition had worsened and was permenant. I did have 2 years left of my award but they took it off me.A lot of time could have been saved if I'd have gotten the letter off my doctor in the first place,i just foolishly thought they would check out what i had said.Ive mentioned this on another post but fits  here also.I asked if an epileptic doesnt have a fit during the assessment, does that mean they no longer have epilepsy ? Because thats how theyve judged me or in a very similar way. Because i didnt go into full muscle spasm and lose the power in my legs during the assessment then i must be making it up. Sorry for the lengthy rant,somewhere in there are some roundabout tips on what to do and not do, i tend to lose my train of thought down to the copious amouts of medication i apparently dont need. ?

Yadnad

brentus said:

The biggest problems ive found are when they tell you one thing and expect another. They told me in the first instance that they would check my medical history and when i pointed out that they hadnt and couldnt have possibly checked my medical history ,in their MR letter they stated it wasnt up to them it was my responsibility. 
i tend to lose my train of thought down to the copious amouts of medication i apparently dont need. ?

First lesson, never believe anything that the DWP or an assessor says.
Second lesson, you are responsible for obtaining all of the evidence despite the DWP wanting details as to whom they should contact - they never do.
Third and final lesson, realise that the assessor is an expert in medical issues  and can in short time tell if a GP has incorrectly prescribed medication as well as being able to assess the state of your mental health.

brentus

My biggest mistake was writing to them 2 years too soon.I did ask the assessor if she was a neurologist when she was telling me what was wrong with me,went downhill from there.On one hand they tell you the assessor is only there to assess our ability or disability and the next they're handing out a medical diagnosis.When i complained that the assessor was manipulating my answers they told me if i had a problem with the assessor i had to take it up with the company providing them and that it was nothing to do with them,but they'd just used their report to strip me of my benefit.Im actually more bothered about them implying i was lying.The doctor didnt write me a prescription for my crutches,he was going to,but i had my own so i used them,i told them this i told them i could get my doctor to write one for the sake of it,but they still put in their report i was using non prescribed crutches. Implying i didnt need them. Doctors letter now proves that i need them permenantly.A quick example of the manipulation .asked how far i could walk i said i dont know. Asked for how long i could walk i again said i dont know. A minute? They asked. No i replied. End of conversation.  In the report it actually states i said i could walk for 'just under a minute' which they deemed as far enough to lose my mobility. So be careful how you answer.

Matilda

Yes, never give a walking time on its own or they might decide you can walk farther than you can.  Always say it takes you X seconds or minutes to walk Y meters.  DWP, in their wisdom, think 45 seconds to walk 20m is very slow walking.

tina1888

Its a stupid question. Oh when im having a depression and im so low i cant walk i cant get out of bed. Or im crawling on the floor crying because i have no energy. Its humiliating !!!!!!! 

Matilda

PIP is awarded for how your conditions affect you at least 50% of the time.  And the first descriptor is 'unable to walk at all', then 'can walk 0-20m aided', and so on.

tina1888

Yes i know. I have mental health and physical disabilities . Its humiliating.

brentus

It is a stupid question really yes,i cant stand,sit or lie down without pain,yet the assessor had the cheek to say that wasnt possible,so when discussing walk8ng i said im unable to walk without considerable pain and that i couldnt walk far at all without stopping,then apparently i can walk for just under a minute. I also have bad muscle spasms when i do anything,apparently my specialist said its my body telling me not to do anything,the assessor asked me why i was twitching,so i explained and they replied " how can nerve damage make you twitch" in a tone that again was like i was making it up.Im on 180mg of morphine and 3600mg of gabapentin  and 30mg amytriptaline a day,my heads fuzzed most days,i dont go out alone and my wife does all the financial bumf and helps me sorr my meds,i told her that and that it was onlt the 2nd time id been out in 6 weeks and they report i cope well outside and am clear and concise in conversation and all other activities.  Its beyond funny now. Anyways i wont bore you all anymore,got my appeal accepted today so now i wait. Good luck to all. ???

tina1888

@brentus i feel 4 u. Its totally awful what we are made to go through while they lie.

Kaz1957

My husband won his pip tribunal on the 2nd of August and yesterday we phoned to find out we're his back dated money is was told dwp are waiting the 28 days then we need to phone back my point is he said they is a back log which I think means a lot of people are wining at the tribunal which makes atos and capita total liars as they lied at my husband assessment said he could walk more than 200 meters to which the letter from the hospital said other wise they all need sacking or taking to court and then struck off x as none of them are doctors either paramedic or physiotherapy 

brentus

Awful and really not needed (i couldnt spell unessasary) To be fair the first assessor i had 3 years ago was lovely,she new straight away i was genuine i think as she was sympathetic and i got my award,so they're not all bad,but its a poor do if it comes down to who you get as an assessor. This last one acted like she had utter contempt for me,wouldnt let me elaborate on my answers or give any background whii deemed relevant to my case. Told me she'd listen at the end but didnt,so my final point would be to make sure you're heard,be firm but not angry or aggressive,we should be able to give our point of view on it.

Yadnad

brentus said:
The doctor didnt write me a prescription for my crutches,he was going to,but i had my own so i used them,i told them this i told them i could get my doctor to write one for the sake of it,but they still put in their report i was using non prescribed crutches. Implying i didnt need them. Doctors letter now proves that i need them permanently.

Par for the course I am afraid.

I have to wear two hearing aids as tested and prescribed by the audiology dept at the hospital

Unfortunately on the day of the face to face assessment I realised that I only had had one new battery so had to make do with just one hearing aid.
The assessor looked at my ears noticing only the one. The report said that I have mild hearing loss in one ear with perfect hearing in the other.

One aid = no points 
two aids = 2 points

I got 0

brentus

And thats what is wrong with the system. Why is it an alien idea for them to look at our records or ring our GPs surely its faster and cheaper for all concerned. I know they ask for your worst day on paper but what if im having an ok sort of day,where im not spasming or screaming in pain,or crying ect. Do i have to act,put it on for the assessor? Thats not me,i dont want to feel im lying to get my award,not that i have any days like that lol its our futures at stake during the assessment, and it could possibly come down to how the assessor feels that day. Purely my opinion,dont all jump on me for that last comment,im sure all assessors are uniform in how they assess us and interpet our answers.??????

Yadnad

brentus said:

,im sure all assessors are uniform in how they assess us and interpet our answers.??????

Totally wrong, about as wrong as all decisions makers being uniform in their decision making.
Assessors and decision makers are free to make comments, decisions and give opinions that other assessors and decisions makers may not agree with. 

brentus

I was being sarcastic!!!!

brentus

You really didnt get my sarcasm? Jeez i better be careful on here eh????

Kafoleg

@brentus said

Awful and really not needed (i couldnt spell unessasary) To be fair the first assessor i had 3 years ago was lovely,she new straight away i was genuine i think as she was sympathetic and i got my award,so they're not all bad,but its a poor do if it comes down to who you get as an assessor. This last one acted like she had utter contempt for me,wouldnt let me elaborate on my answers or give any background whii deemed relevant to my case. Told me she'd listen at the end but didnt,so my final point would be to make sure you're heard,be firm but not angry or aggressive,we should be able to give our point of view on it.

@ Kafoleg Hi Brentus...To be fair I have to say my first assessor in Jan 2017 was a very nice lady she's was kind to made me a hot tea before assessment...she is agreed that I was a genuine... BUT she's still cut me down from having mobility higher rate for life to standard rate. I did asked for reconsideration but refused....I did not appeal...(  I should have appeal then but I was so weak to do so)

Then in June 2018 my condition got worse I asking to review my case: My second lady nurse assessor was also a nice pleasant person... I did so confidence and trusting that's she's was there to witness and will put in my account as she see me is a genuine claim...BUT I was so shock : she did cut my award for mobility from 12 point down to  4 points ad I lost my standard rate to nothing....I wrote to PIP for reconsidering but get decision staying the same....

I am shock and fall ill from this SHOCK ... I feeling hurt so much as me thought my condition was so black and white... a real case...I did not need to do any pretending at all...I was totally being me and honest in all answers...I now do understand....These assessor's job is to cut and cut...to nothing... I feel just to lay down and accepting again... feel pain and so in- justice.

However! I am so glad to found this site.... I have learned a lots from all members commenting here. I did thought I just curling up my pain and accepting PIP decisions... But I am now apply to tribunal appeal...with helping from my local CAB ....THEY are WONDEFUL and TRUELY MEAN to help.

THANKS to you  ALL members here I have learned so much from here and you are brilliant!!

@Kafoleg

 

brentus

I agree that the aim now is to try to get people off pip,i watched the program on tv showing how this aim was encouraged. The lady i saw 3 years ago was nice and was genuine and almost guided me without guiding me if that makes sense,like she wanted to be able to help me. This recent one was like nasty and snappy from the start,trying to put words in my mouth but not letting me say what i wanted. Cut me off or raised her hand to stop me talking. Im sorry you too are suffering at the hands of the dwp and im glad you're not giving up,thats what they want us to do,and many will.I do hope you win your case and stsy strong. Im glad i found this site,most people seem to want to help eachother.