Advice to people

positivitygoing1

I thought it might help people , I don't know if anybody is like me , I would forget what was told to me on the phone , I was so thankful that my brother put "Call Recorder" app (Free) on my mobile phone , as the 30 minute phone conversation with a MR CM explaining why I failed my assessment was a God send when I needed to remember what he had said ,
You can put in the settings to not record any contacts you have on your phone save your phone getting full of conversations .
 

Sam_Alumni

Do you have to tell the person you are recording them?

CockneyRebel

You do not have to tell them you are recording, however, if found out the assessment/call will be stopped.

CR

Barrylad1957

I always considered it a bit 'loaded' in their favour, that the DWP, JC, and all agencies involved in/related to a person's benefit claim can stipulate what can and cannot be recorded, which particular type of equipment the recording can be made on, etc., when they are free to record any and every word we say in calls and enquiries to them, and retain the recordings thereof, "for training and quality purposes": I always feel its a bit like stepping into a boxing ring with an opponent who is allowed to hit you, but you arent allowed to hit them back. 
I mentioned in an earlier post today, that I was informed by my MP's office that I could (and should) request that my upcoming Work Capability Assessment be recorded BY THEM, and that he had requested that on my behalf. A different kettle of cod to the unrealistic demand made for the '2 concurrent recordings' rule applicable to PIP assessments (or consultations, as they are now known)

Markmywords

Good advice and along with others, it can be found on the excellent Tips page Scope has polled from the community.

Elky1

My GP records calls to patients and you only find out if there is a problem. On his main line for appointments etc etc you are warned calls are recorded 'for training' purposes which is understandable and at least you know it's happening but if he calls you that's a different matter and according to the BMA he is not allowed to do it so be aware. 

positivitygoing1

I put this for my own records because I could never remember what was said during the phone call , but me personally I record everything to do with the DWP and say for instance it was a work capability assessment and I didn't think the HP was being fair I would tell them at the end I'd recorded it so they DONT put lies in there report , if they said to me "then ill have to cancel the whole thing" I would pretend I didn't know what they were talking about , that way THEY would wish that it was recorded , see how they feel with the situation reversed it's okay for them to lie so I would do it back , cos I literally have zero faith in them 

mikehughescq

It’s not generally illegal to record a call for your own purposes. However, sharing it may well be. 

I suspect the law is about to slowly swing behind claimants following the recent case where someone secretly recorded their assessment and a tribunal decided to admit it as evidence. It’s not a course I could ever recommend to a client but I suspect it won’t be the last case of its type.

Elky1

When it was DLA you could,  as I did,  tell them you want it recorded and they had to comply. With pip it should be mandatory then there would be none of the lying and cheating we see today. Because of the tape I won my DLA appeal. 

mikehughescq

As it stands I'm inclined to agree that recording in all cases would certainly change how things progress but only provided a transcription was then made immediately available to the decision maker and not just when requested by the claimant for the purposes of an MR or appeal.

Sadly, I suspect the expense of doing that in every case would rule that out so that leaves us with recordings where the claimant has to request a transcription. That, of course, won't be cheap and will mean that unless requested at the face to face probably won't be available to a decision maker and maybe not even for an MR. It will therefore be helpful in preventing some cases going to appeal but, sadly, not all.

What the desire to record is really saying is that, unlike say a visit to your GP or a consultant, many people feel (rightly or wrongly) that the reports from such assessments are untrustworthy. Recording assessments addresses the symptoms but it will only happen and only work for a small number of people. Addressing the root cause means taking a completely different approach.