Worried about assessments

tomadam0151

My PIP runs till the end of the year, but have been called in 1st FEB 2019 for an assessment. Sent form back with an appointment letter for pain management course, then got my call of doctor for results of another Xray, have arthritis and Pellegrini- stieda calcifitation in left knee. Im also waiting for my ACL to be reconstructed. Have had six ops on my right knee 5 cartilage and open wedge tibial (take a wedge out of bone in leg straighten leg then plate it up) and arthritis.and waiting for a PCL op too. I also suffer with depression/ anxiety. Two years ago went for an assessment for ESA. Lady told me 5 mins into assessment that I wouldn't get it because I didn't have any paperwork to say when my op or pre op was, so you are fit for work, she then told me because you haven't any paperwork there is no need for a lower limb examination!!!! Told her about my depression/ anxiety with my medication, yet again she put me down with her words of, only people who are in Ashworth Hospital Maghull Liverpool have depresion. Ended up having to go through it all again at a tribunal which I passed, life can be so much easier if people listen. I'm sitting here now worrying and thinking that the worst is going to happen again.         

thespiceman

Hello @tomadam0151 Pleased to meet you welcome.

Thank you for joining and sharing.  Sorry what you have been going through.  I do understand. As do all of the community.  Who have been through PIP.

I am one of the team of community champions. Who advise and help new members who join.

Please can I suggest.  Have a look at our Talk about PIP/DLA  where you find  stories from members of our community.

Which I hope you find helpful.

Also do you have any one supporting you with any assessments you attend?  Could be a family member or a friend. 

Please ask anything some one will know.  From our community or a member of our team.

We are friendly.

Wish you all the success for a positive outcome. 

Please take care.

@thespiceman

Yadnad

tomadam0151 said:
Told her about my depression/ anxiety with my medication, yet again she put me down with her words of, only people who are in Ashworth Hospital Maghull Liverpool have depression.        

In a way she is right. Only the most serious cases are admitted into hospital. It's all about the level of depression. Depression is a common problem, but it depends on the depth of it. The condition itself will not gain you a PIP award. It all depends on what the impact is on your life in conjunction with the PIP descriptors that will get you the award.
However a judgement has to be made by the assessor that given the depth of your depression would it be expected to give rise to those impacts claimed. I believe she went too far in her judgement. You don't only have to be in a secure unit in order to prove the impact. 
I have in the recent past been sectioned for depression and anger related problems caused by mental health problems and a physical brain injury. It's not a nice place to be in - locked away for your own good and the protection of society at large they say.
Yet in my PIP face to face assessments the assessor three times over 5 years made a judgement that because of the 14 reasons they gave I do not have depression and as for history never have had as I was released from the unit so must now be normal. 

lesliealan

Hi I found that put down what my day is like thats every thing ( lifting 2L of milk, how shakey are you with poring hot water to make cup of tea,  uesing hand rales to get round home/ stamd in shower, Tablet times/ injesions, leg rased for leg cuculasion ext, 2nd copy looking at spalling, Shorten lines with same info. Split in to different difficalts. have someone reade it to c if it makes sence this should remove some worre at interve. hope this help's good luck visit the CAB or and find group in area with same diffecutes (sorry dislesic please look at 2nd go)