Health Professional REFUSED to speak to my medical professional?

Earlysound

Hello,

I made a phone call yesterday to the Independent Assessment Services to get an update on my PIP, and the gentleman informed me that I am due a face-to-face assessment next week on the 12th of February. I explained, that I don't feel medically capable of taking part in a face-to-face assessment due to me having severe mental health issues (personality disorder). The gentleman, put forward a request for a paper based review, and this was accepted.....

HOWEVER, after speaking to my benefits support worker, whose based in the community mental health team along with the nominated medical professional (psychiatric nurse / my care-coordinator) - she told me that they received a phone call from the health professional at the Independent Assessment Service, and because I was discharged back in late December 2018 the health professional - refused  accept any evidence from my nominated medical professional - as they needed to know how I am currently doing RIGHT THIS MINUTE - even though they received this form back in October and whilst I was still under the care of the community mental health team, it's not my fault its taken four months for them to get this point, and I was discharged in the meantime.

Oddly, she would take some answers from the benefits support worker as she has been in recent contact with me over the past three months (only via telephone, to update me on the PIP and benefits process) and either way it turned out that the health professional still felt she could not complete a paper based assessment so has put forward for another face to face as a result.

It gets interesting though, because my benefit support worker told me she was asked questions in regards to my mobility due to psychological distress, and stated that I categorically will not use public transport, and the health professional supposedly kept responding with - WHAT IF HE HAS TOO THOUGH? WHAT IF HE NEEDS TOO THOUGH - and here is the kicker.... WHAT IF ITS A LIFE OR DEATH SITUATION? - so the health professional basically refused to accept the answers given, and was coming out with a load of what ifs, and to the extreme - what if its a life or death situation.... which to me feels very inappropriate. 

Earlysound

I'd be extremely shocked, that if when responding "Can you cook a simple meal?" Yes, but only a microwave meal... - WHAT IF IT WAS LIFE OR DEATH?... what like if a gun was against my head? I did not realise the health professionals were asking these sorts of questions, and presenting these sorts of scenarios. It's even more weird, that its an adult trained nurse - vs a mental health trained nurse - and the impression i got from the benefit support worker, is the assessor was purposefully difficult, and would not take the answers given - and kept questioning everything with bizzare responses. 

Firefly123

Yes we got asked the same questions at the home assessment. 

Earlysound

Firefly123 said:

Yes we got asked the same questions at the home assessment. 

It's absolutely disgusting that they ask people this. I've luckily been updated though, that they have decided they CAN complete a paper based assessment, and that they completed this within 45mins of my last phone call, and it's now been forwarded to the DWP.

Firefly123

I never got asked them questions about my daughter and am just waiting for the outcome of her paper based assessment. 

Yadnad

Mine was slightly different. I had claimed, quite rightly so and with medical opinion to back it up, that I could not walk reliably more than 15 metres.
It was then put to me 'but what if you were in a building that was on fire and the nearest exit was 60 metres away?' Obviously my answer was that one way or another I would get to that exit.
Assessed as able to walk more than 200 metres!

Earlysound

Firefly123 said:

I never got asked them questions about my daughter and am just waiting for the outcome of her paper based assessment. 

Sorry, I misunderstood. I hope you get the outcome that you wish for with your daughter. 

I ended up receiving a phone call from the Independent Assessment Service’s, after I had phoned the DWP and raised the above concerns / complaints in my original post. She introduced herself, as a customer care manager (I think, I just remember her being a manager) and wanted to address the concerns that I had with the assessment and the new upcoming face-to-face assessment.

She informed me, the Health Professional after speaking to my nominated medical professional (Psychiatric Nurse) felt the answers given (although I was told, that the health professional refused to speak to the Psychiatric Nurse) were not detailed enough for her to fully complete a paper based assessment, and informed my Psychiatric Nurse that it would be going back for review by the Independent Assessment Service to be put forward as a face-to-face consultation being required. She explained that, when this was communicated by the Independent Assessment Service themselves to myself, that the agent at the time was reading from internal communication, which I should not of been made privy too – and were for their own and he DWP’s records?  But that this was without the knowledge, that my Benefits Support Worker in the meantime had also spoken to the Health Professional separately after they’d spoken to the Psychiatric Nurse, and the Health Professional felt she was able to complete a paper-based assessment based on the answers provided by the Benefits Support Worker and this afternoon had completed and sent off the report to the DWP.

Earlysound

Yadnad said:

Mine was slightly different. I had claimed, quite rightly so and with medical opinion to back it up, that I could not walk reliably more than 15 metres.
It was then put to me 'but what if you were in a building that was on fire and the nearest exit was 60 metres away?' Obviously my answer was that one way or another I would get to that exit.
Assessed as able to walk more than 200 metres!

I hope you appealed, and considered a mandatory reconsideration. 

Yadnad

Earlysound said:

Yadnad said:

Mine was slightly different. I had claimed, quite rightly so and with medical opinion to back it up, that I could not walk reliably more than 15 metres.
It was then put to me 'but what if you were in a building that was on fire and the nearest exit was 60 metres away?' Obviously my answer was that one way or another I would get to that exit.
Assessed as able to walk more than 200 metres!

I hope you appealed, and considered a mandatory reconsideration. 

Yes the MR came back early last year with the same decision - no points.
I have now appointed a professional welfare officer to put a late appeal in. 

Earlysound

Yadnad said:

Earlysound said:

Yadnad said:

Mine was slightly different. I had claimed, quite rightly so and with medical opinion to back it up, that I could not walk reliably more than 15 metres.
It was then put to me 'but what if you were in a building that was on fire and the nearest exit was 60 metres away?' Obviously my answer was that one way or another I would get to that exit.
Assessed as able to walk more than 200 metres!

I hope you appealed, and considered a mandatory reconsideration. 

Yes the MR came back early last year with the same decision - no points.
I have now appointed a professional welfare officer to put a late appeal in. 

Sorry to hear about that, and glad to hear you're now getting some support. I presume you did not do the tribunal option, as it seems you're getting help for a late appeal? I've heard you can do those up to 13 months after a decision has been made, so it's great you have someone helping you with that. 

cristobal

If assessors are asking "what would happen if it were a life or death situation" then I have to say that it's very poor interview technique. If you ask questions about hypothetical situations then all you will ever get are hypothetical answers.

I'm curious to know how any answer would meet the reliabilty criteria (i.e. repeatable) unless someone regularly escapes from a burning building!

Earlysound

cristobal said:

If assessors are asking "what would happen if it were a life or death situation" then I have to say that it's very poor interview technique. If you ask questions about hypothetical situations then all you will ever get are hypothetical answers.

I'm curious to know how any answer would meet the reliabilty criteria (i.e. repeatable) unless someone regularly escapes from a burning building!

This was my thinking exactly, but the assessment has now been completed and the paper-based report sent back to the DWP with their recommendations. I just hope it's the result I want, and if not I have no issue going for a mandatory reconsideration and tribunal if required. Mine is a renewal, and currently still being awarded PIP as this process takes place, and I feel pretty confident an award will still be continued, where I am not confident is it remaining exactly the same - I have a feeling it will be lowered, but I am just naturally pessimistic. My Benefits Support Worker, whose ex DWP and ex CAB - who has assisted me over the years in successfully claiming my benefits - feels that due to a recent change in law, I will be awarded the mobility component (never had this awarded before) due to psychological distress, and thinks I'll maintain enhanced daily living. As long as I get something, I will be happy, as at this point I want the nightmare to be over. . 

April2018mom

That is frustrating. I’ve also dealt with poor communication skills as well. My son’s first ever urologist was amazing but her communication skills were somewhat impaired. I insist now on emails. Each member of my son’s medical team keeps in contact with me through email.
Same goes for the therapists. 
And the report that came stated DS was able to walk independently when he does not have that ability. He uses a wheelchair for public places and long distances as well at home. 
I ended up having to contest the decision by phone. It took me a long time to do so. I hated it. 

Yadnad

I wouldn't say that the answers are hypothetical, the question might be though.
It's true that if I had to get out of a burning building through an exit 60 metres away and state that I can't walk more than 15 metres  I would do it - crawl if I have to. And if I had forgotten about my wife who I had left in the building I would do the 60 metres there and back to get her!! 
It's their unprofessional way of carrying out an assessment. Trying to get you to admit that you were telling porkies about the walking distance.

As for the reliability factors, since when did assessors give credit for that in their reports?

Firefly123

Hi I've got 3 young adults so gone through it times 3 but the only one they asked them kind of questions was my oldest son. His brother got a paper based assessment and now his sister is also getting one. She's transferred from DLA so will see the outcome soon.