PIP face to face assessment for epilepsy

kano7481

Hi everyone happy to join you ,

I hope you can help me in this , my sister suffer from severe epilepsy she is having unwarned tonic colonic seizures almost every day , she needs continuous supervision and help, she suffer from depression and back and joints pain from seizures injuries .

She always get awarded DLA for about 10 years and ESA support group from paper only without face 2 face assessment , and now she was moved to PIP , I have filled the form for her with a lot of details as I use to do with previous forms , and 2 days ago she got a letter to attend a face 2 face assessment next week the thing is recurrent seizures and medication side effects has affected her abilities , she become slow to understand to speak , so I am not sure how she will manage this assessment and answers the questions , especially that I cant go with her to the appointment as I have important appointment myself aroud the same time which I coudnt postpone , and because she cant go alone a freind will accompany her.

So I have some questions please if you could help :

1- Anyone have epilepsy and had a face 2 face assessment can you share your experience please , how was the questions, what to expect ? so I can prepare with her.

2- Being slow and having communication difficulties and because she may have a seizure before her appointment and be in very bad condition , how this will be considered by the assessor and how bad will affect her assessment ?

3- Anyone had their assessment in Harlesden health centre London ?

4- It is ok for the assessor that the main person who know very well her condition and take care of her cant attend with her instead a freind will be with her just to make sure she is safe support and help her , but he knows just a little about her condition ?

Sorry for the long post and many questions but she really needs help as she never had a face 2 face assessment before all new experience for her and she is already stressed about it and I am trying to prepare her and any help from you will be most appreciated.

Thank you

mercedesbd

kano7481 said:

Hi everyone happy to join you ,

I hope you can help me in this , my sister suffer from severe epilepsy she is having unwarned tonic colonic seizures almost every day , she needs continuous supervision and help, she suffer from depression and back and joints pain from seizures injuries .

She always get awarded DLA for about 10 years and ESA support group from paper only without face 2 face assessment , and now she was moved to PIP , I have filled the form for her with a lot of details as I use to do with previous forms , and 2 days ago she got a letter to attend a face 2 face assessment next week the thing is recurrent seizures and medication side effects has affected her abilities , she become slow to understand to speak , so I am not sure how she will manage this assessment and answers the questions , especially that I cant go with her to the appointment as I have important appointment myself aroud the same time which I coudnt postpone , and because she cant go alone a freind will accompany her.

So I have some questions please if you could help :

1- Anyone have epilepsy and had a face 2 face assessment can you share your experience please , how was the questions, what to expect ? so I can prepare with her.

2- Being slow and having communication difficulties and because she may have a seizure before her appointment and be in very bad condition , how this will be considered by the assessor and how bad will affect her assessment ?

3- Anyone had their assessment in Harlesden health centre London ?

4- It is ok for the assessor that the main person who know very well her condition and take care of her cant attend with her instead a freind will be with her just to make sure she is safe support and help her , but he knows just a little about her condition ?

Sorry for the long post and many questions but she really needs help as she never had a face 2 face assessment before all new experience for her and she is already stressed about it and I am trying to prepare her and any help from you will be most appreciated.

Thank you

Hi how long did she wait for the face 2 face appointment after returning her forms?

kano7481

mercedesbd said:

Hi how long did she wait for the face 2 face appointment after returning her forms?

Hi,

The form was sent next day delivery on the 20/02/2019 and got the assessment letter dated 07/03/2019 , and the appointment is on the 14/03 , really quick !!!

poppy123456

Hi,

During her assessment they will ask her about how her conditions affect her against the PIP descriptors. We are all affected differently by these conditions and you can't compare 2 people.  She should answer those questions with as much detail as possible. If you kept a copy of the original form you sent then i'd advise having a read of this before she goes so she remembers what was written.

Unless the person going with her is her appointee then she'll need to answer all the questions herself. It doesn't matter if the person doesn't know a lot about her condition, they will just be there to support her.

If you're not happy with her going with someone else then you are allowed to cancel 1 appointment. If you haven't already canceled one then it maybe worth canceling this one and re-booking. If you do decide to do this please make sure the next appointment given is ok before accepting it.

About a week after the assessment she can ring DWP to request a copy of the assessment report to be sent to her. This will give her some idea what the decision is likely to be as they mostly go with the report.

Good luck.

poppy123456

mercedesbd said:

Hi how long did she wait for the face 2 face appointment after returning her forms?

There's no time scales for waiting times. It all depends on backlog in your area. Some wait just a few weeks, while other wait months. Hopefully not much longer.

kano7481

poppy123456 said:

Hi,

During her assessment they will ask her about how her conditions affect her against the PIP descriptors. We are all affected differently by these conditions and you can't compare 2 people.  She should answer those questions with as much detail as possible. If you kept a copy of the original form you sent then i'd advise having a read of this before she goes so she remembers what was written.

Unless the person going with her is her appointee then she'll need to answer all the questions herself. It doesn't matter if the person doesn't know a lot about her condition, they will just be there to support her.

If you're not happy with her going with someone else then you are allowed to cancel 1 appointment. If you haven't already canceled one then it maybe worth canceling this one and re-booking. If you do decide to do this please make sure the next appointment given is ok before accepting it.

About a week after the assessment she can ring DWP to request a copy of the assessment report to be sent to her. This will give her some idea what the decision is likely to be as they mostly go with the report.

Good luck.

Thank you so much for your replay.

Yes I have a copy of the form , I will try to revise it with her and reassure her that all she needs to do is saying what she is feeling and what she can or cant do just like when we were trying to fill the form and that the assessor is there to help her just to make her feel less stressed.

I just want to ask please if she can take provisional driving licence , freedom buspass and benefits letter as a proof of identity ? as she misplaced her passport and I coudnt find it.

poppy123456

You're welcome. Driving license and appointment letter will be fine.

atlas46

Hi @kano7481

I am some what, at a loss about your sister’s, condition.

Your report that she suffers frequent tonic colonic seizures on a daily basis.

On the other hand she holds a provisional driving licence.

If she is suffering such seizures, she should report matters to the DVLA, who would revoke her licence.

I would suggest you seek other forms of ID, otherwise the DWP, might come to a similar view, as I have.

Seek advice from the DVLA.

kano7481

atlas46 said:

Hi @kano7481

I am some what, at a loss about your sister’s, condition.

Your report that she suffers frequent tonic colonic seizures on a daily basis.

On the other hand she holds a provisional driving licence.

If she is suffering such seizures, she should report matters to the DVLA, who would revoke her licence.

I would suggest you seek other forms of ID, otherwise the DWP, might come to a similar view, as I have.

Seek advice from the DVLA.

Hi,

she is using the provisional driving licence as a form of ID only , she never driven or had lessons.

atlas46

Hi @kano7481

I am trying to safeguard your and importantly your sister interest.

She should have declared, at the time she applied for a provisional driving license, if she was experiencing epileptic fits.

The fact that she has not driven, does not affect matters. As at any time she could have driven on her licence.

As previously stated, your sister needs to contact DVLA, to surrender her provisional licence, contact Drivers Medical Group on tel: 0300 790 6806, to explain situation.

As for ID, your sister can provide one of the below.

Birth Certificate or

Debit Card or

Council Tax demand or

Utility Bill or

Benefit entitlement letter.

Why am are so certain of such matters, I recently had to surrender my driving licence and it took, 12 long months to get it reinstated.

Hope this helps.

poppy123456

I have to agree with @atlas46 here. She should contact DVLA about her driving license. I'm very surprised she has one, even if it's just for ID purposes. I lost my driving license in the past and it took me 9 years to get it back because you have to be seizure free for at least 12 months before you can apply to have it back.

kano7481

I really appreciate your advices atlas and poppy , she will not take the licence with her to the appointment to be in safe side , and I will contact the DVLA for her.

Thank you

atlas46

Hi @kano7481 and @poppy123456

I think I’m flogging the proverbial dead horse, it is not upto @kano7481 to contact the DVLA, it is her sister’s responsibility to do so, she is the licence holder.

I rest my case Mi Lord.