Health assessment appointment.

pauline55

Hello I'm Pauline aged64 and disabled .I'm also new to this but need to chat to someone .my partner recently walked out on me and so I'm claiming U/C.had my 1st payment 13th Dec.. also have phone appointments .I've been sent a form in to explain about my disability and what stops me from going out and doing things in the house..I sent it off asking for a home assessment but they want me to go for a health check on the 31st Dec at 9am .1st I'm on a CPAP MACHINE 24/7.AS OF LUNG DISEASE.ON HEART TABLETS AS HEART PLAYING UP ..IM IN A WHEELCHAIR WITH OSTEO ARTHRITIS FINGERS ARE CROOKED WITH HAVING MUSCLE WASTE, IM BENT OVER WHILE TRYING TO WALK .I CANT DRESS MYSELF OR SHOWER DAYS WHEN I STAY IN MY OWN URINE AS NO HELP .BUT IM WAITING ON MY DR TOMORROW 30TH DEC TO HOPEFULLY GIVE ME A LETTER TO HAND IN TO U/C TO EXPLAIN IM HOUSEBOUND PANIC ATTACKS JUST THINKING ABOUT GOING OUT IS SO SCARY AND MY LITTLE BIT OF SLEEP HAS NOW GONE OUT THE WINDOW..IS THERE SOMEONE WHO CAN GIVE ME SOME ADVICE PLEASE...THANK YOU ..

pollyanna1052

Hi Pauline...I`m Pauline too and 67.
You need help ASAP...cant continue as you are. Ask Social Services for a care assessment. Tell them it`s URGENT.
I have carers twice a day, plus have hubby to help me.

Hope things improve.
xxx

chiarieds

Hello @pauline55 - Welcome to the community & thank you for sharing. I'm sorry to read about the situation you're in, but pleased your GP is helping, & I hope is coming to see you.

You have received excellent advice above, from someone who certainly understands. Here's a link explaining about such an assessment, which I hope may also help. See: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/care/arranging-care/care-needs-assessment/

thespiceman

Hello @pauline55    Pleased to meet you

Thank you for joining and sharing.

I am sorry to hear this.  I do understand, have compassion.  Empathy ready to be supportive anytime.

I am one of the team of community champions.

We support members, your not alone.

Please first going to tag my friend @poppy123456 Benefit situation.  Please will be in touch.

Please I am going to give some charities, organisations.

Please write these down, important.

https://www.ageuk.org.uk.

Helpline  0800 055 6112

They can help with support offer many services.

https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk.

Helpline 020 7367 4500

https://www.redcross.uk.

These two offer welfare, support in a crisis.  Often help vulnerable members of our community.

This for care services near you.

https://www.carenearme.co.uk.

Please may I add speak to our helpline right now.

Open till 6PM.

0800 800 3333

Offer anything more.

I think the team can help you further, offer anything else.

Going to tag in @Adrian_Scope and @Chloe_Scope Members SCOPE team will be hopefully give you more reassurance, support.

Please ask them, inform them your situation.

I wish you well, your an important valued member of our community.

We do care, have concern.

Please take care, in prayers.

@thespiceman

poppy123456

Hi and welcome,

I'm one of the community champions here on scope. Thank you @thespiceman for the tag.

@pauline55 As your first payment for UC was on 13th December that assessment appoint does seem to have arrived rather quickly. May i just ask you to confirm if the letter is from The Health Assessment Advisory Service? These are the ones that do the work capability assessments. If it is then you will need to ring them first thing tomorrow morning because that appointment is on Tuesday. If you don't ring them and you fail to attend the assessment then you'll most likely be found fit for work for failing to attend.

For the home assessment you will need a letter from your GP stating the reasons why you can't attend the assessment centre but please be aware that if you do attend other appointments then this can go against you when requesting the home assessment.

When you do have the assessment they will ask you questions about how your conditions affect your ability to do any type of work because it's not about the work you can't do, it's about the work you can do. You will also need to verify what you wrote in the form that you returned.

For support with your health conditions then you can self refer yourself for a needs assessment and you can do this by contacting your local council. An Occupational Therapist will them come out and assess your needs. See link.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/help-from-social-services-and-charities/getting-a-needs-assessment/

Hope this helps and if you have any further questions please just ask.

Adrian_Scope

Hi @pauline55 and welcome to the community. I'm so sorry to hear how much you're struggling. Having read your post, I think it's really important you try to request a needs assessment. However, I understand that this might seem overwhelming. If you're able to get in touch with us on [email protected] with some information (full name, date of birth and address) we can, with your consent, try to make a social care referral on your behalf. Please drop us an email and we can take it from there.