Assessors report

buffy6956

So I received my report this morning and it seems everything I said has been twisted to her view of things and not my actual life. It looks like I’ve scored 2 points in total and that is for engaging with others face to face. I clearly told her I cannot engage with others socially as i suffer panic attacks whereby my mind suddenly goes blank and I have a panic attack and then panic on top of panic as I know how bad this is for my heart condition. I was a nurse for 20 years and I had my first mind blanking panic attack at work during a consultation with a patient two years ago. I ran out of the room as I thought I was having a stroke my blood pressure was 210/110 and I was taken by ambulance to hospital and that was the last day of work I ever did for the NHS. I tried to return to work but simply couldn’t as I would just get the panic attack again and every time I have tried to interact with anyone since then the same thing happens plus I’ve since been diagnosed with heart disease and had a heart operation so now on top of that I have health anxiety. I told the assessor all of this. I gave her an example when asked of this and said that when lockdown ended for the first time last year a neighbour had invited me over for a drink but as soon as I opened her back gate and saw six other people there I made an excuse that I had left something at home and ran home suffering a panic attack when I got in and couldn’t get my breath and my recorded blood pressure again was dangerously high. The mere fact I know this will happen if I panic just adds to my panic when I have an attack.  The assessor has ticked the box (b) needs prompting to be able to engage and her remark was (overall evidence suggests she would need prompting to carry out this activity reliably on the majority of days) yet she has put on her recommendations and evidence used to support that my history of conditions reports anxiety and panic attacks and my GP has noted social anxiety on my sick notes also further evidence suggests difficulty with this activity. Social and occupational history suggests that I avoid socialising, variability suggests today is a good day and mental state exam shows I sounded tense. Then for her reason 3 she put leaving the house is not considered in the scope of this activity. For washing and bathing I said I had to have my son present when I bathe 4 times a week because I suffered an angina attack whilst in the bath causing a panic attack therefore I don’t feel safe bathing alone but she has completely dismissed this and given me 0 points saying that although I want supervision incase I become unwell or suffer a panic attack there is no evidence of cognitive impairment or reduced loss of conscious. I am beyond upset at this and don’t see the point in doing a mandatory reconsideration because what’s the point!!!! I feel I should of been given 8 points for engaging with others because I can’t work I can’t have a relationship I can’t do anything because of my stupid panic disorder I’m just too upset atm tks for letting me vent 

Ross_Alumni

Hello @buffy6956

Thanks for posting, and I'm sorry to hear about what you've been through. 

Firstly, ae you receiving support from your GP to manage your panic? Are they aware of how it is impacting you and do you have coping techniques in place?  It appears as though it has been having an impact on your well-being for a long while and I can certainly see why this situation with PIP hasn't helped.

It's a shame that the assessor didn't provide an accurate representation as you see it, but it's definitely worth going ahead with the MR if the decision letter reflects what is written in the report and you aren't awarded anything. With a MR you will have nothing to lose, and then if that step doesn't get a positive outcome you could seek representation for any potential appeal from somewhere like CAB, Advice Local or your nearest Welfare Rights.

As part of your MR you could send an accompanying letter from one of your loved ones who knows how your condition impacts you, in order to show how you meet the descriptors.

buffy6956

Hi ty for your response
mostly in the past year I haven’t had any dealings with my gp because of lockdown and a referral was made for me to an organisation called time to talk but again because of lockdown this hasn’t yet gone ahead... the assessor asked me if I’m under mental health and if I’m on medication for it and I did tell her that I asked my GP for diazepam but he was loathe to give it to me suggesting I take bisoprolol instead which is a beta blocker and used for anxiety. I told the assessor that my GP has included social anxiety alongside my heart condition as reasons for why I cannot work and after I got a text saying that the DWP have received my report I called the DWP and asked them should I send my sick note in showing social anxiety as a reason for not working and they said there was no need for that which has annoyed me as it maybe could of made a difference. I am beyond upset 

Ross_Alumni

Hello @buffy6956

Thanks for your reply, I'm sorry to hear that you haven't been able to access much support due to the lockdown, will the communication with Time to Talk be starting any time soon?

I'm not sure how much of a difference the sick note will have made to the situation, because that wouldn't have explained how your conditions impact you in relation to the PIP descriptors, but there's no harm in sending a copy as part of any prospective MR if you want to do that.

Instead, ensure to focus on where you think you should have scored points and write a letter detailing this, and as mentioned if possible get hold of a letter from somebody that explains and backs up how your condition impacts you.

Popdiva43

@buffy6956 I'm so sorry of the outcome of your assessment, I myself suffer from anxiety and panic attacks, and other health pro lems, I got zero points from my assessment, but I won in the end, it might be a long road but please don't give up, keep going x

buffy6956

buffy6956

This was her descriptor for planning a route even though I told her I could never drive alone and don’t drive anymore then on the next photo I will send you I don’t understand why my description of (engaging face to face) has been put into the (planning and following journeys section)? Also she states my main reason for not leaving my home is fear of being unwell and although that maybe part of a bigger picture and problem it is definitely not my main reason? I was suffering social anxiety long before I had health problems? 

buffy6956

Managing toilet needs is not a problem
dressing and undressing is not a problem
communicating verbally I do have a problem as I suffer silent gerd which has caused swollen and irritated vocal cords and larynx confirmed by ENT and speech therapy and proof sent with my claim. However the assessor said to me that my voice sounded ok and I replied that’s because I’ve not used it much yet today it gets worse as the day goes on and I struggle to speak 
Reading and understanding is not a problem
Making budget decisions is not a problem 
Moving around is not a problem

Planning journeys as above is a problem as us communicating with others face to face but I was always told that you get 8 points for being unable to engage with anyone at all which is what I cannot do 

buffy6956

buffy6956

I know that the descriptor (engaging with others face to face) definitely applies to me but the assessor has decided how she sees that rather than how my life actually is... I sent evidence from my GP and my cardiologist stating I suffer panic attacks also my GP listed social anxiety as a diagnosis I also gave her a version of what happens to me so what else could I possibly do for her to see how bad I am when I’m faced with this 

calcotti

buffy6956 said:

communicating verbally I do have a problem as I suffer silent gerd which has caused swollen and irritated vocal cords and larynx confirmed by ENT and speech therapy and proof sent with my claim. However the assessor said to me that my voice sounded ok and I replied that’s because I’ve not used it much yet today it gets worse as the day goes on and I struggle to speak 

That's a typical problem with assessments. The assessor records what they see but the PIP award should be based on how you are the majority of the time which the assessor obviously cannot observe.