Bipolar, Physosis and Physiotherapis and Vets
I’ve just be taking a closer look at my GF PA3. It gives the HP registration as a physiotherapist. Her condition is Bipolar, Physosis and her assessment was paper based on her GP’s advice.
Re-reading her PA3 form the first paragraph suddenly caught my eye, it read
Clinical Coach Another Person called Psychiatrist on 19/2/18 @ 11.35 am, spoke with secretary. Confirmed the Psychiatrist has received the request for a factual report and was planning to complete this on 16/2/18 after the customer’s outpatient appointment however she cancelled so the report won’t be completed until she does attend for review….’ The award letter was dated 30/3/2018
Several things occurred to me:
What does DA in DA A.Person mean. I haven’t come across those initials before
Secondly, and perhaps more important. On the 19/18 DA called the consultant BUT on 19/2/18 Clinical Coach Another Person called Psychiatrist secretary.
Two questions arise here. Were two people involved in her assessment and if so why? is this normal? What does a veterinary surgeon/nurse know about acute mental conditions and for that matter what does a psychiatrist know?
Needless to say I will be bringing this up in my MR but how best to present it for maximum effect? I would of course appreciate any points or suggestions. I am, of course, working my way through the descriptors and trying to emphasis the safety angle of the conditions
One final point, but a little off topic. While her consultants report was referred to in the PA3 there wasn’t a mention of mine as the person who knows her best. Is that something I can use
Kevin
Comments
-
DA disability assessor possibly.
Do not follow me, I don't know where I am going. -
The user and all related content has been deleted.
-
The user and all related content has been deleted.
-
Sorry Victorid I should have said: what does a physiotherapist know about mental health will have to watch my wording ?
Your comment re the clinical coach at a best guess would you think they would have a good knowledge of mental health -
@Kah22 Hi is they any mobility issues that you stated in the claim form?
-
kah22 said:Sorry Victorid I should have said: what does a physiotherapist know about mental health will have to watch my wording ?
Your comment re the clinical coach at a best guess would you think they would have a good knowledge of mental health
The person you see at the assessment doesnt need to know about your condition. It's been said so many times on this forum now that even I have remembered it.
They are assessing how you function with the what's on the forms handed to them and briefly putting you to the forms.
The DM is not qualified medically, they are not diagnosing your condition. They never have been back in the day of just paperbased DLA.
Hypothetically anyone can make a phone call, ask questions and write down the answers. I say hypothetically because I would be sacked the first day for my contribution to the chaos!
My fwiw advice is to focus on how you scored points in each descriptor you don't agree with.
Supply supporting evidence of why you have come to this decision.
The assessment is a % of the whole process, your points don't hang of it. Otherwise the assessor would be called the DM.
Do not follow me, I don't know where I am going. -
The user and all related content has been deleted.
-
Points taken although I do think that unless you have experience in a particular field of medical conditions then you can’t really judge how a person is affected in their everyday life
An example: a paramedic might be skilled in saving the life of a heart attack victim but that doesn’t translate into knowledge as to how that will affect heart attack patients in their day to day life -
Exactly, so had your gf been seen by a psychiatrist- you still wouldn't be happy? Because as you said they don't know. It's not about knowing your condition.
You need to show is effects on you as an individual.
I saw a paramedic. Based on the evidence he had, the most important- me and the carer speaking where I couldn't, he was able to make an opinion.
I think we need to remember the dwp are only humans and the only person who really knows what your day is like is you. So it's you that's the most important evidence.
Do not follow me, I don't know where I am going. -
@kah22 I agree with you that the assessor should, at least in some cases, be related to the disability being assessed. My conditions: refractory major depressive disorder (clinical depression - 24 years), generalized anxiety disorder (22 years), borderline personality disorder (7 years), and chronic pain (10 years). The paramedic who assessed me clearly had no clue about mental health or chronic pain. He described my mental health as "low mood, anxious" and said that my mental health was fine because I wasn't sweating or down, and he seems to have assumed that chronic pain is basically acute pain that lasts a long time, when it's actually a syndrome. Um. Noooo.
Brightness
Categories
- All Categories
- 13K Start here and say hello!
- 6.6K Coffee lounge
- 103 Games lounge
- 416 Cost of living
- 4.3K Disability rights and campaigning
- 1.9K Research and opportunities
- 199 Community updates
- 9.3K Talk about your situation
- 2.1K Children, parents, and families
- 1.6K Work and employment
- 776 Education
- 1.7K Housing and independent living
- 1.4K Aids, adaptations, and equipment
- 615 Dating, sex, and relationships
- 363 Exercise and accessible facilities
- 737 Transport and travel
- 31.5K Talk about money
- 4.3K Benefits and financial support
- 5.2K Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- 17K PIP, DLA, and AA
- 4.9K Universal Credit (UC)
- 6.3K Talk about your impairment
- 1.8K Cerebral palsy
- 868 Chronic pain and pain management
- 180 Physical and neurological impairments
- 1.1K Autism and neurodiversity
- 1.2K Mental health and wellbeing
- 319 Sensory impairments
- 824 Rare, invisible, and undiagnosed conditions
Do you need advice on your energy costs?
Scope’s Disability Energy Support service is open to any disabled household in England or Wales in which one or more disabled people live. You can get free advice from an expert adviser on managing energy debt, switching tariffs, contacting your supplier and more. Find out more information by visiting our
Disability Energy Support webpage.