Tracking down diagnoses letter for PIP — Scope | Disability forum
Please read our updated community house rules and community guidelines.

Tracking down diagnoses letter for PIP

sue66
sue66 Community member Posts: 124 Pioneering
Hi i was advised by GP to ask for my original letter of diagnoses to be tracked down as it was more than 10 yrs ago, i was in my 40s and im now 68. Gp said to ask for this to be done and have a word with receptionist   who said to bring in letter giving permission and stating why I needed this which I did 2 weeks ago, Rang up today and there doesn't seem to be anything done at all and im now thinking is it even worth it as I read on PIP form don't ask for letters etc as your be charged for it. Also im thinking no good any way as the diagnoses doesn't in any way help  with showing how the M.E.  affects me does it.. So should I just send in the form regardless and would any backup from a kinesiology be taken into account, I go to see her at regular intervals to help with muscle pain , nausea and to remove anxiety knots mainly in my stomach but last time other places due to persistent anxiety  or would they not accept this as medical back up as termed as alternative therapy?   Im really so very anxious and keep saying im not even going to bother at all but relatives say no you must at least try  but I cant drive and cant face using public transport on my own, hubby has rheumatoid arthritis and son has gone and injured his hand. Great! Form is to be received  back by July 14th.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated 
Susan

Comments

  • sue66
    sue66 Community member Posts: 124 Pioneering
    I got the dreaded brown envelope and reluctantly made that phone call to apply for PIP, until now had high rate of DLA  and low rate care. for M.E. PIP  form asked date of diagnoses but I cant remember as it was so long ago. 1990 something. When I recently saw a gp she said to ask receptionist to track down the original letter of diagnoses, said it will still be in the system, this was 2 weeks ago, I took in a letter from me giving permission  and reason why I wanted this, Rang up this morning and doesn't look like anything has been done at all. I since noted on PIP notes that its saying don't ask for letters as  your be charged and also thinking about it a letter of proof of diagnoses doesn't actually help with explaining how my problem affects me does it so was it all a waste of time,? shall I just got ahead and send in the form without it? They want it back by the 14th July. , Since receiving the form ive not slept properly and feel right stressed out too.  Also would they take on board any back up from a Kinesiology  practitioner  who I regularly see for removing mainly stomach knots and others due to continued anxiety, Doubt this would be accepted would it?  Ill probably back out and wont see this through as son who could have driven me to assessment has now hurt his hand badly and cant drive plus I don't drive and couldn't face using public transport  my self as I hardly go out anywhere  at all and never on my own due to anxiety. which GP said is all part of it the one and same thing, the M.E.  made worse by menopause. Any advice please, im running out of time hear.

    Susan
  • cristobal
    cristobal Community member Posts: 984 Disability Gamechanger
    edited July 2019
    @sue66 - I believe that you have to have suffered with a condition for more than 3 months, and it is likely to continue for 9 months, before you can claim PIP. 1990 is so long ago I'd personally just put '1990 approx.'

    As you probably realise PIP is about functionality - so you need to refer to the PIP descriptors and say what you can/can't do, what aids you need, and how you manage. They're available on line....

    I don't know if evidence from alternative medicine practitioners (if this is how they are described) is acceptable. Did your GP refer you? Might be worth checking with him/her?
  • Chloe_Scope
    Chloe_Scope Posts: 10,586 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @sue66It's free to request digital copies of your medical records from your GP but you have to pay for paper copies. This should allow you to see the diagnostic letter if it is in there :)
    Scope

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,365 Disability Gamechanger
    HI,

    The letter of diagnosis really isn't needed here because like you said, it's not about a diagnosis. You don't have to put the exact date that you were diagnosed either.

    The most important thing is to add 2-3 real life examples of what happened the last time you attempted that activity for each descriptor that applies to you. Put as much information as possible when filling out the form.

    It's also free to request digital copies of your medical records from your GP, you just need to request them but it can take a couple of weeks to receive them.

    You can request a 14 day extension to return the form by ringing PIP.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • sue66
    sue66 Community member Posts: 124 Pioneering
    Thanks for replys and sorry two of mine seems to have been quoted hear, something went odd when I tried to post first one and had a strange message come on screen on both times so didn't think either of them had gone through at all, clearly they both did.! 

Brightness

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.