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F2F telephone assessment

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Comments

  • worried33
    worried33 Community member Posts: 492 Pioneering
    skullcap said:
    Really amazed.
    The assumption that everyone is comfortable in dealing with an assessment over the phone is beyond me. Most will be extremely nervous which certainly doesn't help. Plus how on earth are they going to assess body language and note any observations?
    To me this is a half arsed way of conducting any assessment.


    Could be a blessing in disguise, people with anxiety issues been told they dont have any simply because they handled a one to one assessment ok.  Thats kind of harder to do when its not f2f.
  • worried33
    worried33 Community member Posts: 492 Pioneering
    skullcap said:
    You can hide so much over the telephone. No one sees the expressions on your face, if you are constantly referring to papers that are hidden, that you inadvertently/accidentally reach for something, as a piece of paper that has fallen on the floor and have already said that you cannot reach to wash yourself in the bath etc etc.

    picking a piece of paper up from the floor has no relevance to washing yourself in a bath though, so if assessors are judging on things like that, then thats a bad thing.
  • Firefly123
    Firefly123 Community member Posts: 530 Pioneering
    It's not about hiding anything it's trying to get across why you can't do things. Most of us don't find this so easy to put into words when stressed anxious. 
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,007 Disability Gamechanger
    edited March 2020
    A word to the wise; unfortunately there's some negativity on this thread. However, what I would say, is that this is a great community, &, over the coming months, we may need each others support, help/advice, & personal experience more than ever.
    I believe that everyone who has joined this community has done so because they needed genuine help, or wanted to help other people. There are no 'scammers' here, only people hoping to understand the benefit system, & it's recent changes; sharing their hopes, & fears in these uncertain times.
    So, let's ignore any negativity, & do what this community does best, continue to support each other.
    @Firefly123 - I wish you all the best in your upcoming assessment, & please do let us all know how you get on.
  • Firefly123
    Firefly123 Community member Posts: 530 Pioneering
    Well said @chiarieds. That's exactly why most of us are here.
    I agree with that @Username_removed I have 5 GP's and been taken over as my doctor left. I gave specialist I'm seeing to ask for advice as they know me 

    Everything at the moment has to change and we all have to manage the best we can x
  • skullcap
    skullcap Posts: 169 Courageous
    However, the key to that is that the HCP is likely to now be obliged to call professionals listed on the claim pack and record their comments. That’s a sea change process.

    Before anyone leaps in with “but it’ll be the GP”. Actually no it most likely won’t be. The last stats I saw suggested that consultants, surgeons and other specialists made up around 85% of the people claimants list. 

    Will it be perfect? Of course not? Will it improve things? Yes, potentially very much so. 
    Most claimants only include the name of the GP. Some claimants don't put anyone. Some put a list of people including consultants.
    The first will give little relevant info, the second there will be no info at all which leaves the third.
    Experience tells me that writing to a consultant is a bit of hit and miss. In two instances in the past the DWP wrote to two consultants. The first ( my consultant psychiatrist) replied telling the GP that what their patient (claimant) had explained was perfectly feasible and would not enter into a telephone conversation. The DWP tried twice to get him to talk to them and twice his secretary refused.
    The second involved my oncologist. He refused via his secretary to enter into any dialogue and returned the form to the DWP telling them that he was far too busy saving lives and that they should contact me.

    I would also point out that most claimants understand that the DWP will not contact anyone listed so don't see the point in putting them down in any event. I'm in that category. My last PIP form I put no one down believing that there was no point.
  • skullcap
    skullcap Posts: 169 Courageous
    Ok let's just agree to disagree.
    Time will only tell when/if I get the review form to fill in.
    I will fill it in in the normal way as I have done in the past, and then see how a telephone assessment works for me. It is inevitable that I will have to appeal in the end and hope that the DWP relent along the way to offer me what I have had for the past 5+ years of PIP before it gets to a Tribunal.

  • Firefly123
    Firefly123 Community member Posts: 530 Pioneering
    Well my appointment is in the morning and my anxiety it going to have me up half the night. 

  • Firefly123
    Firefly123 Community member Posts: 530 Pioneering
    Thanks I will try x
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,007 Disability Gamechanger
    I'll be thinking of you @Firefly123 & hope all goes well in the morning.
  • Firefly123
    Firefly123 Community member Posts: 530 Pioneering
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,365 Disability Gamechanger
    Good luck today!
    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.
  • Firefly123
    Firefly123 Community member Posts: 530 Pioneering
     Thank you @poppy123456
    It lasted just under an hour I think it went OK. Just glad it's now over with x
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,007 Disability Gamechanger
    Pleased to read you thought it went OK @Firefly123. Well done for getting through it! Hope you can relax a little now. :)
  • Firefly123
    Firefly123 Community member Posts: 530 Pioneering
    Thank you, @chiarieds yes just have to wait and see now x
  • Firefly123
    Firefly123 Community member Posts: 530 Pioneering
    Glad I had a telephone assessment then as I would not like a video call. 
  • worried33
    worried33 Community member Posts: 492 Pioneering
    edited March 2020
    mike I only listed my GP and OT, my consultants would be useless, whilst my GP knew me very well, due to many dozens of appointments, phone calls and years of been my doctor.

    I was 50/50 on the OT, as OT's seem to have a habit of making assumptions e.g. when my OT first visited me she made a comment that I cannot be that bad because of the way my furniture was arranged, I asked her to clarify and she said people who have a hard time walking would be tripping over in my flat, I took a breath as I was tempted to kick her out, and then explained, "what happens if you setup a flat in a certain way, then your health problems deteriorate afterwards and you have no one to move the furniture for you?", she said that seemed unusual, as surely family would help, I then went straight to the point and pointed out not everyone has that luxury, but told her she is welcome to move my furniture around if she wants to.  After several visits she seemed much more sympathetic, but because of that first appointment it was at the back of my mind she was just putting it on to be polite.

    With consultants I find they seem only interested in people with extreme well developed conditions, so if you not showing clear heavy symptoms in front of them they are not eager to diagnose, likewise if you have multiple health problems meaning symptoms are all over the place they seem to want to dump you on another department as its too complex.  My GP told me multiple times how frustrated she was with consultants bouncing people back to her, and the pressure she was under to not refer people.  I had some disabled friends tell me they deliberately over emphasised pain in front of consultants so they were taken seriously, but I have always avoided that as I consider it dishonest, but now understand why some people do it.

    My sister almost died because they refused to diagnose and operate on her until it was life threatening, I kid you not she was told that, that they had to rate for the disease to progress and become severe before they would treat it.

    So consultant's, OT's etc are not necessarily better than GP's.  My gut feeling is people like carer's, district nurses and GP's would be the best as they see the patient the most frequent.  But it seems to work on qualification level more than amount of time spent with the patient.

    Also sometimes they diagnose without telling the patient, I seen a copy of a letter to my GP talking about treatment of my "blood sickle disease" something I have never been told I have, I spoke to my GP, who told me it was why I was on some of my medication, why I have so many blood tests, and why I get constant cramps, and  I apparently was never told because of my mental state of health, the latter I kind of understand but it gives issues if situations come up when I need to explain my symptoms to people such as benefit assessors.
  • worried33
    worried33 Community member Posts: 492 Pioneering
    I was answering the point on about providing medical contacts, and the reasons why on who I picked.

    Then decided to go on a mini rant whilst writing the post.
  • skullcap
    skullcap Posts: 169 Courageous
    worried33 said:
    mike I only listed my GP and OT, my consultants would be useless, whilst my GP knew me very well, due to many dozens of appointments, phone calls and years of been my doctor.

    I was 50/50 on the OT, as OT's seem to have a habit of making assumptions e.g. when my OT first visited me she made a comment that I cannot be that bad because of the way my furniture was arranged, I asked her to clarify and she said people who have a hard time walking would be tripping over in my flat, I took a breath as I was tempted to kick her out, and then explained, "what happens if you setup a flat in a certain way, then your health problems deteriorate afterwards and you have no one to move the furniture for you?", she said that seemed unusual, as surely family would help, I then went straight to the point and pointed out not everyone has that luxury, but told her she is welcome to move my furniture around if she wants to.  After several visits she seemed much more sympathetic, but because of that first appointment it was at the back of my mind she was just putting it on to be polite.

    With consultants I find they seem only interested in people with extreme well developed conditions, so if you not showing clear heavy symptoms in front of them they are not eager to diagnose, likewise if you have multiple health problems meaning symptoms are all over the place they seem to want to dump you on another department as its too complex.  My GP told me multiple times how frustrated she was with consultants bouncing people back to her, and the pressure she was under to not refer people.  I had some disabled friends tell me they deliberately over emphasised pain in front of consultants so they were taken seriously, but I have always avoided that as I consider it dishonest, but now understand why some people do it.

    My sister almost died because they refused to diagnose and operate on her until it was life threatening, I kid you not she was told that, that they had to rate for the disease to progress and become severe before they would treat it.

    So consultant's, OT's etc are not necessarily better than GP's.  My gut feeling is people like carer's, district nurses and GP's would be the best as they see the patient the most frequent.  But it seems to work on qualification level more than amount of time spent with the patient.

    Also sometimes they diagnose without telling the patient, I seen a copy of a letter to my GP talking about treatment of my "blood sickle disease" something I have never been told I have, I spoke to my GP, who told me it was why I was on some of my medication, why I have so many blood tests, and why I get constant cramps, and  I apparently was never told because of my mental state of health, the latter I kind of understand but it gives issues if situations come up when I need to explain my symptoms to people such as benefit assessors.
    You ought to be thankful that you have not been involved with the Pain Clinic!
    One of my consultants authorised various pain relief medications. Went to the Pain Clinic 6 months later (not at my request I would add). They were astounded that I had been prescribed such medication. They told me that pain is all in the head - it really doesn't exist except that the brain thinks it does. They removed the medication forthwith after getting me to agree to go on an 'Alexandra' course, have acupuncture and listen and work with a CD of waves rolling on the shore.

    None of it worked , went to the GP and he reinstated my medication that did work to a greater extent.

    Goodness knows what the Pain Clinc would have told the DWP if I put their details on the claim form. For the same reason I refused to put the mental health service I was under down on the form or even mention the effect it has on my life as the assessors and the DWP don't beleive that mental health issues actually happen.


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