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Anonymously share your thoughts to help telephone and video assessments improve

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  • MarkM88
    MarkM88 Community member Posts: 3,127 Connected
    JPW said:
    I have never seen an official credential in any assessment let alone telephone assessments. I could be talking to plumber for all I know. 
    Also it’s always been a 1-1 assessment so can be viewed biased both ways yet always in favour of the HCP not the claimant. Often the claimant is the one under such scrutiny to prove beyond doubt using DWP criteria. Yet try and appeal on ableism or poor criteria and you’ll find the same  poor support network and laws benefit anyone but the claimant. 
    Consistency none contradictions many. 
    I read a stat that said only 10% of working assessments were refused and zero on appeal. I must be the anomaly then. I’ve failed multiple times and have the same issues as most with my condition who easily qualify. But i fill my own forms in. That is ableist. I can find no other reason for refusal. 
    I don’t see the relevance to what I said you have just ignored what I put and talked about something completely different. 
  • JPW
    JPW Community member Posts: 18 Listener
    MandyJF said:
    My adult son was diagnosed with autism in September and when we eventually had the telephone assessment for PIP in May, he scored no points. I was allowed to listen but not contribute. The assessor showed no awareness that she was speaking to someone who was shutting down with anxiety due to his autism, and didn't seem able to interpret what he was actually saying. For example, he said that he could physically leave the house, but mentally he can't bring himself to and hasn't left the house for several months. All that mattered to her was that he could walk. She had no autism training whatsoever. The form information was completely ignored. She also asked why he wasn't receiving mental health services; if she'd checked with our authority, she would have known that the GP doesn't give this service to people under the autism team, and the autism team have limited short blocks of input, which is why we're having to find money to pay for private counselling. This was all ignored also. I believe that these phone assessors are actually guilty of discrimination against less visible disabilities such as autism, and should be brought to task with a legal challenge.
    So true on discrimination against hidden and not so obvious disability. 

    I’ve been told to attend my appeal and my advocate will speak and prime me
     beforehand as to what I should say. I don’t think it is fair that gps advise and specialists and private psychologists work we have accessed isn’t taken into account when being assessed. 
    I use lots of mindfulness and take more breaks than I ever did. I don’t take a many as I should but work less to rule more to me. This is so obviously impacting my ability to work part time never mind full time. In the mean time my income suffers my bills
    stack up and I’m robbing Peter to keep afloat. Even though my partner works part time too. 
    If you don’t qualify for one aspect you get nothing else too. 
  • JPW
    JPW Community member Posts: 18 Listener
    MarkN88 said:
    JPW said:
    I have never seen an official credential in any assessment let alone telephone assessments. I could be talking to plumber for all I know. 
    Also it’s always been a 1-1 assessment so can be viewed biased both ways yet always in favour of the HCP not the claimant. Often the claimant is the one under such scrutiny to prove beyond doubt using DWP criteria. Yet try and appeal on ableism or poor criteria and you’ll find the same  poor support network and laws benefit anyone but the claimant. 
    Consistency none contradictions many. 
    I read a stat that said only 10% of working assessments were refused and zero on appeal. I must be the anomaly then. I’ve failed multiple times and have the same issues as most with my condition who easily qualify. But i fill my own forms in. That is ableist. I can find no other reason for refusal. 
    I don’t see the relevance to what I said you have just ignored what I put and talked about something completely different. 
    It’s a shame you didn’t read my opening statement then. I’ve never seen a credential of HCP over the phone. How do we know who we are talking to. 

    I detect you are being deliberate on your retort rather than understanding and would
    suggest changing tone
    or ignoring replies as
    your reply is not helping me or others clearly. 
  • MarkM88
    MarkM88 Community member Posts: 3,127 Connected
    The point is, they don't show you credentials, obviously they cant do that over the telephone anyway, but they employ HCPs, as I said the clue is in the name, you are not been assessed by an administrator. 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,359 Disability Gamechanger
    But they CANNOT over rule a gp or specialist but they appear to they dont have the expertise to become one thats why they do this .

    Not sure what use a GP is with any assessment process. They very rarely know how any conditions affect anyone. The most they will know is diagnosis, medication and any appointments... all of this doesn't help either a PIP claim or a work capability assessment.
    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.
  • JPW
    JPW Community member Posts: 18 Listener
    MarkN88 said:
    The point is, they don't show you credentials, obviously they cant do that over the telephone anyway, but they employ HCPs, as I said the clue is in the name, you are not been assessed by an administrator. 
    If the clue is is in the name what actually constitutes a “healthcare professional “ surely a GP specialist psychiatrist psychologist trumps them as a HCP. 
    And the HCP is reading from a script or descriptors. Surely that is administration of rules and such making them administrators?  

    From what I have seen a few have just graduated. Others are experienced and personal and actually help with the applications. My experience is that unless I fully unmask they will never know what my issues are based of descriptors   I don’t fit descriptors mental health is very difficult to determine under them. 


  • MarkM88
    MarkM88 Community member Posts: 3,127 Connected
    edited August 2021
    Regardless of all of that, the requirement is to be a healthcare professional who is registered with their professional body, they work within guidelines of course, but whether they have a few years experience or 20 makes no difference.  

    You don’t need a specialist in a particular area, a GP or a mental health specialist because it is not a medical assessment they are carrying out. 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,359 Disability Gamechanger
    HCPs for PIP assessments do not need to have any knowledge with any medical conditions. PIP is about your functional ability. Unfortunately, with PIP You can have a disability but if you don't meet the descriptors, you won't score the points for an award.
    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.
  • JS69
    JS69 Community member Posts: 14 Listener
    In the assessment just because my son could could open a packet of crisps was enough to say he could feed himself ??‍♀️ The facts ignored were he can’t use a knife, he’s afraid of heat and fire so won’t use a cooker or a microwave and anything he does do in the kitchen he needs guidance and support but that scored 0 points when the descriptors should score for ‘help and supervision’
  • Hartnsoul
    Hartnsoul Community member Posts: 22 Connected
    'Mark N88 says They are a currently registered healthcare professional e.g. nurse, paramedic, etc.'

    I questioned the healthcare qualifications the 'professional' who interviewed me had. It appears to be none. He asked no medical questions, nothing about my condition and completely disregarded anything related to it despite what Id told him. He also asked the appeal panel to disregard the main symptoms Id mentioned that were totally relevant to my condition impacting on my daily life, and if ignored could be fatal.
    On my report his opinion in writing was mainly copied with some parts of their 2017 inadequate assessment included word for word, and signed off as a true account to the Secretary of State by someone else who was a qualified physiotherapist. As she had copied someone elses lines from the old report, apparently she had seen me. How? So that makes it all ok then? In other places that practice could be labelled as fraudulent. I've never seen such a bad misrepresentation of the truth before, but prisons must be full of them! Then verified by someone else to make the decision to stop my disability claim. When he called me to announce theyd ready stopped payments because of their decision, he was shocked to hear I had a condition that had been totally omitted from the report, so he advised me to appeal. Not one of these professionals had seen me, despite wording my report as if they had, one had spoken to me and not one trained in anything relevant to my condition. I appreciate they cannot have independent doctors for everyone but surely some sort of professional trained to deal with certain types of disabilities would be a good start? Surely they need to know what a persons condition is to relate to their difficulties in their daily life? How can they decide you no longer have the condition (the same permanent condition they had decided a few years earlier that you do have) without any medical information? I really think they need to drop the title of healthcare professionals, they clearly arent interested in the health of anyone claiming disability, they clearly dont care, and are only professionals at bending the truth to such and extent. They maybe have so many claiming that shouldnt be, have heard every trick to try and claim but I cannot see how their lies and misrepresentation of the reality will save them so much when it costs them to put so many cases through the appeal process. The untold stress put me back in hospital before and after my appeal. I was so anxious that I wouldnt get discharded in time for my appeal but won my case a day later with a v short hearing, 5 questions in total and was carried out of the courts on a stretcher to A&E, although they didn't need that proof! They had my consultants and GP reports to go on. Fully qualified healthcare professionals do appear to overule the dwp 'healthcare professionals'. Thankfully. 

    So if a dwp 'healthcare professional' has to get a physiotherapist, who hasn't seen you or spoken to you, to write the report and sign it off as her assessment, what does that say about his healthcare qualifications?
    Still not impressed. 

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,359 Disability Gamechanger
    JS69 said:
    In the assessment just because my son could could open a packet of crisps was enough to say he could feed himself ??‍♀️ The facts ignored were he can’t use a knife, he’s afraid of heat and fire so won’t use a cooker or a microwave and anything he does do in the kitchen he needs guidance and support but that scored 0 points when the descriptors should score for ‘help and supervision’

    Did you explain why he can't do that activity? Why does he need supervision? What would happen if he didn't have that supervision? Give a couple of real world examples of what happened the last time he attempted that activity. Do all of this for each descriptor that applies to him. You should have at least 1 A4 sheet of paper for each activity.

    You have to explain everything in as much detail as possible. They don't know your son, so you have to "paint the picture"
    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.
  • JPW
    JPW Community member Posts: 18 Listener
    But they CANNOT over rule a gp or specialist but they appear to they dont have the expertise to become one thats why they do this .

    Not sure what use a GP is with any assessment process. They very rarely know how any conditions affect anyone. The most they will know is diagnosis, medication and any appointments... all of this doesn't help either a PIP claim or a work capability assessment.

    Poppy

    poppy I wish I had your optimism. 
    If the criteria are based on how your condition affects you then why do they ask if you can do blah and blah and then use that as reason enough to say you’re capable. Despite many conditions like mental health being stochastic and no one time is the same. If you asked me can i drive I’d say yes. But in bed no of course. It’s relative. I’ll do at detriment to self and say so. That doesn’t belie the truth though. Something I can never get over to them. They use what’s convenient at the
    assessment. That is either you can
    becaue you said so or your condition is irrelevant. 

    What’s pretty clear is the definition of and our interpretation is clouded
    by uncertainty and lack of
    consistency. One person apples
    says she’s autistic and works and drives and has no problems and get full pip. Another lists their autism issues sensory anxiety etc and gets nothing. Explain that. 
  • JPW
    JPW Community member Posts: 18 Listener
    Steve double emailed me that only 10%!of work assessment are refused and zero on appeal. I’ve been refused and obviously an anomaly. 
    I now face a year waiting for appeal and the financial and functional embarrassment not to mention where my head will be. And no help
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,359 Disability Gamechanger
    JPW said:
    But they CANNOT over rule a gp or specialist but they appear to they dont have the expertise to become one thats why they do this .

    Not sure what use a GP is with any assessment process. They very rarely know how any conditions affect anyone. The most they will know is diagnosis, medication and any appointments... all of this doesn't help either a PIP claim or a work capability assessment.


    What’s pretty clear is the definition of and our interpretation is clouded
    by uncertainty and lack of
    consistency. One person apples
    says she’s autistic and works and drives and has no problems and get full pip. Another lists their autism issues sensory anxiety etc and gets nothing. Explain that. 
    The majority of the time it's down to a poorly written claim pack.
    Personally, i've never had any problems with my own claim or my daughters. She's claimed successfully since 2017 and had 2 reviews in that time, both of which were paper based assessments. I've claimed since 2013.


    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.
  • tamaramonique94
    tamaramonique94 Community member Posts: 4 Listener
    The terms PIP and DWP infuriate me and also make me want to cry.

    I had a telephone assessment in June and the 'medical professional' was a paramedic who believed that she was experienced enough to have a opinion on endometriosis and fibromyalgia, said I must be able to walk more than 20m at one because it's medically probable in her opinion but then said I need regular reviews because these conditions progress over the years. How does that make any sense? I can barely walk to the toilet most days and every single movement causes me some kind of pain. 

    Anyway, none of what my mother said was noted down. The majority of what I said was not in the report at all and not matter what I said she'd write 'in my professional opinion she can shower using a chair and long aids' HOW?!!!! She also said because I can sit in a wheelchair or car I must be able to sit in the kitchen and cook, as if we hadn't tried to find our own solution. Almost everyone applying for pip can sit doesn't mean they can cook.

    Both the assessor and my case manager made very rude comments about my dyslexia, but I'm sure you'll pick up from this text I'm clever but hopeless with spelling and grammar and require computer programmes to understand complex information. But because I'd previously gone to uni to study fashion styling i'm exaggerating and my reading is fine. I've scraped by in education, failed the majority of my GCSE's, got kicked out of school, and I've only started to get firsts once I had said programmes.

    They also said that my mental health must be fin because I'm not under any health team but as I explained to my assessor and she conveniently omitted, I had two very bad experiences and wasn't keen on any more therapy, and once I was I couldn't be referred to my community mental health team as my home borough and GP didn't match up but will be changing GPs soon to do so. Anyone diagnosed with BPD should be told they're fine or it's not that bad. I am terrified of my stairs, I'm stuck in a third floor council flat (I'm fighting tower hamlets too, they won't house me because my granddad left me 4.7% of his house worth 17,000), I don't get on with my mum, I'm stuck w her and she's my primary carer. I feel abused by this entire government, nothing is ever easy or as it should be. 

    And because I had a phone assessment they basically justified their decisions based on a previous face-to-face assessment I had in Feb 2020 but in January 2021 I was diagnosed with an additional illness so why would they even refer to that? I intended to appeal my first assessment but after my experience I was too frightened and was made to feel like I wasn't ill enough. But this time I'm pretty much housebound and I'm two years through a law degree I know for an absolute fact that I'm entitled to the higher rates for both regardless of what they 'believe in their professional opinion'. 

    I also don't understand the difference between the standard and high rates of mobility. The higher rate gets you a mostly free car, that you have to put petrol in and thats it, the lower rate gets £23 half price road tax and that's it. If you can't walk more than 200m you are not an able bodied human being end of. £23 is not really helping anyones mobility and in London that's one taxi fare and I'm back to square one. Why can't people on the lower rate pay the difference and lease a car? Or the dwp offer to pay or help towards insurance? The perks of higher mobility compared to lower are night and day.

    To conclude, the pip system is flawed by design, its like they scored me purposely to be just below the threshold of the higher rates. My appearance was also questioned at my in-person assessment but this isn't a means tested benefit, even if it was, I like fashion and was wearing a tracksuit I got on sale for £60 in total. They need to stop judging peoples appearances you can be disabled and look somewhat put together.

    Moreover, I'm absolutely tired of all this nonsense, why is it that the sickest, weakest and most tired of society have to fight like this for what they're entitled to, it should be our doctors and consultants making those decisions not them. Live should be made easier for us not harder, harder to the point where I consider suidide every day. Something has to change because if I have to go through this process again I'm not sure I'll see the other side. I've already sent my mandatory reconsideration but I'm sure I'll end up having to go to court. I'm tired of all this, I have such little energy and it's always spent on appeals or complaints. It's no way to live, something needs to change. DLA FOR ALL PERHAPS? 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,359 Disability Gamechanger
    The mobility vehicles are not free cars. We exchange our entire mobility payment for the car.....
    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.
  • tamaramonique94
    tamaramonique94 Community member Posts: 4 Listener
    I’m obviously awake of that which is why I said mostly free as there are other considerations; the advance payments, some cars don’t cost the full amount etc. 

    Either way I’m just trying to show my distaste towards the disparity between standard and enhanced.  
  • tamaramonique94
    tamaramonique94 Community member Posts: 4 Listener
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,359 Disability Gamechanger
    It's not mostly free either. The mobility payment is used to pay for the car and DWP pay motability. Even when it was DLA the low mobility part has never qualified for the car.
    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.
  • abbyk41
    abbyk41 Community member Posts: 96 Connected
    I had a telephone assessment last Tuesday she seemed very nice and actually I received the report the other day she did write everything that the two people in the room and myself said that was my carer and my friend.
    I have read on this forum that some of the assessor shut down the people that help will my assessor did not she did actually listen to them and actually receiving the report She Wrote everything that I said and somebody said that they don't know what medical assessment qualification these people have.
    Well I looked at the back of the report and it said that she is a nurse and I've got to say she pretty much understood my conditions very well she even prompted me with things that I didn't think about and overall I think the report is a fair  report I don't know what the decisions going to be. I don't know I'd  decision makers going to go with that or not but I don't think the phone assessment went bad at all I think if you explain everything in detail it took over 50 minutes

Brightness