New DLA Medical Assesment

Hi

Todays budget said from 2013 they will get rid of the complicated forms and have a medical assesment for new applicants and existing applicants when applying for Disability Living Allowance

What do people think?

PLumie

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Think would be hard to do a medical assesment with asthma unless go by test results.

The forms are quite hard and sometimes need help to fill them in.

love Glynisx

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Hi Plumie

I must say I'm not too impressed by that info. For a start would they have specialists in specific illnesses as we know the problems some doctors have when assessing asthma. I think the forms should be simplified but what form that should take I'm not too sure about.

How can you be assessed by someone looking at a form who does not know anything about you? Or if you have a medical personally it could be on a good day which can be very few and far between.

I look forward to hearing what others think. Thanks Plumie for the opportunity to discuss this. LIZ x

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I'll wait to see what happens in practise. There are pros and cons. The current form is horrendous and not suited to all disabilities. There is too much possibility at the moment of people knowing the right things to put, but others being over-looked. It makes me so angry when I see posts on other forums from people saying things like ""what shall I write / what words shall I use to I get high rate"". I have to bite my tongue as I want to tell them to write the truth.

I think the point about assessors being specialists (or not) is key and where things could go very wrong. I have multiple disabilities as well as asthma including severe verbal communication difficulties and can find it difficult to make myself understood or to understand others' speech and I'd worry about making myself understood because the cynical side of me suspects that even though they are disability assessments they won't be very disability friendly With something like BA, if they see me on a very good day, are they going to believe what things can be like on other days? To what extent are they going to accept reports from other specialists or will it all be on their report? - my DLA application was backed up by reports from several consultants I see regularly; would these still be accepted? Will it all be based on what happens on that one day or will there be the possibility to add things - I forget things, process slowly and get jumbled as a result of a head-injury/seizures I've had/have - now these issues should be taken account of if the medical assessor is understanding, but if not and they get a confused/incomplete picture, where does that leave me?

I'm just hoping that as mine's due for renewal 2012, it will then last through the time of implementing this new scheme and until and problems are sorted.

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def pros and cons to this but hopefully it will help weed out some of the many who claim DLA but don't have a problem as such just do it to fiddle the system. whatever happens its not going to suit everyone but a medical assessment if done in the right way and if you can take supporting letters/people etc with you seems fairest way to me at the mo. there will always be people that will slip through and fiddle the system but lets hope this eliminates some of them. personally I would rather have no asthma and no DLA.

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This government is looking to save money. by reducing the number claiming dla will save them money. I think this new medical will be more stricter in what they consider to be disabilities and harder to meet there criteria for dla. And as such more people who deserve it will be turned down because they able to tie a shoe lace or fasten a button....

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The aim of this is to get people off sickness benefits and onto jobseekers and is going to be done in the same way as Esa everyone to have a medical by Atos who are target driven and have incentives to find peole fit to work. This change will happen after the migration from IB to Esa is due to finish but with all the ESA appeals is likely to happen later so don't hold your breath on it being 2013!. Just take a look on thr BBC ouch disability forum and see the horrendous experiences ESA claimants are having with Atos it's real eye opener. I do think these are worrying times for the sick and disabled and it will be the churches and charities who will pick up the pieces caused by our millionaire pit of touch MP's.

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I have just claimed DLA playing the waiting the game to hear back about weither or not they are going ot give me the money. I am concerned about those people who get DLA look healthy but have loads of unde-lining medical isseus like angina have had heart bipasses and things like that. My FIL was taken off DLA as they said he was fit fo rwork and then he had medical as he tried to find work and as soon they saw he was wearing a med alert tag they asked what medical conditions he had and once he relaid of the list they said sorry, interview over we can't emply you, you are un-fit for work. He would love to work but not even working behind a desk is safe for him.

I am going ot wait to see how the new systme works once it is up and running and hopefully they won't just go by what they see on the day and take into concideration medical records and infomation of a second person

[KateMoss]

Hmmmm, this could be interesting!

When it happens, I will ensure I get all the letters I can from my Consultant to support the medical assessment on the day, be it a good day or a bad day for me.

My mother has just made a very good suggestion!

Write a diary of all symptoms, daily problems, meds used ( eg more nebs than usual) so I have just written a months worth of rubbish lungs down. All the problems with missing work - I am only able to do permitted work. There is quite a lot when I think about it, things that I am unable to do or take me so long......

DLA has given me quality of life. To live life and not just exist. To stay as much independent as possible... with help from friends & Mum of course.

I am concerned but I am not going to worry too much until it comes round....

Kate

BTW

DLA is currently not means tested and you can get it if you are working full time too.

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Personally I think medicals will be better because at present if you are only assessed on what you have written in a form by someone from administrative background they may well not understand the information and supportive evidence given to them by you and your consultants. And how many of us have been turned down despite truly having genuine difficulties, and have had to go through appeals etc.

Many years ago I had to go through medicals for Incapacity Benefit, and found I was treated very well because I was genuine and before I was awarded DLA for life under the current system was checked by a medical on being awarded it for my second application and found again I was treated with kindness and respect.

There is no point in getting ourselves worked up about it, even though all of us will probably at some point will have to undergo the medical under the new system.

I personally would like nothing better than to have an active career, but know that isn't going to happen, 2013 is a few years away yet, to those of you who have your concerns, write to your local MP and ask them to be voiced in Parliament.