My wife had her PIP assessment yesterday and it was not what I expected. The assessor arrived 15 minutes early. She did not want to see adaptations or aids nor did she want to see any other room in the house.
Basically the assessor sat and typed on her computer for about an hour. She went though every condition my wife had and how it affected her. She asked could my wife walk to the car how long did it take to walk the 10m. She asked the last time she had driven the car? Also after walking to the car how long before the pain dropped enough to drive. Basically my wife stated that if she was in that much pain she would not drive as she would be unsafe.
My wife was asked how she got on meeting people and she stated she became anxious about new places and people. The assessor stated but I have come to your house and you have talked to me. My wife replied yes but you gave me no choice but to have you in my house!
I could go on and on but 90% of it was a verbal assessment only with no actual physical assessment. The last five minutes was spent on a ten point muscular skeletal examination. 6 of which my wife refused to do as she had written instructions from her pain management team not to do them. She stated yes I may be able to do them but it would cause unnecessary pain and discomfort which the assessor accepted.
I don't know what to think about the assessment. If my wife's answers are recorded accurately then we should get the award. But how that can be called a disability assessment is beyond me. Perhaps the assessments of her own physiotherapist/ occupational therapist and pain consultant reports on her limitations with daily living have been noted by them.