Any advice on filling out the ESA questionnaire ple... - EDMESH
Any advice on filling out the ESA questionnaire please?
Hi Harebell. The Government say that it must be possible for all the descriptors to be completed reliably, repeatedly and safely, otherwise the individual is considered unable to complete the activity.' Always keep this in mind when answering each question. The boxes on the form are too small so use a separate sheet for your answers. Get as much supporting evidence as possible. Photocopy everything you send. If possible do 3 sets. i for DWP, 1 for ATOS and keep one set. It can take a while to get the form finished so start as soon as possible and get some help. Action for ME, ME Association have advice but the best advice I found was on the Benefits & Work website. You have to pay a subscription to read their guides. Is there anything specific you want to know?
Hi Hedwig,
thanks very much. Nothing specific to ask at the moment, because I haven't seen the form yet, it is on its way. I'm just trying to get as much info as I can before I start.
So, can you answer that "I can't do this activity repeatedly or more than several times without causing illnesss/fatigue" or is it better just to say I can't do it?
Hi Harebell
added to the good advice above,
when filling in forms I would say fill it in as if you are in a 'worst day' - the nature of ME/CFS is fluctuating and episodic, so most people can be able to do something one day but not the next - and be able to do something in the morning but not in the evening or even a short time later - so we are in a difficult situation where forms do not allow for that -
often we try to be positive as to what we can achieve which gives the impression we can do a lot more than we can most of the time
it's the forms that don't take the nature of ME/CFS into account, so it's perfectly justified to take this approach
Okay, thank you.
Hi harebell. Even more good advice.
Start to make notes now, about how you feel and if you have looked at the form already, you will know what they are asking. I put down that i couldn't do most of the descriptors and added a comment to say why I had difficulty, bearing in mind the mantra" reliably, repeatedly and safely".
It's a good idea to make a list of all the appointments you have had in relation to your illness.Give details of who you've seen, specialty and dates. List any investigations and results. If you can get copies of results, follow up letter etc-even better.
Make a note of all the medication you've been prescribed since you've been ill . Again, give dose,reason prescribed and side effects experienced. You've got to build up a picture in support of what difficulties you have.
When answering the personal statement question put in how you were before compared to now. How it has affected your life and that of your family. Write a bit of how you feel about being ill and the restrictions.
It's a hard form to fill in but you're dong the right thing by planning ahead.
Okay, thanks very much. That's a lot more info than I would have thought of putting in, but I guess you are covering as many bases as possible with that. I will bear all that in mind.
In response to Hedwig in the first answer, about keeping a copy for ATOS, in my experience, here in Scarborough, every time I have to go for an appointment at ATOS, it is perfectly clear that no one believes ME/CFS or any other such illness exists. I always ask for a copy of their report because I don't trust a word from any of their so called health experts. (Definition of expert:- ex is has been and a spurt is a drip under pressure) Not one I have come across seems to have even heard of any such condition so they automatically write any symptoms off as being of no consequence. Not good reading, I know, but simply my own experience at my local examination center.
Thanks Silaw. Yes, that is what worries me.
Don't say: "On a good day". Say "on a better day" or "on a slightly better day." And don't write about something you did one day such as: "I was feeling better and I went up a mountain." What you meant was, "I was a little better and a friend and I drove to x mountain. I got out of the car and looked at the view, sat down for a cup of tea, went home and back to bed." Remember that if you put ambiguous things they will misread what you mean. Say, for example, "On my worse days I am unable to do anything for myself..." or "I sleep for four or five days and need to be looked after as I cannot look after myself at these time. This is because of the way that M.E. affects me." If you are referring to other things such as Fibromyalgia, put it down and say "...this gives me severe pain daily / 5 days a week / for weeks at a time, day and night and it prevents me from walking / stops me walking upstairs /
(be very specific)."
