ESA Assessment with Maximus ????

[tasha2]

Its me again i have just phoned the customer service for my due assessment the letter came with an advice letter stating: The centre can be accessed by lift but please bear in mind in case of emergency there are 82 steps down to the ground floor if you think you would have difficulty going down the stairs please ring us. My god are they sure it is for health assessments or training for the SAS who on earth with Fibro could go down all those steps the place would burn down and get rebuilt again by the time i got to the bottom floor. I phoned them and beleive or not they have given me a new appointment in bridgend ground floor assessment centre.I then looked on google for parking??? well yes you guessed it not at the centre but over the bridge in a multi storey carpark!!!!. What i was going to ask has anyone had an assessment with now what is called Maximus health thingy?????

[rosewine]

I don't know whether you read Tasha2 post yesterday about her dealings with the DWP and I reckoned she had at least 5 chapters of a book and I think you have at least another 2. You just can't believe them can you. I think it is some kind of test that if you agree to an assessment in any of these none accessible places that they will straight away decide from that you are actually capable of movement and therefore fit for work. I know I had one like that in Birmingham when there was no parking nearby and my husband had to drop me off and go and park the car. We waited for nearly 2 hours over my appt time and OH said he would have to go back to the car park as he had only put in enough money for 2 hours. Of course they then called me in and she would not believe as she did not have any evidence that OH had actually dropped me off and I had not driven myself in even though I asked her to go out to the waiting room where I was sure he would have returned and be waiting for me. She put something like "client purports that her husband dropped her off at the centre but there was no evidence that anyone had accompanied her" well there would have been evidence of a very large 6' 2" gentleman if we had not had to wait 2 hours over the appointment time. Grhh!!!

You could have fun with this one as your next step will be you can't use the car park as if there was a fire and the lifts were out of action you could not make your way down to the bottom before being burnt to death. I can see a home visit coming out of this.

I cannot understand how they can give a contract to a company who cannot provide a building that has proper safe disabled access.

I'm just so sorry that you are having to put up with this nonesense.x

[TheAuthor]

Nothing surprises me anymore! However, I want to wish you all the best of luck with your assessment.

Good luck

Ken

[Offcut]

All I know about Maximus is they have been banned from some states in the US because of malpractice on there social care contracts. They are apparently employing more people for assessments but not as many with medical qualifications as ATOS. a Little known fact is that if a man or woman have depression a woman may not get any points at the assessment? The rules are being manipulated all of the time.

I wish you well on your appointment.

[electricjaws in reply to Offcut]

hi offcut, I read a article about this and it said " men with depression will get more points than a women with depression " and the logic behind this sweeping statement is " because more men with depression commit suicide ,than women !!!

I thought "WHAT!!"

What if you are transgender !? that would flummox them!!

[Offcut in reply to electricjaws]

So right

[Rainbow_Chaser]

No horror stories from me! You need to go into your Assessment calm & relaxed!

I live in Merseyside & ALL Assessment buildings that I have attended have difficult access... usually lots of steps/stairs/heavy doors/uncomfortable chairs etc. I am fairly sure that it is done purposely & I also firmly believe that if you can attend an Assessment Centre (with difficult access) then they view your 'mobility' aspect of the claim as reasonably good! Best bet is to ask for a home visit & avoid the unnecessary access difficulties.

The DWP are determined to make it as difficult as possible for people to claim Disability Benefits, so NEVER give up. Be one step ahead and remember that you have life limiting health problems & you are entitled to claim these benefits. There are many out there who get Disability Benefits who are NOT entitled - we should not be penalized for those people!

Hope you get it sorted..

Debs <3

[tasha2 in reply to Rainbow_Chaser]

Evening all thanks for all the posts it is interesting reading different opinions I did put down for a home visit but ESA assessments dont like to do home ones they said i would have to have a letter from the doctor saying that i only have home visits from her and i dont attend hospital appointments how stupid and cunning is that, I shall have to go or they will sanction me.

[electricjaws]

it really bugs me that they play this game!! if you are claiming a disability benefit then it is obviously best to do the reviews in a suitable building where there is disability access!! you don't have to be a member of mensa to work that out!!, I may be being paranoid ,I reckon they do it on purpose as some people won't question it and try to force themselves to do it making them have more pain and then they can say you can do more than you can ,or walk a bit further than you say, I am sure it Is done to test you

and another thing ,if you get someone who is really nice to you,DO NOT TRUST THEM!

they are being nice as they are trying to lure you into talking to them more as you may do if you feel relaxed, REMEMBER THEIR HIRED JOB IT TO TRY TO MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT GET THE BENEFIT!!!!

they could be being nice to your face but actually writing the complete opposite on there computer!!

I CALL THEM "SMILING ASSASSINS!!I

always ask for them to send you a copy of the report, you are entitled to it ,!!! then you will see what has been written about you

[electricjaws]

be careful w ith home visits , they have eyes in the back of their head and spend more time eyeing around your property ,than listening to you

I remember I had a "home visit" when I first got poorly with fibro etc, a man came to my house on a Saturday, back then, I live in a two bed bungalow with my partner, I was turned down that time and demanded to see the report and got a copy

apparently it seemed I lived alone??!! as there didn't seem to be any evidence to say otherwise!( if he had wanted to see evidence he could have asked for me to open my partners wardrobe! anyone with half a brain cell could see the home was occupied by a couple !!!)

unless I had started wearing mens shoes at a size 7, the ones my fella wears that live by the back door!

he had asked if there was a chance of making a coffee to which I replied there is water in the tap!!

my fella had a rowing machine and it was against the wall in the kitchen and dla man commented on it being a nice one , he asked how often I used it ( I said never as it is my boyfriends) and he gave a knowing smile,i could go on and on ,the rubbish he came up with, and I wrote and complained

I got a letter saying I would be hearing from them soon to do a re assessment ( that was 2005)

so I was bracing myself for that ,never hears anything

I left it about 4 months re- applied sent some paperwork from hospitals etc, and I never even got a phone call and I never got a assessment, and they gave me dla within that time and I had been awarded higher rate mobility indefinitely!!!)

oh and the funniest one that did actually make me and my fella laugh was this one " has the capability to look after a high maintenance pet"

guess what I had? bet your thinking,a great dane ,team of huskies, boa constricter???!!!

I HAD A FLIPPING HAMSTER!!!!

That about summed it up!!

[Wheeliekins]

First, all Maximus assessments are done in buildings that belong to the DWP. It's them, not Maximus, that are responsible for the premises. Second, by UK Law, gov.uk/government/uploads/s... all building must have a PEEP for casual visitors. In most DWP buildings, stairwells have 2 hour fire doors- with a respite area for disabled people so they do not need to go down 84 steps. If you are worried about egress, ask for help in securing your interview on the first floor. Third, I am a wheelchair user and I found easy parking for free around the corner and was seen within 10 mins of my appointment. If you want to get the best from your assessment, have evidence and have a good attitude... its not maximus who makes the decision about what happens to you, it's the DWP- and Maximus collects your info in the way both the DWP and government tell them to, so don't blame them. socialworkfuture.org/articl...