I requested a copy of the report which was sent to the DWP by the Dr in the assessment. I was horrified at the information on the report. Either the Dr is a very malicious liar or he's got me mixed up with someone else. More than 70% on the form was a complete fabrication. I remember him asking if I watched TV and I said, not really I'm not much of a TV person. I occasionally watch CSI. I told him about how the Fibro affects me and explained that it's not possible to predict what tomorrow will be like. He kept insisting that I tell him how many days a week are good days. On the report, he wrote that when I wake up in the morning, I have a bath, brush my teeth, make breakfast and watch CSI for two hours!! I was horrified.
I remember telling him that I had to stop working in May last year, it was really difficult because I enjoyed my job and it gave me financial independence because I was earning above average salary. In his report, he states that I informed him that I stopped working several years ago. He also had 4 pages of physical examinations he claimed he conducted including flexing my joints in the knee, elbows etc. as well as inspecting my face for the butterfly rash ( which he said was absent). I'm a black woman, you'll have to come pretty close to see the butterfly rash. If he had come that close to me in the assessment I would have punched him in the face. On that basis, I know he did not look for anything.
I told him about having endometriosis stage 4, the terrible symptoms I have and the subsequent number of surgeries I've had, including a bowel resection, ileostomy and reversal. I told him I had my rectum and part of my colon removed and since then, my bowels don't function anymore. I explained that I use either laxatives, enema or a colonic irrigation kit every day or at least 4 times a week. His report said I had abdominal problems and use an enema once a month!!! Once a month??? So what happens for the rest of the month? Don't i go to the toilet?? There are so many lies that I could write for days
After reading the report, my first emotion was anger. I was so angry my right leg wouldn't stop shaking uncontrollably. I was angry at the bare faced lies he had told and very angry because knowing me, I was not going to allow him to get away with it; ergo sitting down for hours and writing a report of my own which will address every single lie on the report and attaching medical reports from my consultants as supporting evidence. I spent the whole day on it, and by the end of the day I was so exhausted and in so much pain, my fingers were virtually numb. Why do we have to be subjected to all this nonsense? In my report I asked that why would I leave a job that pays up to £55K per annum to stay at home in isolation and barely survive on £72 a week??! It doesn't make any sense. I requested that the information I submitted to correct his lies should be enough evidence to support my claim that I need to be moved to the support group. I want to get back to work more than they know, but I understand the difficult and complex nature of my medical conditions so I listen to the doctors and most important, I listen to my body.
Apart from the report, Ive also written a formal complaint about the Dr who did the assessment. During the whole process his attitude was very bulling and rather disrespectful. The fact that I'm sick and disabled does not mean I've lost my mind. When he looked at my medical reports, he told me point blank that he doesn't believe one person can have so many health issues. When I mentioned Chronic fatigue and explained how it affected me, including the fact that the effects of endometriosis plus the many surgeries make my fatigue worse, he told me; "I'm not buying that". I didn't even know what to say in response to him. What did he mean by he's not buying that??
He looked at my medication and questioned why I was taking such strong pain medication (Morphine and Fentanyl 75). According to him such medication is prescribed for people with late stage cancer. By this time I was quite furious! I was tired, I was flustered and in pain. I asked him if he thought my consultants were wrong to give me those medication. I asked him where he thought I got the drugs from, the streets or over the counter? He said he's also a consultant, so I asked what kind of Dr he was and he said he's a psychiatrist. So I asked him that is he telling me that as a psychiatrist he knows better than the consultant colorectal surgeon, the neurologist, pain management specialist and the host of consultants who were taking care of me. By then I was ready to rip him to shreds with my bare hands.
I'm going to send the report to the dispute resolution team in Stratford, a scanned copy to the email of the DWP Director ( a helpful site on the Internet has information for people like me who are tired of being treated like idiots) my very helpful local MP and any other organisation or group I can find online who champion the cause of people with disabilities and mental health issues. I am sick and tired of having to beg for everything and being treated like a second class human being. I've had enough.
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LadyPenelope
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Appalling, I really feel for you. Good luck with getting this all resolved. I hope you are OK and not suffering too much physically as a result of having to deal with this. x
Hi good for you sock it to them.
They make so many lies up plus i'd have screamed rape! or something if found he wasn't a doctor and touching me as how the **** has a psychiatrist got to do with internal organs and medicine? if that's the case could get a job as a rocket scientist as have a hammer and screwdriver or a politician as have a shovel!
go for it. That sounds appalling. Try to keep calm through the process. ranting rarely helps, though don't hold back how demoralised and upset you feel
My PIP was much the same, even the name of the examiner was different to the name that she gave.
Good luck and see if the CAB can help. there is also The Benefit and Works site.
Benefitsandwork.co.uk
They may be able to help,
Sue
OMG! These people just seem to get really power crazy. He would have deserved that punch in the face. Why's a psychiatrist doing a physical assessment anyway? Go get 'em girl!
Omg that is just like me I've just had my letter what said I've not been awarded any points & in the drs mind I am able to do 16/more hours a week if still work but as a dinner lady in a school playground he also asked me if j watched TV & if I could drive I said I had learned to drive but never past my test what's that gut to do with it it's was 20odd yrs ago I also told I wasn't thick as he was asking such stupid questions he's put in the form I sometimes get fibromyalgia I don't sometimes get it I've got it I've rang up the ppl & they have rang me back & took more information off me I said this so called dr don't even know me so how can he say what I'm like after I finish my hour a day & everyday is different he just sat @ the computer typing away my blood pessure was up but he didn't put that down in form he even said I can make toast only cause I said if I don't feed myself I'd starve where do they get off these ppl who think they know best there not in our body I now have the task of trying to get some money to help me live as I'm on my own I should be retiring in July but the government have even changed that I hope you get yours sorted too gentle hugs I'm now off to go C.A.B to help me ? Xxx
Ask for a reassessment and the assessment be voice recorded if they don't correct it.
I had an assessment for dla and the dr wanted to give me an internal without. Chaperoned I reported him to my mo and there was a lot of complaints similar made against him. He also ignored my arthrieties etc. my problems not internal.
Irwin Mitchell helps people with disabilities they are one if many on disability rights website. Or arthrieties uk could help you with their advocates?
Hi, well you said it all in a nutshell! I'm sure these so called health professionals are told to make up or omit any information which may support a claim.
I to had to give up a much loved career due to Endometriosis that was in 2012 and now 2015 still have not got treatment for sciatic pain caused by Endo in a deep muscle.
The added difficulty for me is I have been nursing for 10 years previous to becoming ill and the amount of times I have tried to be fobbed off by doctors is disgusting so I really do not know how anyone gets a diagnosis.
My job was to assess patients every day so having a DWP assessment did not worry me until I had the results back from my ESA......0 POINTS!
From that moment on I knew the assessment process was a farce and it was not to help but to stop people getting benefits.
I set my case out on the telephone and was awarded the support Group for a year.
It is now 7 months later. I had my PIP assessment in January again 0 points even though they had agreed I needed a home assessment.
I sent my 15 page appeal to tribunal off last week explaining all the errors in the report and correcting the wrong information so watch this space!
I am just letting you know this because I cannot stand the injustice happening to the most vulnerable people in our society.
Any ill person cannot manage on ESA alone. Please keep fighting because you should be entitled to this help.
Smiling Vipers is what I call these people not health professionals as it is a complete insult to any competent health professional in our health service.
The people who carry out these assessments are not always Drs, mine was a paramedic who could not spell and wrote down anything other than the answers I gave him, it was as if the report had been written about someone else! I am taking it to an appeal now.
I have lots of medical issues and am currently having 6 months of chemo for a lung condition, that was not even mentioned in the report, it is a disgrace, I do not need all this additional stress.
Oh heck, I'm awaiting my ESA appointment. Like you Vickytorias I have had to give up nursing (nearly 40yrs). I was fully prepared to continue until 65 but my body had other ideas. I'm not proud and would be happy clearing tables in a cafe/restaurant but again my body won't let me!
What has watching TV got to do with it, maybe they are assessing your concentration!
Well done Lady Penelope, sounds to me like you have got this sorted. But why should you have to go through all this when life is hard enough!
Some of the assessors are nurses, I remember some of my colleagues going for interviews but returning and saying little but none went to work there. I'm sure they have targets to work to as I did in my job. I used to say "I'm dealing with people and not selling beds" if a call takes longer than planned, that's how long it takes. I was never top of the league tables!
Well said! It is disgraceful how people are treated by these Assessors the report submitted by the man who did my assessment bore no resemblance to what happened during the assessment luckily I had my daughter with me through out the whole thing and she also wrote a complaint when we read what had been written about me. I despair of a system that allows people to lie blatantly on such an important document.
I wish you well with your complaint and I guess subsequent appeal ( a word of advice make sure to take someone who knows you well with you) xx
Same thing happened to me so many lies on report if my name hadn't been on it I would have thought it was about someone else failed mandatory reconsideration now waiting for appeal to be heard if I don't win don't know what I am going to do I'm married but my husband is also disabled so can only work part time don't think we will be able to claim very much all this worry is making me even more ill why can't these people just believe what we tell them I'm wondering if they are on bonus
Oh you go girl! This really makes my blood boil and, to be honest, it puts me off trying to claim. I wish you all the luck n the world in your quest for justice. Just a thought but have you considered involving 38 Degrees? It's the sort of injustice that members are likely to get behind. If you've not come across them before their website is:
This makes me so furious, Lady Penelope. It won't be any consolation to you but if I had a pound for every person who said their report was full of lies and they didn't recognise from their assessment then I'd be a rich woman. The sad truth is they have been paid millions to strike thousands of people off benefits by fair means or foul (usually foul) and they get away with it. This system has got worse under his government who have bought the US style system of disability denial factories. It's a shame you didn't ask for it to be recorded beforehand because that is your right. But yes, do complain to your MP and anyone else you can. It is only by doing this that people get removed , eventually. As for the butterfly rash, that is for lupus, so he didn't even know the basics.
Thank you so much for coming out in your numbers to support me. I'm so overwhelmed by your love and concern. I really hope it all goes well. I'm divorced and don't have any other source of income or family. I never in my wildest imaginations ever thought this could happen to me. Im too young to 'retire' as a result of ill health. This whole process is really stressing me out. More stress means more pain. I haven't slept in 48 hours. What goes around always comes around. Those horrid DWP people will get what is coming to them. Thank you for always being there for me. The family I never had. Lots of love. XXX
OMG! I am furious for you! this is the exact reason I still haven't had the courage to claim for benefit help as they call us liars and make us feel small. I get treated like a freak at my work place so what chance do I stand in front of these people?
I want to give you the strength to fight their very incorrect information and stay strong, please let us know how you get on.
So very sorry you had to experience all of the hassle's just trying to receive help for this disease! I am proud you are standing your ground and pray that this will be resolved soon in your favor! I would turn that Dr. in to the Board! Please try to stay calm when dealing with these moron's as we all have been down this road! I love this site as I read it daily just to remind myself that all of us are not crazy! I will be keeping a eye on your posts and praying for you daily as prayers are always answered! You have a good site with wonderful people to help you!
Sorry you had to go through this but this unfortunately seems to be the norm.
It really frustrates me that they have these so called benefits in place to help disabled people, but then make it so difficult for claimants, even though most have paid into the system for years.
My situation was very similar to yours, I eventually went to tribunal and was awarded DLA, and then got PIP at enhanced rate for both elements.
I remember my husband saying, I should give up as it was making me more ill, but I am stubborn and so are you by the sounds of it, so don't give up.
We will never give in to those bastards. Will will not give up until we are six feet under. At that point. I will lose my eyes and rest in peace. Until then, the battle continues....,
Hi all, I wanted to say thank you for all the support 😀 I hope my message inspires others to fight the same way because it's not fair how we are all being treated. Imagine if you were to have confusion, learning difficulties or memory problems, how do these people fight?
I know some have said they are scared to appeal but there is support out there and if we don't who will ? I definitely agree with Lady Penelope's view above!
BTW I am awaiting a tribunal date now and should know within two weeks ish.
Still no nearer getting better but this fight is keeping me going so watch this space!
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my forms have gone missing from ATOS AND DWP!!!!
just been to esa tribunal , now the wait for decision
I would like some advice please, I have Osteoarthritis in my back and had an Atos medical
failed work capability assessment
fat people only get fibro
