PIP home visit: I recently added my... - Fibromyalgia Acti...

Fibromyalgia Action UK

59,300 members66,355 posts

PIP home visit

Amazonian profile image
38 Replies

I recently added my renewal claim for PIP turned down . CAB told me to phone and tell them I wanted a review . I suffer from Fybromyalgia . Arthritis . Bipolar Disorder .Asmatha . Agoraphobia . During the home visit the " health care worker " spoke at length about herself . I know what her previous job was , her recent divorce . her kids names & where she lives . Not the type of information she should really share . Firstly she wasn't anything to do with health care before and only had brief training ( which she said , wasno adequate ) . My worry is this . 25 minutes of telling me all this and 5 minutes of me answering questions about my illnesses . Is this right ? Maybe she thought she was putting me at ease ( it didn't , I was really uncomfortable hearing about her divorce )....I eventually got a call back asking why I disagreed with the outcome . This man laughed at me several times until I finally asked " why are you laughing at me , I'm I distressed by your obvious disregard for my situation AND illnesses . So what is the point , do I give up ?

Written by
Amazonian profile image
Amazonian
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
38 Replies
angiesmith50 profile image
angiesmith50

NO NO NO NEVER GIVE UP

You are only trying to get what you are entitled to. These so called "health care" people only have 18 days of training. Your assessment sounds like a joke. Will you pm me as I would like to help you and give you some more info. x

Amazonian profile image
Amazonian in reply to angiesmith50

Hi Angie , thanks for the fast reply .

Amazonian profile image
Amazonian in reply to Amazonian

Just trying to work out where to PM

angiesmith50 profile image
angiesmith50 in reply to Amazonian

I'll pm you x

angiesmith50 profile image
angiesmith50

We also have our own benefit adviser on this forum. Someone from Admin will be along to post the details for you. There really is alot of help out there and they will show you where to go. I get my pip result today so I do understand what the stress is like x

Trikki profile image
Trikki in reply to angiesmith50

Best of luck today for a good result...let us know...fingers crossed for you xx

angiesmith50 profile image
angiesmith50 in reply to Trikki

Thank you Trikki x

angiesmith50 profile image
angiesmith50 in reply to Trikki

I got it. They awarded me pip. 😰😰 can't believe it. I was so fired up for a MR and then hearing amazonians story made me mad......well one down one to go. Got to fill In ESA capability for work form now. Why can they not just look at the information that PIP have and read docs notes. 😠😠 xx

Trikki profile image
Trikki in reply to angiesmith50

That is great news Angie....I am so pleased for you...you can relax now!! Does seem daft that you have to fill out yet more forms for ESA with almost the same questions.....I'm sure it is done to try and trick us!! xx

Amazonian profile image
Amazonian in reply to angiesmith50

So happy for you 🌟

rosewine profile image
rosewine in reply to angiesmith50

angiesmith50 so pleased for you. We have to jump through so many hoops we should be a performing dog in a circus. It is amazing how they can be "all joins up" if it is on their side but not if it is to our advantage. Good luck in negotiating the next obstacle.x

Kath1952 profile image
Kath1952 in reply to angiesmith50

So pleased for you xx

Robbie138 profile image
Robbie138 in reply to angiesmith50

That's great news, !! ☺️☺️

Xxx

Amazonian profile image
Amazonian in reply to angiesmith50

I hope you have a positive result today !!!

Trikki profile image
Trikki

That really is very bad....I do hope you get this all sorted very soon to your advantage...hang in there and push and nag!!! Take care x

Amazonian profile image
Amazonian

It's so nice to get these responses . Thank you

BlueMermaid3 profile image
BlueMermaid3

Hi there

Please find someone else to help you with your reconsideration.

The person currently "helping" you should not be telling you about her personal life. This is highly unprofessional.

Google (online) for a Disability Advocate to help you. You should be able to find one in your area.

You can also get in touch with our Benefits Adviser Janet. I will pop back and give you the link to her contact details.

Finally. NO! Do not give up. It's what the DWP are counting on.

Continue your fight and find some professional help.

Good luck and please let us know how you get on.

Wishing you less pain and more peace

Lu x

Administrator

** Here are Janet's contact details as promised:

healthunlocked.com/fibromya...

Amazonian profile image
Amazonian in reply to BlueMermaid3

Hi Lu , thank you , so refreshing to hear positivity , I always feel so guilty about benefits and such , I definitely do need better help & advice .I will google Disability Advocate now , thank you so much x

BlueMermaid3 profile image
BlueMermaid3 in reply to Amazonian

Please don't feel guilty. If we need help, we need help.

If you can't find a Disability Advocate in or near your town let me know and I will try to help you further.

Please do contact Janet as well.

Lu xx

Amazonian profile image
Amazonian in reply to BlueMermaid3

ok , thanks I will x

BlueMermaid3 profile image
BlueMermaid3 in reply to Amazonian

My apologies! I got a little confused. Who was the "health care worker"?

Please don't tell me that was the person doing your asssessment!! xx

Amazonian profile image
Amazonian in reply to BlueMermaid3

Yes it was ..

BlueMermaid3 profile image
BlueMermaid3 in reply to Amazonian

Good grief!! You need to complain about that. BUT please find someone to help you with your complaint.

That is disgraceful.

Please let me know how you get on looking for some help.

The CAB really don't have the funding to see you through the whole process xx

Amazonian profile image
Amazonian in reply to BlueMermaid3

I'm looking online , benefits/disability rights UK ? there are so many it's confusing .............

Amazonian profile image
Amazonian in reply to Amazonian

I'm going to have to leave it for now , very confused & not able to deal with it , Thanks so much everyone , I will calm down and try again xxx

BlueMermaid3 profile image
BlueMermaid3 in reply to Amazonian

Hiya

When you start looking again, let me know and I will private message you with some help.

Lu x

Admin

angiesmith50 profile image
angiesmith50

Utterly disgusting 😠😠😠😠 x

Furry profile image
Furry

Hi sorry to hear That this has happened to you, I am wondering if this may be a new tactic they are using. I had my assessment a few weeks ago and the same thing happened with the health professional . I wrote and complained, I wonder if they do this nonStop chatter to put you off, like you said you expect a bit of chat to put you at your ease but not that. They are there to do the assessment but I felt that at the end of it I knew lots more about the HP than they knew about me. Very unprofessional and Very confusing too! Please don't give up, that's what they want. Take care X

Kath1952 profile image
Kath1952

Don't give up, I did once and lost what i was entitled to, at the time i didn't know i had Fybro and basically they didn't believe i was in so much pain as my doctor at the time was treating me for severe restless legs and involuntary leg movements.

After learning that i had Fybro i put in for PIP and got it. It pays you to fight for what you are entitled to. it used to make me sick when i new people who had been claiming for years and there wasn't a thing wrong with them. You go for it xx. Good Luck 😉

Rose54 profile image
Rose54

Hi

Have a look at link if it works

atoshealthcare.com/pip/feed...

Their is a complaints procedure and from what you say if you complain they will not have leg to stand on as you have all the ammunition you need to make them listen to you .

I would also write to the DWP and alert them

Rose

Amazonian profile image
Amazonian in reply to Rose54

Hi Rose , thanks for your kind encouragement , I spoke with my Doctor , she is amazing , told me to ask them to phone her or give their details and she would phone them , amazing doc . I then phoned them and all I can say is , if you say black they will say white . So awkward , basically the said the doctor must respond point for point on my refusal for PIP renewal , it was too late to call doctor back , so tomorrow is another day . Totally exhausted & confused . Meds & bed .You guys are class , so glad to speak with people who understand . I've been living in a hazy bubble <3

Rose54 profile image
Rose54 in reply to Amazonian

Hi

I would still put in a complaint about how unprofessional assessor was .

They should never share personal private information about themselves with you.

They have a code of conduct to follow

Besides if it happened to you she will carry on doing it to others .

Rose

Keithotoole profile image
Keithotoole

Hi never give in to these idiots every body with fibro has to fight. One day they will have to believe us. Good luck with your fight.

rosewine profile image
rosewine

Amazonian that is disgusting treatment I know one of our other forum members had a similar experience she felt she knew more about the assessor than a friend by the time she had fnished telling her about herself. This means you had no time to explain how your illness affected you. I think that alone and that she had no medical qualifications woild be grounds for appeal.

I am not sure who did your assessment whether it was ATOS or Capita. The guidelines for Capita are "“All of Capita’s health professionals are qualified to carry out PIP assessments and undergo training according to the Department and Capita’s quality standard.

“DWP has provided guidance stating that PIP health professionals, who are made up of occupational therapists, nurses, physiotherapists, paramedics and doctors, are now required to share their specific professional background on the PIP report form.

“Capita has communicated this requirement to its employees and will continue to enforce it.”

That leads me to believe from that statement that all Capita employees should have a medical qualification.

To be honest thinking about it I remember the woman introducing herself as Jane to us but I can't remember her saying what her qualification was but to be honest I felt so ill that day that if she had said she was a qualified Martian I probably wouldn't have taken it in.

Let us know what happens, fingers crossed that the outcome is good.x

Amazonian profile image
Amazonian in reply to rosewine

Mine was a receptionist in a very small village practice until 2 months ago .......I used to work for AVX but I can't build computers lol ....have to laugh tonight because tomorrow starts this all over again xxx

rosewine profile image
rosewine in reply to Amazonian

Yes we have to be a bit like Scarlett O'HARA with this don't we.x

Oh God that is terrible ..how dare he laugh at you..he should be sacked for a start. PLEASE do not give up even though that's exactly what you feel like doing. I to suffer from fibromyalgia, arthritis and an underactive thyroid which adds to the fatigue and makes it so hard to lose weight.I've suffered from mental health problems for years but I'm glad to say I no longer suffer as badly as I once did with agoraphobia . I never left the house in 10 years unless I had been sectioned and was forcibly removed ..that was 9 years ago and I'm glad to say my life is completely different now. I wanted you to know there is hope and you can overcome your problems . In the meantime though you fight for your benefits you are entitled to have a quality of life and the extra money can help you while you fight to be well. If you don't already have one ask your GP for a cpn. They can refer you and the CPN can talk on your behalf and explain the effect your illness has on your day to day life. You could have recorded the home visit then you would have had proof of what happened . You would have had to inform them before recording it but it certainly would have proven how inadequate the meeting was. You're also correct she shouldn't have discussed any of her personal life..that was not what she was there for. I have researched a lot about what to expect when my assessment happens .It's certainly made me feel more able to face it when it does finally happen. I would advise you do the same. I believe you can get a review as the first assessment wasn't carried out correctly by the woman spending most of the time discussing her personal life. If you are able get someone to be with you when you have the next meeting .I wish you all the best for the future and keep fighting ..never ever give up.

TheAuthor profile image
TheAuthor

Hi Amazonian

I have to agree with your other respondents as this is awful and totally unacceptable behaviour from both the assessor and the man on the phone! As the others have said please get some professional help for dealing with this and I want to sincerely wish you all the best of luck my friend. Please take care of yourself.

All my hopes and dreams for you

Ken

You may also like...

capita doing home visit for PIP

will i be asked. i tried to be as honest as possible when completing the form and wrote about both...

Had my pip home visit

I'm having a home visit for PiP and don't know what to do, prepare, say etc.

a phone call. I was so surprised that I didn't ask questions. The meeting is on Thursday 22nd Jan...

ATOS home visit refused

else I can do, or offer advice on the medical I am about to face?

Esa home visit assessment lasted 10-15minutes

assessment after waiting nearly 2 years & the health worker asked me a handful of questions nothing...