Just had a text through to go for an assessment on the 30th which I can’t make as in work! I’m so nervous about this? Anyone else been for a face to face assessment and what does it intail?
Pip assessment : Just had a text... - Fibromyalgia Acti...
Pip assessment
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Gemmaoxo
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Hi Gemma. Are you sure that this isn't a compulsory thing and that you HAVE to go. I have mine coming up soon too with UC. They want to do one even though I am on PIP.
I'm signed off work until Dec 2024 yet UC want their own assessment and I have to provide fit notes every 3 months to UC which is absolutely ridiculous.
Please check. I think it's mandatory. Best wishes. 👌
Oh I didn’t realise it was mandatory. I will have to see what work does from here. I know it’s so silly isn’t it. You just need so much proof these days and so much bloody messing around. Can’t get my head around it tbh!
The best thing to do is ask if you can rearrange as you're in work. I had a face to face assessment in 2018. I was a nervous wreck but the assessor was a nurse and he was very nice. However, when I got my letter (I was successful) he described my every movement from when my name was called, how I stood, walked, breathed etc. He told me that as I had taken hospital consultants letters with me with confirmed diagnosis for over 5 years and the printed prescription lists that come with our medication it made their decision easier. The more professional input you take the less they have to think about. Fingers crossed for you 🤞
Your right sending or taking professional diagnosis and test results are always the best bet. Keep a file of all your medical reports hospital letters and test results. Having them all in one hand place for reference is a lot easier when you get a request for information there is no panic as you have it all to hand. Send take copies keep the originals .
Hi Gemma. I'm not 100 percent sure it's mandatory best to check it really. If I miss my monthly call with UC they dock some of the money I get. So I'd imagine if you have an appointment with PIP, you need to keep it. Hope all is well x
Hi Gemma. Without the assessment you are unlikely to get an award. Also it should b treated like an medical appt for work purposes so should be able to take the time off. I had an assessment over the phone last week for PIP and it was just a lot of questions about your activities of daily living. How you manage on a day to day basis. Tell them about the worst times and not so much about the good days. They are not there to question your illness or to try and trick you up and they don't diagnose anything.
You've got this. Do t be worried about it.
Hi, Just to say I agree, rules are in place for a reason, if you are sending in Fit to work certificates then UC need to realise this and what they are for. 2. If you are doing "some hours" to ease you back into work and it clashes then you can ask for a reschedule that fits in with YOU.
What would have happened if you had a hospital appointment at the same time? If you had been waiting for it for some time then what "fixes you first" comes first.
You also have to remember that anything coming from PIP's or UC is FOR AN ACCESS TO BENEFITS. Recently from the Upper Tribunal in London, I have asked about assessments and assessment company's, and the supporting evidence used by them. Mainly because these reports are being "signed" Manager, Office Manager or any thing except the name of the person requesting it or when the report is sent to the decision maker and asked for a copy whether it is a document legal? The answer is NO. If its a review especially for UC your medical evidence is put onto a CENTRAL COMPUTER, where any of the 6 benefits can extract information from including Sickness benefits, housing allowance, council tax, loans you have as they also have access to your bank account. You have when filling out ESA50 PIP's 2 or others being asked for permission to use this information provided by any other government department as long as THEY THINK IT IS NECESSARY? as approved by the Secretary of State? Which means any government department, unless you sign a disclaimer that says you can't use it. They still use it and state they lost documents or did not reply in time ( YOU) all information sent is recorded delivery and signed for, when you quote the tracker number there is always the " new person" in the office that placed it in the wrong file? RUBBISH, a central computer for UC? Another fault is that we require a new assessment where a small medical may take place? It is an access to benefits not a medical that bis why you supply Medical certificates from people that are REGISTERED ON AN APPROPIATE REGISTER, show me the decision makers or the assessors qualifications that would allow them to read you medical history let alone understand the interaction of medication or whether the medication taken is a "fix" or just a relief because of a flare up or whether an operation would also do the same, Fix or relief? The reports coming from the assessors ACCORDING TO THE UPPER TRIBUNALS AND CAPITA AS RECOMENDATIONS ONLY since they are not signed and even if giving a full name and title of doctor, nurse, paramedic or HCP they do not show the register they are registered on.
I have a case with the Upper Tribunal in London to provide me with the supporting evidence used to asses me and they stated we used the HCP report? What they did not state was which one? Mine are on headed paper and show all the necessary information for it to be used, theirs's doesn't.
Their report is unsupported and so was thrown out and where my medical evidence was overlooked has to be used.
Check you letter, ring them and ask them what its for, and if it doesn't suit you then reschedule. They are supposed to be helping you and be supportive not cause you problems, especially if you are trying to get back into work or have waited for treatment for some time. I have had threats of removal of benefits because of this while they check. Ask for their full name and will be applying to the head of department as to the reason you gave for stopping benefits, and you want a copy of this conversation sent to you.
These are my opinions, BUT this is what is happening to all of us not just you. There is NOT one rule for you and another for them, its called data protection.....
Hi Gemma,
I’ve got a assessment on 30th March too but via phone!
Are you taking someone with you?
Xx
Hi Gemma. I too have my first PIP assessment on 29th. But by telephone. I am really nervous. I have an appointment with my Rheumatologist on 28th for results of a brain/spine MRI. Although he has diagnosed me with Fibro. He thinks there is something else underlining.
Good luck with your assessment.
Be sure if and when you attend that if you need any support or adaptations made in order for you to attend that you request it. Don't try to struggle or manage to do something that you are unable to do x
I have asked for a over the phone appointment now as I am currently being treated for sleep apnea which is really bad at the mo. I’m struggling to do anything so will find it easier not to go there but to stay at home and do it over the phone! I hope they accept this for me😞
Hi, you are allowed to ask for a change of appointment on the first offer of assessment appointment, but you can only cancel one, so make sure you make the 2nd appointment or you have to re-apply. There's nothing to stress about, it's a health professional assessment, so like seeing any nurse. Just be honest, they will ask about the majority of days, exaggeration causes doubt if it doesn't fit with your daily activity and level of treatment.If you don't go, you won't be assessed and won't be awarded, that simple. You can ask for a telephone assessment but need to be clear why you need it. There is a paper based assessment, usually kept for terminal claimants and limited, so you probably won't qualify for that.
The staff who do the assessment are health professionals, and like all doctors and nurses, some are nice and others are not as they are human.
They will ask questions about day to day and what your difficulties are, and there is a physical examination bit but it's just things like standing, squatting etc and no physical contact, you don't need to get undressed or anything like that
My assessment showed more restrictions that I thought I had, due to how I have adapted to my disability to keep my independence. Try not to stress, you will probably find you had nothing to worry about once you get there. Hugs.
Hi Gemma. How did it go with your assessment. I had mine on 29th by phone. But also saw my Rheumatologist on 28th for results which ended up not good. He said I have Severe Fibro plus Multiple lesions on the Brain in keeping with MS and moving onto my spine MRI shows spondylitis of the lumber discs with nerve entrapment. I discussed all of this during my telephone pip assessment but I suppose there job being such a robotic exercise the assessor just replied with next question!!I do hope your outcome is fair from your assessment and wish all my fellow suffers low pain days and gentle hugs 💜
Hi Gemma. Basically be honest about how your disability affects you. Some people may need more help and aids if they live alone with minimal support. Firstly I was asked to explain how my condition affects me like preparing a meal/washing dressing/and walking. She asked how often the flares happen and when was the last one. When she asked about my mobility I gave her the measurements from my front door to back. 9.5metres And said I could walk that very slowly but then rest before repeating. She finally asked what my last 3 occasions of leaving my home which were all dr or hospital appointments. I found her to be OK but little to no empathy for my condition. It seemed like a robotic exercise for her.
Hopefully you will get someone who has a compassionate side.
I received a tx message from DwP today just to say they have received my assessors report and will let me know the outcome within the next 8 weeks. I will phone possibly early next week to request my report xx hope this helps in some way.
Oh wow I’m so nervous about this. Honestly I don’t know I will cope if they get funny about it. I work aswell so I don’t know how this is going to go in my favour to be honest. Feeling so lost and have just been to the doctor and they have now put me on antidepressants as I’m just not coping with things well at the moment. Thanks for your reply x
Hi Gemma Please don’t get nervous. I was asked at the beginning if anyone was with me. So maybe you could have a friend sit with you to prompt if they think you are forgetting to include anything. Take the call in your stride at your own pace. Because you are working I’m sure your questions will be different to mine. You will prob be asking the amount of time it takes to get ready/dressed/travel. Or any probs that may affect you when at work such as pain/fatigue.
You will be fine I’m sure 💜
Hi Gemma. Have you managed to request a copy of your recent pip telephone assessment yet. I rang for mine 6 days post assessment and received it 2 days later. Reading through mine the assessor has scored me favourably, and I cannot pick out any discrepancies. I will just have to wait until I receive the decision letter to see if it reads the same. I hope you are coping well.
Hi GemmaDid you get your PIP award. I received my letter yesterday allowing me enhanced living and standard mobility. I am so pleased. I really hope you had a favourable result x hope you are keeping well with minimal pain x
I haven’t had anything back yet, but I rang them and they said it’s gone through to the legal side and should hear within the next 3 weeks. Is that a good thing or? I’m so pleased for you!!x
I had requested my report 1 week after my assessment and I could tell from that the award I was getting. But it still took a further 9 weeks to get the decision through on paper. If you requested your report you will be able to work out your scores yourself while looking for any mistakes they may have done.
Hopefully you will hear very soon x
I’m to worried to look at it😩 I’ve since fractured my hip which I’ve rang and reported on the assessment to x
Ohh God. Hope your managing OK. That’s all you need on top of everything else. I’m sure your award will be fine 🤞
I’m just in so much pain! I’m being investigated for osteoporosis as the doctor said at my age there is no way u can just wake up with a hip fracture! I just hope I get awarded pip as it will help me with all the loss of earnings x
Oh Gemma. I am so sorry to hear this news. Will they do a further assessment quickly or is it back to square one again and have to re.apply. It is truly disgusting that these assessors can lie on these so called reports. And their supposed to be the professionals 😡 I am so upset for you x
She just asked me all the questions again and if I agree or disagree, and reasons why, so I disagreed only all but one of them and then gave my reasons why so hopefully with further evidence of medication and gp visits it will be enough! It’s so frustrating how they can just shove you away the way they do, I said to the lady on the phone “ I can’t believe how much they have lied on my report”…. She said “unfortunately my love your not the only one to say this and we do get a lot of people complaining about the lies on the written reports”…. How can the score me 0 for all of them when the majority I need help with, I just can’t believe it x
Hopefully that will go straight to the decision maker to be re- evaluated as a matter of Urgency. When I sent my initial forms back. I had a letter from DWP 4 weeks later saying sorry no award. I rang them straight away and said I’ve never had an assessment. They said sorry we will put your forms through again and my assessment following 3 weeks later. Hopefully yours will go through quickly. You will still get back payment to when you first applied. 🤞
Oh brilliant I didn’t know that! So did u have to appeal yours then?x
I didn’t go through any appeals. Only that phonecall I made to them saying I had not had an assessment. When my decision letter arrived last week it did say on it Manditory reconsideration. I did wonder why!!
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