DWP

[sandwiches]

Went to sign on This morning. My advisor looked at my work booklet to see what jobs I had applied for during the past 2 weeks. She noticed that i written down the fact that I went to Transplant Clinic, she asked me why I go to Transplant clinic even thou she knows that i had a transplant. She thought, once you get a transplant you don't go back to hospital. I explained to her that I need to go regularly for the health of my kidney and also myself. she didn't seem to believe me. She doesn't think that I should be going to the hospital and I should be devoting more time to seeking work. I do volunteer work and do as much as possible to find work after being ill for the past 15 years. I was not happy with her as it was very negative of her to make such a assumption about my health. Has anyone had any negativity from their back to work advisor due to their illness? I would like to hear if anyone has.

[MiniKrose]

Perhaps when you do go to your Transplant Clinic it may be Helpful to ask them for some kind of Certificate that indicates that you did in fact attend that clinic when you said you did..

Also, in relation to the Visit you just had, to show you Disbelieving Back to Work Adviser that you did attend the clinic you may obtain a Certificate for that Visit... so that she dosent give you a hard time for something that you havent done wrong..

Just a couple of suggestions which I hope may help avoid further conflict with this adviser in the future..

[sandwiches in reply to MiniKrose]

I sometimes but not always get letters from the hospital about appointments. Sometimes it is a letter or an appointment from the receptionist by phone or in person. I have never thought of taking letters to the DWP about my hospital appointments as I don't think that I should have to have proof. Thanks for the suggestions. I will be taking all letters in the future.

[misty14]

Hi Sandwiches

These DWP advisors are unreal!. I 'd just like to say if you have any problems with them contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau who will help you. X

[sandwiches in reply to misty14]

Thanks for your reply. The CAB would be helpful if I have anymore problems. x

[charm81]

Hi I had my transplant in December but as I'm in the support group of ESA I don't have to see a back to work advisor yet. However as you are practically married to the hospital for the first 12 months post-kidney transplant I am not realistically thinking about seeking employment until 2016. Need to work on my physical strength and stamina before I even think about working. It's a major operation!

I'm currently volunteering and love it. Provides me structure to my day etc and preparation for work in my own time. A lot of people I'm working with are claiming JSA and they tell me awful stories about their experience at the job centre. Some advisors have no interpersonal skills whatsoever!

It might help to get a note from consultant or give her the literature they give you at the hospital following transplant.

I wish people had more understanding.

All the best x

[sandwiches in reply to charm81]

Thanks for your reply. I have already considered taking letters to my next signing on day to prove my hospital appointments. I had never thought of it. It's good to get advice from others. x

[charm81 in reply to sandwiches]

Did you see Dispatches on channel 4 on Monday. It was about the jobcentre and sanctioning. Interesting and distressing to watch. You can catch it on 4OD.

[sandwiches in reply to charm81]

Yes. I did watch Dispatches on channel 4. it wasn't surprising to hear about the sanctions. It makes me think if i spoke out of term to an advisor they would sanction me. I sometimes think that they make remarks to claimants so that they can cut your money off if you say some back to them. I have held my tongue on more than one occasion towards an advisor as they try and pick your brain for a arguement.

[stuartm25]

I agree with the other comment about getting written evidence from the hospital to back up your point.

lf she has actually made negative comments about essential hospital attendance you could perhaps ask for another work advisor. I am not in the same situation as you but my experience in the job centre was that a minority of staff were very helpful, a minority were very unhelpful and most were around average. I tried to speak with the helpful put up with the average and once I knew who were unhelpful would 'need' to go the toilet etc if I was being directed towards that person. I was concerned that medically unqualified staff had authority to make decisions about my entitIement to benefit. At one time I had a DEA (Disability Employment Advisor). There were two in my office. One was sullen and all life was governed inflexibly by the rulebook. The other tried to be as flexible as possible within the rules. I managed to make my availability for appointments coincide with the workdays of the kinder DEA.

[sandwiches in reply to stuartm25]

I sign on every two weeks so sometimes I have the same advisor or someone else. So I can't pick who is there. But as a friend said I should not tell them I go hospital, but I disagree as I am not hiding my illness from them. They have my information in front of them on their screen, so they should have some understanding about my illness. Some are helpful which is good, but some other advisors are not. they don't tell you what your rights are and what benefits you are entitled to. They like to see you beg for your entitlement even thou it is their job to help you.. Thanks for your reply.

[bluebell99]

I had a very kind advisor who could see I was struggling and put on her screen that I should not need to attend future appointments. I don't know what else she put on but shortly after I was moved to the support group.

She was trying to manage RA and working so was a lot more sympathetic and knowledgeable about chronic conditions. She acknowledged the help the Job Centre had given her with an ergonomic chair and work station and agreed that not many employers would be willing to take someone on who needed access to a disabled toilet, ergonomic furniture and maybe a lift. As she worked for the government, of course all this was provided.

I have wondered since if it was a ploy to give her a "front office" job to show that anyone with a disability could work. Perhaps it works, hard to say...

I would love to have a job again but not much chance at 62 with a myriad of auto-immune conditions, also fibromyalgia and severe spinal osteoarthritis. I can but dream........

[Diagnosed2012]

Hi Sandwiches, your awful DWP advisor must have been related to the Blue Badge assessor I met recently. And as stuartm25 says, it's worrying that medically unqualified staff are conducting assessments.

[sandwiches in reply to Diagnosed2012]

Maybe she needed to earn her bonus that month. Some of them think they have the power to diagnose others just by looking at them.