DWP and benefits during a challenge against a fit-for-work test

[PMRpro]

theguardian.com/society/201...

I thought I would bring this article to general attention in case people hadn't heard about it. I hope it is helpful to someone in this situation.

[eekt]

It's a little-known fact that the DWP will ask GPs for a report* on any claimant to 'substantiate claims' of an health conditions....the Jobcentre/DWP will deny this happens:

"In addition, the Access to Medical Reports Act 1988 does not apply to reports for benefit purposes and you do not have to discuss with or show the information to the patient before you send it."

ie it's all secret, and a claimant has no way of disputing the GP's view....because they don't even know there is one ! 😜

Consent is given in a catch-all 'data sharing' clause in a claim form.

There is however a clause called 'embarrassing information': "Any reports which you provide should not contain inappropriate personal remarks or suspicions of malingering which cannot be substantiated" 😎 😋

...as well as a great tip for GPs in general: "If you would like to offer your opinion, please make sure it is supported by factual evidence." 😵 😀 😂

Thanks for sharing the news story PMRPro! 😘 What a terrible country we live in...roll on meaningful vote number 3.. xxx

*gov.uk/government/publicati...

[Foggyme in reply to eekt]

Great information eekt. ****, *********, sneakiness knows no bounds!

Saved for future reference.

[eekt in reply to Foggyme]

HEY it's me that does the swearing...I'm still chuckling at your 'sh*t of view' to lupus typo (I think ! ) in your post yesterday! xxx

[Foggyme in reply to eekt]

Yes. I holwled with laughter when I saw it. It was an AutoCorrect… And probably the first time ever that AutoCorrect has chosen a more apt word.

I did feel obliged to change it when I spotted it, though it was a much better word choice (given the circumstances) and I dearly would have liked to have left it in.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣xx

[PMRpro in reply to Foggyme]

I'm disappointed - didn't see it ...

[Foggyme in reply to PMRpro]

Was a corker...will replicate here for your amusement...later...out walking

[Foggyme in reply to PMRpro]

PMRpro. Well, here it is...

It's not the case that the new rheumatologist (one of the top autoimmune disease specialist in the U.K.) veiwed a sh*t of diagnosis to Lupus based on the the presence of neurolgical symptoms...

Changing shift to sh*t is the most brilliant and apt autocorrect ever!!

I fear that autocorrect is beginning to read my mind...🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[PMRpro in reply to Foggyme]

Thanks for the laugh - absolutely love it!!! I find one can be quite explicit using the shift key ...

[eekt in reply to eekt]

Breaking: the Speaker has denied a 3rd meaningful vote....good old King James VI, eh!

[PMRpro in reply to eekt]

I wonder why ....

[eekt in reply to PMRpro]

We had proper government back in 1604!

[PMRpro in reply to eekt]

There is an article about all the names for Parliaments - found it:

theguardian.com/commentisfr...

It must be said - we do live in INTERESTING times. I could accept a bit of boredom though ...

[eekt in reply to PMRpro]

...either 'Boredom' (by The Buzzcocks) or......Anarchy in the UK...where did I put my Denis the Menace jumper... !

[Foggyme]

PMRpro. Shocking. Even more shocking - I'm not surprised 🤬.

Thanks for posting - saved for future reference 😐.

[PMRpro in reply to Foggyme]

I know - nothing surprises me any more when it comes to the UK ...

[Foggyme in reply to PMRpro]

😱😱🤬🤬

[Hidden]

This is what made me so paranoid about comments from my neurologist about “heightened health awareness” and functional disorders.

The PIP claim form requires you to include 3 named health professionals whom they can contact to confirm things we have described. I named my GP, my rheumatologist and my previous neurologist.

Since then I’ve read guidelines to neurologists and to ENTs (re patients being seen for balance disorders) looking for signs of malingering for the purposes of benefit claims. If our doctors know we are trying to claim then if our diagnoses aren’t cut and dry in relation to stated impact - the possibility of being thought a malingerer looms large. Well it does or me anyhow.

[eekt in reply to Hidden]

Hit the nail on the head TT, given many folks have years of uncertainty on the diagnostic odyssey - and studies show unemployment rates of over 50% in SLE - I'd imagine some face a double-whammy of being dismissed by doctors PLUS being treated as malingerers by the DWP ! ....make that a triple: having appropriate support from neither xxx

[Lupiknits]

Thanks PMRpro. Classic “making it clearer” are weasel words. They knew what they meant. Having ministers order it is a give away.

I didn’t realise about GP reports and PIP. That explains my confusion when my GP was furious when I told him they’d reduced my PIP

[PMRpro in reply to Lupiknits]

I think that is a lot of the problem - people are NOT aware of the regulations that the gubmint obviously would like to bury so they don't know their rights. That is why it is such a good idea to ask for help/advice on filling the forms in.

[Lupiknits]

Hope mine’s OK. There are lots of consultants letters attached plus all my meds listed. The PIP submission for Tribunal has been undertaken by a Welfare Rights Officer.

My new-since-last PIP GP hasn’t seen a great deal of me. The practice refers all to rheumy saying, rightly, they do not have the expertise