Hi everyone! Are these reviews taking longer now, or what? What’s normal’ across the country. I do know they received it but they just don’t realise what stress this causes. 🤬
Also, is everyone still having problems seeing their GP. Our practice seem to be in hiding. Nic xx
My GP practice are very good at providing on the day phone calls, but largely are still hiding behind the Covid situation. Receptionists and nurses are working F2F and have been doing so throughout the pandemic.
Yes Mmrr, same here. Is this the new normal? Our Practice have actually said on Facebook that nothing has changed and they are seeing people F2F. My prolapsed disc was a pulled muscle & my sprained ankle was a broken 5th metatarsal, both diagnosed over the phone. The local hospital hate our surgery as they send everyone to A&E now. (I’m a WASPI too & have just received my first payment, so officially an OAP now)! xx
There are some, many, medical conditions that simply cannot be diagnosed over the phone.The art of medicine begins with observation, kinda hard to do on the phone.
My hypertensive medication was upped over the phone by my self monitoring and reporting a significant rise. I'm kinda happy enough, as an ex nurse , I can take a BP, but I don't think this would have happened pre pandemic, I would have been given an appointment and my BP checked.
You cannot justify nurses seeing patients F2F whilst Drs hide behind the phone.
Not sure what is happening but I and may be your good self and others were initially given extensions only to have them taken back and forms for reviews/ assessments sent. So wonder if there is now or will be this backlog of new applicants, reviews, assessments. I totally agree with you over the stress it causes, I have spent all my time since the envelope dropped on my door mat trying to contact GP, get the info I need without setting foot in the surgery, photo copying documents, photos and with little time or energy left to look after myself. The forms arrived 10 days after the date on the top of the forms and with delays in getting my mail here only adds to the pressure. Same with GP's here can have telephone consult but face to faces only after triaging by receptionists and also a GP phone consultation if they feel it is necessary. So I hope you hear soon from DWP and more importantly it is favourable and that you can somehow get on with life which we should be allowed to without all this blinking stress. Sending you my best wishes and keeping my fingers crossed, now back to my photocopying of stuff for them....grrrr. Take care xx
Hi Pippy. Yes, I had an extension swiftly followed by a review letter. It’s just not fair, is it? I’m lucky that I have A4 files from the year dot but not all people have room to keep all their documents let alone access to a photocopier or anywhere that can do copies for you. Our Post Office has closed but even they charge for copies. Anyone would think that DWP don’t want us to bother claiming! They certainly make things as hard as possible. There must be so many people who just give up. ☹️😢
I totally hear what you are saying and I'm sure they know this. I'm sorry that the momentary relief of an extension was whipped away from you too, I do try to keep stuff and like you would advise others to. Although with my house move things have got a bit neglected in the filing paperwork department of late.
Who 🤷🏽♀️ knows where DWP are concerned. Don’t start me on GPS . Waited 8 weeks for a telephone appointment needed a blood test told to make a follow up appointment. 1 week later ringing every day can’t get an appointment fir live nor money . Each time it takes over an hour fir call to be answered. Feel like it’s a full time job just getting care .
Don't get me started on Consult was going to be 24/7 then 7 to 6 now its 8.30 to 4,30 and only weekdays as someone here said if I'm my own GP can I claim part of their salary ? lol I do understand its difficult but surely they have all been jabbed etc and dentists and opticians are back. Consult is a huge form and invariably it says call Medoc or 111 or go to A&E just why ?
I think someone mentioned previously on this forum about the fact we could sit in a pub or restaurant with our GP, get our hair cut in the same salon...we could even watch the Euro football match with them and soon be able sit in a venue or dance the night away with them in a night club, but somehow cannot sit in a practice room with them. I saw my optician last week and I totally get their stance on continuing to work wearing masks, PPI, sanitising and asking patients to do the same on entering as, their work requires them to get very close to people. It's the closest I've been to someone since March 2020! So I'm a bit stumped as to why face to face appointments with double jabbed, patients who are willing to continue to follow the wearing of a mask, sanitising and any other procedures to enter the surgery is so difficult.
I don't know why some people are having such problems with their GPs. The arrangements for my surgery now seem to be identical to pre-Covid. It seems some surgeries are really badly organised.My surgery were already doing screening by phone (by 'Patient Assistants' who are the receptionists who have had some extra training) who then arranged for a F2F that day with Nurse Practitioner or GP, or telephone consultation that morning, with being called in if required the same day. It's a nuisance for us patients that you have to wait in for a phone call, but otherwise works really well and means no waiting several days for an appointment.
The only problem with this is for the people who don't like, or can't, use a phone, who used to go down to the surgery in person. But I've have noticed that a few are still doing this and either returning later, or waiting to be seen. So they are being flexible.
The other problem is that there is no way to book a follow up appointment except on the day. The only pre-booked appointments are for things like blood tests and screening/long term illness follow up.
Hi Oldtimer. Where do you live? I’m moving house! 🤣🤣
I sent off my PIP review forms a few weeks ago and got a phone call this week to clarify some things and they said I’d hear back very soon. Much quicker than I expected it to be.
I’ve been waiting over 10 weeks now. I’m just hoping it won’t be much longer. ☹️
Wow that’s longer than mine. I hope you hear soon. Maybe you had more changes than me so it might need more reviewing 🤞🏻
Morning, my pip was sent may still waiting dead line is 28th July as old one finishes. So if I don't hear by 28th August I won't recieve my Auguust payment. When I rung them they said DON'T WORRY we will back date it. But it is a WORRY.Sarah
I’m the same ladies sent my review back 3 weeks ago causing me sooo much anxiety got a letter Friday stating they haven’t received it 😫and it states if it’s not received by 13th that’s tomorrow my
Pip will stop I tried
All day
Friday to ring nobody answered the phone I’m ringing At 8 this morning imm soooo scared they will take
It off me and will I still get
My
Payment this week ??? It’s not due to run out till next may I can’t stand the stress of it🤦🏻♀️😭
Did you record delivery it , as it will have signature on the tracking , once you have that , they normally find it really quickly . Or if lost their end you are not penalised for it and they get you to re send copies . It’s a mess mine was also extended and I have review as we speak . The other thing on mine was do not send any letters or evidence from 2019 as they have that so cherry pick what you send . Good luck all 🌼
Hi Nessa. The Post Office would not do recorded delivery due to Covid because DWP (or anyone) aren’t able to sign to say they’re received, only proof of postage was acceptable. My husband queried this but the Post Office insisted it couldn’t be done. I phoned a week later to confirm it had been received & they said it had. I’ll phone again later & ask what the delay is. Fingers crossed xx
Mine did recorded delivery so I’m sorry your office took that stance . However you’ve spoken to them and they have it . Good luck 🤞 we’re all in the same boat . I expect the ESA to come at me now 😭
Hi Deejojo. I’m sorry to hear this. It really is so sick. How can DWP be so cruel when people rely on this money to live on? 🤬 I wish you luck in getting through to them today.
There just not answering
Hi Deejojo, just wondering if they have an online chat system. I did an online chat with HMRC a few weeks ago and although I was number 70 something in the queue they got to me quickly, about 20 minutes wait, you can then save the chat as proof of anything they say.
Hello everyone, my first post! I do hope I've put it in the right section!! I applied for PIPs back in early March and have still heard nothing. I've chased a couple of times to be told that the backlog is now 4-5 months.. that cant be right!? As you all say, its causing alot of stress. I'm currently undergoing chemotherapy and shortly radiotherapy for breast cancer, as well as the RA and am beginning to panic as SSP ends next month. I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who posts on here. I've taken alot of information from here and it's so nice to know that im not battling on alone and that theres such a supportive community out there!
Welcome Luna, these are PIP reviews which I think are happening quicker ( well mine is 😊) First claims will take longer as there may be lots of information they have to request from hospital etc. I hope you aren’t left waiting too long. 🤗
Hi Luna,I applied (first-time applicant) mid-March and had my assessment 13 weeks later in mid June. In April I rang DWP and they told me the date it was sent to the Health Assessors (Capita).
I had one week’s notice by text and post of when my assessment would be. I am still awaiting the outcome - the assessor took 3 weeks (it’s usually 3-5 days apparently) to sign off her report and now it’s been called for audit so it still hasn’t been sent to DWP! Once they receive it I believe it’s up to 8 weeks before they notify you of their decision.
If I were you I would ring DWP and find out which assessment provider it has been sent to and when. I’d then ask to be put through to them - they can do this internally or give you the number.
Good luck 🤞 I agree it is all very stressful just not knowing and waiting .
Hi ButtercupDaisy. Thank you very much for replying.. that's really useful to know. I will definitely take your advice and give DWP a call tomorrow morning and hopefully make a bit of headway. I naively had no idea that it would take such a long time, how intrusive it all is and the hoops we are made to jump through. Wishing you all the best of luck with decesion and you're not made to wait too much long.
I forgot to say that when you ring DWP, ask them to make a note on your file to forward you a copy of the assessor’s report. It should give you an indication of the assessor’s recommendation which the DWP usually (but not always) go with. You can then match it to the descriptors to work out how many points you are likely to be awarded.
Thanks for all your really useful advice, I'll certainly do that. When I last spoke to DWP they basically said it was out of their hands and an external agency was dealing with it all. I feel alot more armed now with my questions!! 😊
They don't care about the stress it can cause you I personally think they do it as they will be hoping that you withdraw your claim. My last review was with a chiropodist who actually said he had only heard of my condition and basically said he knew nothing about it, fibromyalgia and me having pretty regular blackouts which my neurologist is still trying to find out why these are happening. As for my doctors I don't think they exist any more as we have those new fangled receptionist doctors excuse the sarcasm what gets me going most is that I can walk into a hospital and actually get to see a doctor thats at work so what are the 14 doctors at my local surgery doing all day rant over. As for your pip the best advice I can give you is to never ever use the word SOMETIMES it's like a death sentence and you will be more than likely to loose your pip I was very lucky from my last review I have been awarded pip for the next 10 year's. I hope everything goes well for you at your next review best wishes Andrew 🤞
That’s exactly what people around here are saying. We moved here in 2014 and since then the surgery has been extended, become a training surgery & they now do minor surgery (not on your nelly!). They don’t answer phones & you have to lie on the e-consult form or you get referred to 111 or 999. It’s disgraceful with no chance of any improvement anytime soon by the looks of it. 🤬 Congratulations on getting 10 years of PIP. Well done. 🥳
Hi Andrew, thank you very much for your response. As you say, it can be so frustrating, the lack of knowledge about our conditions, especially by those professionals who are in the role of assessor! I was once told that if my medication caused me side effects, why did I bother staying on it and that I should come off all meds completely! Her attitude defied belief!! I'm glad to hear that your review went well and that you have been awarded PIPS for the next 10 years, that is good news.
I would have said very politely but a little sarcastic that when your my doctor you can tell me weather or not I need to come off any medication until then we'll leave that to my doctor. Excuse my french but I can't do with arsey people, any how I hope all goes well for you and remember that little taboo word we need to leave out SOMETIMES best of luck my friend and all goes well 👍
Hi Dylan. Believe me, I let him know in no uncertain terms how horrified I was but at the time, my own GP was even worse so I waited until my next rheumatologist appointment & sneaked on them both. 😂😂 At least he’s got enough sense to put things right again & overrules the lot of them. No doubt he’ll retire soon as I’ve been seeing him since 2005. ☹️😢
Hi. Some people’s awards have been extended so that there is enough time to do the review before your claim ends. The DWP are allegedly prioritising new claims and ‘renewals’ for people who won at Tribunal ( whose PIP award stops and payments not extended while ‘reviewed’). Waiting times seem incredibly arbitrary but paper based are being done by DMs if they have enough info to go on. Change of circumstances/ new ones however seem to go to Assessors. Who have 7.5 days training 🥺. Mine took 3 weeks 😳. But 3 months later I am still waiting for them to sort out my SDP 🙄. You never actually win!!
DM’s? Am I being thick? That meant District Manager in my day. 🤣🤣
Decision Maker (DWP)
🤣🤣 Thanks CripLady! I think my brain’s gone now completely! 🙄
Hope you find it soon🤪
Honestly, I’ve know all about Decision Makers (I used to work for the damn DWP in the bad old days) 🤬. I just have days when my brain just goes completely blank, I don’t remember things I’ve done, names of people and can’t for the life of me remember words. I’ve started playing Scrabble on my phone now & have just started on the ‘extremely hard’ level. I think my phone is being very sympathetic with me & is still letting me win! 🤣🤣
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