will I get the support of my gp?

[anbuma]

The dreaded brown envelope arrived this morning.on opening it it was about ESA and people on IB being reassessed???.(I was told that at my last medical I would not have to attend any more or complete any more forms-as many of us were).now I am awaiting the dreaded phone call, I am concerned that my GP wont support me if they contact him for anything?I know I am slightly jumping the gun but receiving this letter today sent me into panic mode. having read of instances of people previously unfit for work are being incorrectly put into the work group wqhen they are clearly unfit fro work.i have an appt with my dr on 5th sept and if have time will discuss it with him then.

[Moggie]

Don't take any chances - phone up your GP's and book a double appt so that you CAN discuss this issue with him. It is obviously worrying you so make sure you get some answers from your GP, all you really need to know is if he/she is going to support you.

Moggie x

[Glynisrose]

I too have had the dreaded letter! They do not contact the doctor, they cannot under both the confidentiality and the data protection act. Its a bit much, phone interview, assessment form AND assessment visit!!! I am going to make a few notes before I call and write down anything they ask me during the phone interview.

[alangardner]

always remember that your gp receives a premium payment for patients with long term / permanent identified conditions from the nhs for the exra treatment ,consultations,visits,referals etc. that he /she has to carry out........therefore it is in THEIR own interests to help you to deal with this with the minimum disruption which could then have a knock on effect directly to them . I deal with these issues directly with my gp and have never had a major problem at all .... remember ATOS are only assessors and NOT MEDICALY QUALIFIED ---- your gp/consultant can override any decision they make and should advise them prior to any assessment [ this normally resolves the situation ] otherwise INSIST on ' AN ASSESSMENT VISIT' ....which with support from your gp they cannot refuse .....at which time you and your gp can request proof that the people carrying out the assessment HAVE TO BE MEDICALY QUALIFIED..........its a bit long winded but if your gp is aware of the procedure and protocols this is usually done within 2 contacts from them to your gp......hope this is of help to you....alan

[serenfach]

My appeal interview form had a bit that the GP fills in (mine just put Hypo) and the GP on the panel said as I was on Thyroxine, that could be ignored!!!!! I explained my feet and hands are numb and do not work and I am so forgetful that I am a danger to myself, leaving pans on the gas etc. I was determined not to cry, but sobbed most of the way through and the GP on the panel decided that "something else was going on" and gave me 15 points. I attended the interview with my "back to work" lady (who was lovely, understanding and advised me to appeal to go on to the "do not disturb" level (sorry, I know it is called something else, but if you find a brain cell in my head, let me know!). I am 60, have two degrees and taught for years, including a course to help people to return to work, so she admitted there was not a lot they could do for me. Have a look at some of the online forum for Atos and help, I found it useful and gave me an insight into what they were looking for. Good luck, and try not to worry. It may be worth going to your GP and explaining how stressful you are finding all this, and the effect this would have on your health. You will not be the first so he should be understanding. Hug.

[anbuma in reply to serenfach]

I had to go to an appeal in 2005 when they gave me no points -the person twisted everything I told them-I too cried my way thru the appeal and won scoring way over the points needed..will look at the online forum.

[Hidden]

benefitsandwork.co.uk/ is the best few quid I have ever spent for full access to the site, although the forum is a bit hard to access and use!

Don't deal by phone, put EVERYTHING in writing, keep copies, and send by at the very least Recorded Delivery, make sure they have things in good time.

Be prepared, EXPECT to get knocked back and appeal, then you wont' be disappointed!

GPs may help, but may not, it's *that* individual. May charge too. Your medical records will be useful though, although you may well get charged to get them all (max of £50) takes a while so get started! (Hospital records and letters too.)

Good luck, don't let them grind you down, that's the whole idea, to make you give in

[anbuma in reply to Hidden]

I already have copies of my records from a few years ago.i know my dogs sense something thye have both being lying around as if moping.

my neck is tight ,hoarseness and pain on swallowing-all symptoms of thyroid????

[Hidden in reply to anbuma]

Sounds like it could well be, do you think you are being currently under-treated? You presumably have a lot more issues to "go" on than just thyroid as far as ESA goes though?

[anbuma in reply to Hidden]

yes i do.for the last 2 years seems everything I say is dismissed .had numerous blood tests /scans and they say everything is normal but blood tests results can be raised(if that's the right term)and still they say things are normal.its doctors attitude,lack of compassion etc.,I also have symptoms of lupus and no one has ever explained what the hard solid lumpy mass is in my abdomen.says its not OC or cyst but not what it is.since op a week ago-stomach is more swollen and still have hard lumpy mass.i am sick of everyone saying it cant be anything cos scans are normal.had a disagreement with dr last year cos it has been said that OC/cysts don't show on scans and drs mistake it fro bowel condition and recently he said to me "its IBS" .I told him I don't as I don't have symptoms of this.which proves this statement to be true????

[Hidden in reply to anbuma]

I could write books about the lousy Doctors I have met in the course of my life, (and the ignorance among Endocrinologists is the most extreme I have encountered) and is why I successfully self-treat adrenal insufficiency and hypothyroidism like many on this site) but it's hard to self treat some conditions and when push comes to shove, you need evidence to fight against intransigence - other than exploratory surgery, in the hope of it showing have you ever thought of having a private MRI scan for that? If the NHS won't pay for it, then there is a company in Solihull (cmcimaging.co.uk and painclinic.org/home-mriscan... which does comparatively affordable scans without paying private hospital costs (cheap compared to some I hear quoted!) and therefore I presume there will be others around too. You will still need a referral, (although that can even be a Chiropractor) but a Doctor that won't agree to pay for it is one thing, but one that won't agree to it at no cost is probably not one you should bee seeing anyway! I haven't used them, but I have spoken to people who have.

[anbuma in reply to Hidden]

dont get me wrong my dr was very good up until 2 years ago and I kept getting more symptoms and then it seemed that they were saying everythign is in my mind and fobbingme off and to get answers I searched the internet and found these forums where people were going thru the same as me and that bloods and scans didnt always prove anything

[anbuma in reply to Hidden]

if thye phone me for an interview then it wont last long as I cannot hold a phone for more than few minutes before my hand goes numb etc.

[Hidden in reply to anbuma]

Don't talk to them on the phone. There is no benefit in doing so. Write to them and tell them that you can't hold a phone for long anyway. They will go ahead and arrange the assessment anyway. Getting your evidence to send and make your case is the important thing, leaving it all to chance is not a wise move. Even with a LOT of preparation and research I had my benefit stopped completely for a time, and went through major stress and the effort of preparing an appeal. The whole thing is designed to stop your benefit at the slightest pretence, and make you give up on the claim, so you need to be prepared to work through that. Symptoms mean nothing to them, specific conditions and clear demonstrable effects of those conditions are what gets you through.

[anbuma in reply to Hidden]

thank you I will do so.it sseems so unfair when one has been granted DLA indefinitely.only result will be to get mobility.self assessment I did I dont fully understand as it says I would be in support group and then in WRAG both by points score which were above the required amount.unless I have misunderdstood it.

[Hidden in reply to anbuma]

Sorry, I don't fully understand what you mean, but 1. ESA and DLA are entirely unconnected and 2. the number of *points* to get into WRAG and Support group are effectively exactly the same - 15; it's just "tighter" requirements relate to being put into Support Group.

What you assess yourself as meeting and what they assess you as meeting is not often even near the same thing, eg. you say you can walk 5 yards, and without any basis they may well arbitrarily say you can walk over 200 yards, it really is that crazy!

They do not often contact your Doctors, (certainly didn't contact mine) as that would cost them a fee, and they don't want to pay, instead they expect YOU to provide evidence to back up what you say, and with evidence in terms of records, letters and statements from expert people such as Doctors or physios etc. and other stuff, maybe even photos if that is appropriate! Doctors may not be keen to provide that, even on payment!

The past has gone, forget about it, except what written evidence you already have that you can use. I was given indefinite DLA Higher Mobility too, but that means nothing for this purpose (nor will it when I come up for assessment for PIP when that comes along); it's worth remembering that is precisely the same value as any word spoken by a politician; NOTHING!

As I suggest in my first post, you really need to look into the available help either from a help group of some type, or the site I mentioned it's not like the past, when they looked for good reasons to give you Incapacity Benefit, now they look for reasons NOT to award ESA to you.

I will add one more piece of advice, and must end there, the ball is in your court, but this can be VITALLY significant for many people, if it applies to you:

blacktrianglecampaign.org/2...

I can't offer any more advice than that, you need to do your homework on it to increase your chance of being successful.

[anbuma in reply to Hidden]

are you saying that if you score more than 15points you will be in the support group(assume this means you are entitled )and you have to score less than 15 points not to be in WRAG group??

[anbuma in reply to Hidden]

I heard today somewhere that all this is to try and catch the benefit cheats.so it is us genuine people who have to suffer and go thru all this rigamarole and risk losing money at the same time.i knew of someone who was claiming IB and said they were unable to work cos of a back problem yet did all the decorating gardening (pruning and hedge trimming)carrying bags of shopping every day AND NEVER had a medical ever..if its on our records that we have been declared unfit for work indefinitely we shouldnt have to go thru this torment.(JUST HOW I FEEL)

[anbuma in reply to Hidden]

got the phone call today.told him I couldn't hold phone for long and he said it willonly take a few minutes.was goignto add somethuign else but moment of fibro fog and cant remember what it was???

[zeberdee2468]

This happened to me at the beginning of the year. They didn't even send me for a medical even though one of their own assessors in 2010 said I would never be able to work again due to my medical conditions. I am in the process of appealing and I am waiting for the date I have already mentioned it to my doctor who is very supportive.

[anbuma]

well I have just had the dreaded phone call and now I am getting nervous and scared.

I can see myself not understanding the questions and as it s difficult tomake decisions I will be in so many minds on am i answering the questions right.and I worry that thye will say I have to travel to an assessment if trhey aren't held in my own town,.

[anbuma]

hello everyone.

I have just changed my appt to Monday as this was the earliest one with either my own dr or the new female dr.and I have written a list of everything I need to speak with him about.and it gets longer by the day.