ESA Medical assessment

kazb

Registered User
Aug 1, 2015
71
0
OMG i have this tomorrow,my son is coming with me, he has to i wouldnt find my way there.
So hubby left me as he cannot cope and son has come home to look after me bless him.
I am scared to death they will put me in the work catagory,that would be a joke, son would have to come with me lol. I got finished from my nursing career because of this horrid altzheimers and my life is in ruins. No career, no job and no money and no memory.
Well wish me luck everyone xx
 

AlsoConfused

Registered User
Sep 17, 2010
1,952
0
I'm very sorry you have to go through what's an upsetting process. The assessor may be respectful and decent (if you're lucky) but it's always horrible to have to talk about what you can't now do.

Ask for the assessment to be recorded## - I'm pretty sure this is the legal right of everyone attending such assessments - and also ask for your son to attend the session with you as having significant memory and mental processing difficulties, you will be unable to answer their questions without his assistance.

Answer every question by explaining how things are when you are at your least capable. Take with you the official employer and medical letters confirming you were no longer able to continue in your nursing career because of your memory problems and the likely consequences of these.

## DWP have inadequate supplies of recording kit so ring the office ASAP before your session to get it set up. If it were me, I wouldn't allow the session to go ahead unless it was officially taped so that I had a copy of the process and the conclusions the assessor reached.

Good luck. Please give yourself and your lovely son a treat after you've finished the business of the day, you'll both have earned it. How about a slice of cake oozing with cream:) and a speciality coffee:)?
 

creativesarah

Registered User
Apr 22, 2010
9,638
0
Upton Northamptonshire
Hope you get on Ok been there done that got the tshirt
I got put in the work one once but the lady at the jobcentre was so upset she helped me write a letter of reconsideration and I got put back into the support group
 

kazb

Registered User
Aug 1, 2015
71
0
good luck kazb thinking of you today fingers crossed

love ossie xx
Just want to say a big thank you to you all for the kind helpfull words.
I cannot get it recorded as i should have asked when i sent the form in apparantly ??, they dont tell you this of course.
Hopefully i get someone nice and understanding and having my son there will be a support for me.
 

kazb

Registered User
Aug 1, 2015
71
0
I'm very sorry you have to go through what's an upsetting process. The assessor may be respectful and decent (if you're lucky) but it's always horrible to have to talk about what you can't now do.

Ask for the assessment to be recorded## - I'm pretty sure this is the legal right of everyone attending such assessments - and also ask for your son to attend the session with you as having significant memory and mental processing difficulties, you will be unable to answer their questions without his assistance.

Answer every question by explaining how things are when you are at your least capable. Take with you the official employer and medical letters confirming you were no longer able to continue in your nursing career because of your memory problems and the likely consequences of these.

## DWP have inadequate supplies of recording kit so ring the office ASAP before your session to get it set up. If it were me, I wouldn't allow the session to go ahead unless it was officially taped so that I had a copy of the process and the conclusions the assessor reached.

Good luck. Please give yourself and your lovely son a treat after you've finished the business of the day, you'll both have earned it. How about a slice of cake oozing with cream:) and a speciality coffee:)?
Thank you for your kind reply.should have booked the recording when i send the forms in apparantly, but didnt no this.
 

marionq

Registered User
Apr 24, 2013
6,449
0
Scotland
Does your mobile phone have a record facility? If so switch it on and put it on the desk or table in front of you. They probably won't even know it's there. In fact get your son to do it.
 

kazb

Registered User
Aug 1, 2015
71
0
update

So went for the assessment today, they were running late over 2 hrs, but eventually got seen by a nice lady who said she was a nurse. I told her i am a nurse as well, she said ohh well you used to be but not anymore. I started to cry and say yep end of my career and life,cheers.
She asked me loads of questions, but i just looked at my son and he answered for me as i didnt have a clue what she was saying it was all a blur.
she asked me maths stuff, said no idea and then forgot what she said. then she asked my son how we got there and how long it took etc, he answered but did say are u asking me or mum, she said either of you, so he answered of course i didnt know. well she said will be a few wks before i hear anything.
will keep you all inormed and again thanks for all the support.just having a cuppa and then going to bed as never slept at all last night.
 

Slugsta

Registered User
Aug 25, 2015
2,758
0
South coast of England
I'm glad this is now behind you and hope that the decision, when it comes, is the correct one.

I have a different problem but am currently fighting a recent ESA decision (reassessment, I have a degenerative condition but they seem to think I have gone from support group to WRAG) and have a PIP assessment on Wednesday :(
 

AlsoConfused

Registered User
Sep 17, 2010
1,952
0
kazb - Glad today went so well ... and I do think it went well, it must have been very clear paid work is beyond you now. As a nurse you've already made a huge contribution to others' well-being, now it's time for you to get some support from the rest of us:).

Slugsta - Hope all goes well for you on Wednesday.

Please ask for the process to be recorded - that'll stop "mistakes" being made. Also please ensure you've taken advice from Citizens Advice Bureau or anyone else knowledgeable and helpful. You can't count on DWP staff knowing their own procedures adequately nor operating them fairly.
 

Slugsta

Registered User
Aug 25, 2015
2,758
0
South coast of England
ESA can be recorded but there is no facility to record PIP unless the claimant can provide dual recording facilities for themself. Some people have used 2 old-fashioned cassette recorders with success. If you want to do this you must tell the assessor's organisation (ATOS or Capita) ahead of time so that they can find an assessor who will agree to the recording.

It is perfectly legal to carry out covert recording but you should be very careful that this is not detected as this is likely to result in the assessment being terminated and possibly the claim being closed too.

There's nothing like making the process easy for the claimant, is there?! :mad:
 

kazb

Registered User
Aug 1, 2015
71
0
I'm glad this is now behind you and hope that the decision, when it comes, is the correct one.

I have a different problem but am currently fighting a recent ESA decision (reassessment, I have a degenerative condition but they seem to think I have gone from support group to WRAG) and have a PIP assessment on Wednesday :(
good luck for wed and take someone who you trust and keep you calm. my thoughts and love go with you. I dont understand the difference with support and WRAG ?
 

Sue J

Registered User
Dec 9, 2009
8,032
0
good luck for wed and take someone who you trust and keep you calm. my thoughts and love go with you. I dont understand the difference with support and WRAG ?

Well done on getting through it kazb.

Support group for ESA means they don't consider you for work.

WRAG - work related activity group - they can consider you for some work related activity e.g. volunteering.

I hope you get the support group. I did eventually but experienced the same as creativeSarah initially but it was a few years a go now.:)

Best wishes
Sue
 

kazb

Registered User
Aug 1, 2015
71
0
Well done on getting through it kazb.

Support group for ESA means they don't consider you for work.

WRAG - work related activity group - they can consider you for some work related activity e.g. volunteering.

I hope you get the support group. I did eventually but experienced the same as creativeSarah initially but it was a few years a go now.:)

Best wishes
Sue
ahh thanks for the information,she asked if i can do volunteering work and i said yeh, if my son can come with me and stay,as couldnt do it without him,as couldnt get there/back etc.she just laughed and said that will be a no then.
she seemed nice,but you never know what they put in the report as you cannot see what they are writting, but in there hands now and cannot do anything more now. cheers for all the support