Seagull, my husband claimed sickness benefit June 2012 for the first in his life while going through tests etc for Dementia. Because my husband was 61 he was sent to a psychiatrist who diagnosed the early onset dementia 10 days before the Atos interview in the August. I gave them the details of the psychiatrist that had just made the diagnoses.
A letter came back from Atos in the September saying that my husband was now in a group to get him back to work.
The psychiatrist wrote to the GP saying hubby had a memory problem and should be referred to the Memory Clinic. So when Atos checked with GP he could only put what the psychiatrist had written.
I had to appeal the Atos decision so while forms were getting filled out we had a CPN out from the Memory clinic and she did the MMSE test and she confirmed the Early Onset diagnoses and gave me a letter to send with the form. In October Atos changed the earlier decision and he was now in a support group.
In November we went to see the consultant and yes it was Dementia. A Spect scan to follow to diagnose the type of dementia.
31st December Atos had sent another form and I had to reapply because there could have been an improvement in my husbands health.
The local MP wrote on my husband behalf to Atos and DWP also the consultant gave me a letter to accompany the form.
Result was the my husband has been in a support group since January13.
Seagull, I am sorry you had the stress of waiting 12 weeks for a decision it must have been such a worry. This should not be happening to people with Dementia.
Take care x
