Employment Support Allowance Medical!

geministar2008

Hello,

I have my first Employment Support Allowance medical assessment on Friday.
I am very nervous and anxious, i have been out of work for 3 and a bit months with anxiety and depression.
Does anyone have any words of advice? I was told by the Pathways to work team to ensure i base my answers on my worst days. And that the medical assessment has become far tougher lately and that they are failing more and more people and putting them onto Job Seekers Allowance. I really cannot see this being the case for me. If they do, i have been told i can appeal the decision. If i was to be put onto JSA, would it be a straight forward swap? I mean the weekly benefit sum is exaclty the same, ok i know there would be different paperwork to fill in, but ive had nothing but delays in money since applying for ESA.

I presume my doctor would have had to submit a medical assesment to them?

Also once i have had my assessment and they put me into whichever catergory of ESA, do i have to continue to submit doctors notes every month as i have been doing in the intial ESA stage?

The thing is with anxiety and depression someone cannot tell what is wrong with you, just by looking at you.How do they know how i feel from each day to the next, they cant bash my knee with a hammer to notice the pain.

I really would like to hear from someone who has been through this process, particularly if you were on ESA due to anxiety/depression.

Thanks.

healy

geministar2008 wrote: »

Hello,

I have my first Employment Support Allowance medical assessment on Friday.
I am very nervous and anxious, i have been out of work for 3 and a bit months with anxiety and depression.
Does anyone have any words of advice? I was told by the Pathways to work team to ensure i base my answers on my worst days. And that the medical assessment has become far tougher lately and that they are failing more and more people and putting them onto Job Seekers Allowance. I really cannot see this being the case for me. If they do, i have been told i can appeal the decision. If i was to be put onto JSA, would it be a straight forward swap? I mean the weekly benefit sum is exaclty the same, ok i know there would be different paperwork to fill in, but ive had nothing but delays in money since applying for ESA.

I presume my doctor would have had to submit a medical assesment to them?

Also once i have had my assessment and they put me into whichever catergory of ESA, do i have to continue to submit doctors notes every month as i have been doing in the intial ESA stage?

The thing is with anxiety and depression someone cannot tell what is wrong with you, just by looking at you.How do they know how i feel from each day to the next, they cant bash my knee with a hammer to notice the pain.

I really would like to hear from someone who has been through this process, particularly if you were on ESA due to anxiety/depression.

Thanks.

I am very surprised that the Pathways to Work team have given you that advice as it is incorrect and bad advice. You should answer the questions based on a typical or average day.

They may have asked for information from your Doctor but this does not happen all the time.

If you pass the medical you will to not have to submit further medical certificates.

geministar2008

What sort of questions do they ask? Are they similar to those on the form i filled in?
I get so nervous and anxious at times that i cant speak properly, i am so concerned i'm not going to make any sense.
I spoke to my doctor a couple of weeks ago and she was annoyed she had not at the time been asked to submit her medical report.

Thanks for your advice.

healy

geministar2008 wrote: »

What sort of questions do they ask? Are they similar to those on the form i filled in?
I get so nervous and anxious at times that i cant speak properly, i am so concerned i'm not going to make any sense.
I spoke to my doctor a couple of weeks ago and she was annoyed she had not at the time been asked to submit her medical report.

Thanks for your advice.

They are likely to ask you about your typical day to see if you fit any of the descriptors.

It is not likely that they will ask the questions directly from the form but what they ask will be related to the descriptors.

Bubbles911

I had my esa medical in November. Although I have other health conditions it was mainly because I am depressed and attempted suicide. They asked if I was still suicidal, I answered honestly, yes. And yet I was given 0 points! I ended up phoning the benefits office in tears and was told by the woman they are refusing everyone at the moment and making them go to appeal. Just preparing you so you are not disapointed if they do the same to you as it really brought me down. When I went through the forms showing how you are assessed with my doctor i had 30 points on a good day - double that needed, but they gave me none. If they do turn you down, fight it.

I was scared about my medical too but it was fine, the guy was lovely and just asked simple questions about what life was like and he made the odd joke to make me feel more at ease as I was so nervous I kept forgetting to breathe which he frequently commented on! Best advice, the guy you see has no say whether you get the benefit or not, that comes down to somene behind a desk you will probably never meet, just be honest and if you struggle ask to take a minute to compose yourself. I did cry at one point but he passed my tissues and was happy to wait until I pulled myself together. btw I was also told to fill the forms in as if it was my worst day but with my physical problems they include for 5 days every 3 months being on morphine totally out of it so I based it on an average day.

Btw it might help to make a list of things you would like to say beforehand to make sure your not kicking yourself afterwards and I would also reccomend taking someone with you that knows how bad it gets. My Mum came with me and when I found it hard she did the talking for me.

The benefits system is daunting these days and when you are depressed it seems 10x worse. Good luck and let us know how you get on.

System

geministar2008 wrote: »

What sort of questions do they ask? Are they similar to those on the form i filled in?
I get so nervous and anxious at times that i cant speak properly, i am so concerned i'm not going to make any sense.
I spoke to my doctor a couple of weeks ago and she was annoyed she had not at the time been asked to submit her medical report.

Thanks for your advice.

PMd you hun

Cotton_wool_katie

Hi - I have my first medical assesment also on friday - i suffer from ME - CFS, and depression, i got the sack from work at the begining of december for being off sick due to this illness.

I am also very anxious and the day before and the day itself im sure i will be quite ill as i will have worked myself up in to a state about going, as i feel i am lying about how bad my condition and day to day life is, even though im not.

I feel about 100 times better since not being at work!

I hope it all goes well for you and just tell the truth that way it is based on fact. xxx:rolleyes:

Greenyblue

My medical assesment was on mobility issues. I received notification that I had failed and when I phoned JCP/ESA section, I was also told they were failing far more than they ever had before and was told to appeal immediately. Not wanting to alarm you but it's helpful to be prepared.
I was shocked that the letter arrived on Monday and my benefit was due on Wednesday but they stopped it. On a positive note, my local JobCentre faxed my appeal and my benefit was re-started 3 days later so if the worst happens, appeal immediately.
Take Care:A

NEH

I have a medical to face next week for fibromyalgia for my benefit, it sould have been last month but the doctor was sick and they cancelled....Like you I dreaded it and having it looming over me for another month has been awful. I am hoping they don't cancel next week because of the snow as they only do certain benefits on certain days...

I was also told don't base it on a bad day as it could come back and haunt you....take someone with you if you can. I am taking my husband as I can't always explain things very well without getting muddled and it helps to have someone else there to explain it in a way that you can't....I have alos been told it will more than likely go to appeal so please don't be overly concerned if it does....The CAB are very good with appeals as well so that also could be another avenue to go down if you do need help to appeal...

fatou256

hi geminy ihad my medical not too long agos , like you i was stressing very badly over it to the point that at the medical i end up crying . it is not actually that bad .

ne advise make sure that you take someone with you , take note of the answer asked and what you answered ( my partner did this for me at the medical ) , take the name of the doc or nurse doing the asessment, note the time you arrived, the time you have been seen and the time you left the assessment. if you have to appeal this will be useful for you later on.

dont worry too much it is very informal first they will introduce themselves and explain what is this assessment done for. then they will ask you question about your diagnosis , medication and how it affect you. any treatment you're having or waitign for , referral etc.... .

finally they will ask you question such what do you watch, how do you pass your day ? how did you arrive to the assessment centre ? do you have any problem with bathing etc.... / do you go out ?

good luck . if you have the support of your gp it will make the process a lot easier for you .

jen_br

I had my medical on New YEars eve same thing it lasted 12 min. Crazy eh??