The ESA medical for people with anxiety and depression

dmg24

Guys, can we remember that this board is not for discussing policy? If you want to do that there are numerous threads already running in DT.

NASA_2

Why not leave the warnings to the board guides? Unless you have recently been appointed?

I note though that my previous post has disappeared so I guess I have committed another mortal crime on these boards by posting something off-topic.

gin37

anglegrinder wrote: »

Get the lawyers involved, A mate of mine took them to the wire, they freaked out and handed over what he deserved, they don't like lawyers the consequence's of defeat and a change to the show is something they would rather avoid.Of course not many people will stand up against them and they know it. My doctor has already thrown the new "Fit note" guidelines in the bin. GP's are well !!!!ed off by Atos as is the job centre staff:cool:

You must have a very different doctor to mine then. She is sticking with the guidelines so rigidly that she has been refusing to issue me a sick cert/fit note despite knowing my problems because she says the Government want to take everyone off benefits. She has also said to me previously that her taxes go to paying for people not working. I wouldn't mind but I have always worked but lost my job to increasingly poor physical health recently, I have been severely depressed lately,and whenever I have been in extreme physical pain, she has told me I'm not, that I'm just depressed! When I actually go to her and say I can't cope, that I feel suicidal and I am depressed, I am told she 'cannot find a reason to put on my cert', despite admitting in the same sentence, how far my problems with depression go back and that my only reason is 'financial'! I am only on £65 a week at the moment, assessment phase and I certainly didnt deliberately get the sack through ill health from a £23,000 a year job, just to go on benefits. If the DWP ask for information from her rather than the Consultants at my hospital, what on earth hope do I have of passing the medical. Some doctors are just not interested in helping their patients, only in Government information and guidelines. And yet, I know of people who have only had a similar medical problem recently, around the same time of their ESA claim whos Doctors support them all the way...

mart9012

I don't get ESA but I attend a medical for my Incapacity Benefit every year.

I have Borderline Personality Disorder and a large part of my problems revolve around depression. I have never had a problem with the NHS doctor or the decision maker who finally looks at the report.

True depression is a serious mental health illness and needs to be taken seriously. I guess the big problem is that it really is very common and becomes increasingly expensive.

geministar2008

Well today i had my 2nd medical assessment in 6 months. And what a mess it was. The toilet in the waiting room was "out of use for today". The woman on the reception desk spent most of her time in another office with the main desk closed, which meant people waiting for their assessment were stood waiting for some time to sign in.
As i was sat waiting to be called in i could clearly hear someone elses medical assessment under way, being asked to do various exercises, i think this was due to all the windows being open! My appointment then ran a little late, when i was called in. The woman was far different to the woman who had conducted my first assessment 6 months ago. She was harsh to say the least, and i would say obnoxious, she made me feel like i was in a police interview after committing a serious crime. Was almost like she was trying to slip me up. Did not give me time to answer most questions. Felt like she was mocking me in a non direct way. I have development other health symptoms and her attitude was why are you being sent there when you have that wrong with you? How should i know. She got me doing exercises to see how i could stretch and bend. What this has to do with mental health i do not know? When i was speaking she regulary said i cant type that quick and would then move on to her next question. One question was when did you last work? I have been doin permitted work and i have found this helps my condition, i am lucky my employer is very understanding to my issues if i call in sick or have to have medical appoinments. I can see my place of work from where i live, so i do not have to endure public transport (which i cannot cope with). I feel this small amount of work helps, but couldnt work say a 40 hour week, it would put me right back. I am not ready, not yet! Anyway i tried to tell her this and she told me to slow down and didnt let me finish. At the end i said can i add something? She was like sorry??? as if this was unheard of. I said well i wanted to say more about my work but you said you couldnt type that quick but didnt let me finish, you moved on to the next question. So she allowed me to add this. Wherever or not this was added i do not know? Also during this assessment she did not have next to her my medical assessment form i had filled in. The lady on my previous assessment did. I was in and out in 15mins. And i know i will fail! They say they do not make the decision but i am sure they comment on the paperwork after what they thought of the patient. And no doubt for opening my mouth at the end, that will go against me. I guess i will now have to wait for the decision, within a fortnight i was told. I guess if i appeal i will need to obtain medical notes from my doctor again. Does anyone know where i will stand with these if i am still doing my permitted work?

geministar2008

gin37 i am so sorry to hear your issues with your GP and the system. It is a disgrace. Have you tried to see another GP even at another surgery perhaps?

meg72

geministar2008 wrote: »

gin37 i am so sorry to hear your issues with your GP and the system. It is a disgrace. Have you tried to see another GP even at another surgery perhaps?

Such good advice please follow it. Some GPs are just not good with mental health problems, they can be superb with a physical problem
but seem to have no insight or interest in a mental health problem.

I think your GPs comment regarding her taxes to be quite uncalled for.

Best of luck and sending a big hug if I may. Its a lonely road trying to be understood and you do not need negative comments from your Doctor.

JS477

cit_k wrote: »

If your lucky...

My last one took almost a year, and its still ongoing, expecting it to drag on for months more still...

And with the WCA more than likely being made harsher and more difficult to pass, especially the MH descriptors, be prepared for an even longer wait for an appeal.

Dr_Crypto

http://www.disabilityalliance.org/esahandbook.pdf

The criteria are fairly clear. I work for the NHS as a doctor and am happy to try to answer specific questions related to them, but have never (and never intend to) done any benefits assessments.

schrodie

Dr_Crypto wrote: »

The criteria are fairly clear. I work for the NHS as a doctor and am happy to try to answer specific questions related to them, but have never (and never intend to) done any benefits assessments.

You'll generally find now that doctors rarely carry out these assessments, they're carried out by "healthcare professionals" which can be a nurse or other form of registered "healthcare professional".

Also sadly what's laid down in the ESA (and IB) Handbook doesn't necessarily mean that that is what's carried out.