ESA failed medical, how many others have here

Ladywriter1968

krisskross wrote: »

Problem is that if something goes the applicant's way then it is fine. If it doesn't then it isn't fair, a farce etc.

Perhaps people really aren't as ill as they think they are.

It was interesting that almost half of ESA applicants stopped claiming before their WCA if I am reading the stats correctly. Now did they recover, find a job or did the GP not issue any further certificates I wonder.

When I came out of the medical before I even knew if I failed or passed I thought it was crap! You cant really make judgements unless you were actually there and see it for yourself.

The medical was a form she asked questions on a pc and had to answer yes or no. That was it, It felt like a school test really. Not a medical. She asked me to bend and I couldnt but she said that I did it, when I couldnt.

Asked me what hand I write with and what I had for breakfast. When I told her I dont always have breakfast she said I had to say yes or no answer. Then asked me do I have cereal or toast. I mean !!!!!!! I said some days I have one, other days other, but again, its cereal or toast, not both of different days.

I was not examined and my actual health problems was not even addressed.

Now you tell me how fair this medical was.

The reason some stop claiming ESA is cause they cant cope with all the pressure they have to go thru with tribunials etc. I know there are probably some out there that are not really sick, but what about those who are though. Some people have serious nervous mental illnesses and aint the strength to sit thru tribunals and cant even speak up for themselves or put their case across.

I notice that the people that are very critical of others on here that are genuinly sick, well the critical ones obviously are not in that situation as they dont clearly understand and just make judgements on others all the time.

Ladywriter1968

I must say though that for any critical ones on here, that the sick people should not have to explain themselves to these other people. You are the only ones who know how you feel,
no body else has the right to tell you this.

septemberblues

Ladywriter1968 wrote: »

I must say though that for any critical ones on here, that the sick people should not have to explain themselves to these other people. You are the only ones who know how you feel,
no body else has the right to tell you this.

The critical ones on here are on benefits themselves, which is funny as they say everyone else is capable of work - but they don't work themselves!! Hypocrites or what?:rotfl:

NASA_2

What in the name of god does a medical condition have to do with getting ESA?

broxiebear1

Ladywriter1968 wrote: »

If only life was that simple.

Nowadays even healthy people have trouble getting work. The work is simply not out there. So what chance has a sick person got.

Employers want people that can work a full shift every day, not someone that will go sick all the time or cant come in cause they are unwell cause of their condition cause they simply are to sick to work or in agony with whatever health problem they may have. But the government forced them to anyway. They will just end up not being able to cope with the job at hand and end up back where they started more stressed out, having to go thru all the system again, and the fact they were forced to work could make their health condition worse.

To simply say, well cant do labouring go to office work then, is not that simple, these days all jobs want you to have previous experience in it. Unless of course you are a school or college leaver.

What chance does a labourer have getting an office job if they cant even type, or do office work, have no experience in this field. Someone else will come along with years of office experience and the ex labourer with no office experience, its obvious who the employer will choose.

They will not choose someone who is sick a lot and has no experience either in that field. Plus if the person has not worked in years also due to their illness. Employers want previous work references, where will they get these from?

Employer say, when was your previous job? Well I have not worked in years due to a health problem and have never done this type of work before. Just an example I am giving. Do you think you could handle this job its pressurising etc bla bla. How is a sick person supposed to answer this alone when they are already under pressure from their illness. Employers are not stupid and can see that they could not do the job.

So as for the government shoving people off the sick they will all just end up on JSA then, cause they cant work, its really that simple and I defend sick people that are genuine and cant work cause its simply disgusting the way they are being treated. I mean some of them have life threatening conditions and being shoved off like they are nothing.

brilliant post also there would be a health and safety problem lets be honest here this isnt about getting people back to work its about stopping people claiming benifits (unless your an mp) fraud . corrupt. lier.

missmontana

Ladywriter1968 wrote: »

They are still trying to force her to take her daughter to all these work things. If her daughter is a handful then it would be very hard for her to manage even taking her daughter to one of these work thing days.

I just think that there are some on here that are simply heartless to be honest and like to judge others without even knowing them.

But remember one thing, what goes around comes around.

For some people even getting pushed onto this stuff is stressful alone, she got her daughter to look after and all that on top to deal with to. Say her daughter throws tantrums as well, and they make her go to a work thing.

I'd say take her, just to show everyone what a balls up they have made!! That poor child and her poor mother, when you get a letter like that you can't just shrug your shoulders.. its a case of walk a mile in my shoes.... then say your piece.

beelucky

hi,
politically they are playing with fire, with a possible change of government in a few months, the last thing they need is rising dole figures. so i will make a prediction on how i think things will progress, as follows.

because people who they have managed to get off invalidity and dla have not worked for a few months/years they may put those people into another category ie some kind of half way house, so as not to bolster the unemployment figures. this will happen whichever party wins. they have nothing but contempt for the great mass of people, and dont forget, the people who make these policy decisions are in london, a part of the country that dosen't suffer from dying communitys such as we have in the north, ie the coalfields all but gone, no steelworks to talk of, they have no idea what its like to be chucked out of a job and people looking at never going to work again.
multinational companys now sold to the highest bidder (cadburys), with no regard for the workforce, they have no loyalty to britain and we let them get away with it. think long and hard when you cast youre vote in may, and please consider voting for the british socialist party of great britain, (im not a member btw), they are the only party that would put the working class first. sorry for the rant but i am so dissolutioned with this country and its usless political system.
vote em out

leemack

NASA wrote: »

What in the name of god does a medical condition have to do with getting ESA?

Exactly, but most people don't really realise this. It doesn't matter what your illness or disability is, but whether you fulfill ceratin specific criteria. For each criteria that you satisfy, you score points. Score at least 15 points and you pass, less and you don't. The reason that this system has been developed is because you can't judge capability for work based on a diagnosis. Someone may have had a stroke and be pretty functional or have a stroke and need full time care, same with other illnesses. There is also various additional exemptions and clauses including one that if you can prove that working would cause signifcant harm to your mental or physical health then you don't need to have satisfied 15 points.

Not that I agree that the current ESA and ATOS system is right or fair, particularly where mental health is concerned.

There are ways to ensure that you get the best assessment possible.

1) get help with filling in the initial ESA50 form assessing your capabilities, particularly if you have mental health issues or learning difficulties. It is important to know what the questions on the form are actually asking, as the mental health questions are tricky, and knowing how they relate to you.

2) When you get to the medical, the way of answering the yes or no answers is, if you cannot do something the majority of the time - 4 days a week, then you answer that you cannot or don't do it. If you can do something 4 days a week then you answer you can do it. This is because they are looking at how you are the majority of the time. (not on your worst day as some people believe - you may have your worst day once a month!) If you can do something once and then would not be able to repeat it within a reasonable amount of time then you answer that you cannot do it, or if the task causes you severe pain or fatigue or dizziness.

If you can push through severe pain and force yourself to walk 400 metres if absolutely necessary, but then are unable to do anything for 2 days because of the pain you have caused yourself then you can't really walk 400 metres. you have to be realistic about your abilities.

3) take someone with you to the medical if possible. If the venue is further than you would comfortably drive normally, make a point of saying this and mentioning any additional pain, discomfort, anxiety the journey has caused you.

4) mention any pain, discomfort, dizziness etc that you are caused by any of the tasks you are asked to do, mention if you would not be able to repeat the task.

5) record the medical on a dictaphone or mobile phone. You are only protecting yourself and this may be the difference between winning or losing an appeal, or may make the examining dr/nurse be more accurate about what they write.

6) be consistent, and expect to be caught out when you're not. If you've said on the ESA50 you can't sit for more than 30 minutes but have driven 45 minutes to the medical, this will be noted, If you say you can't go out alone most of the time due to anxiety but turn up to the highly stressful medical alone, they won't believe you and rightly so. Its always easier to be consistent when you tell the truth and haven't exagerated on the initial ESA50. If you haven't been consistent then you won't win an appeal later.

7) If there is some reason why returning to work would pose a serious risk to your physical or mental health, get your GP to write a letter detailing why and take it with you to the medical, make sure you keep a copy for yourself.

Often people would qualify but haven't realised the information that they needed to give, and the medical doesn't allow enough relevany questions to be asked to get at the right information.

Hope this helps.

alwaysonthego_2

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