DLA Refusal cos they are stupid!!

seven-day-weekend

Whilst appreciating the difficulties people with mental health conditions can suffer (my husband has suffered with his mental health since 1990 and had to take early retirement because of it) how is the GP supposed to write a meaningful report if the OP never sees him? I think the OP should at least visit the Docs (or speak on the phone) to tell him/her to expect the DLA form.

I think it is a good idea for the SW to attach a report to the form , but I really think the GP will be the first port of call by the Decision Maker, therefore it would make sense to keep him/her fully aware of what care and mobility needs the OP has, and only the OP can really update the Dr on that.

I am sympathetic, but also think that the OP needs to fight her corner sensibly (possibly with help from the Social Worker).

munchings-n-crunchings

caela wrote: »

Sorry but I really can't believe how ignorant that reply is! GPs are really bad dealing with mental health problems, they are general practicioners and not psychiatrists and it's very difficult arranging appointments with mental health problems. It certainly by no stretch of the imagination means that person does not need help, it may mean in fact they need far more help because they are unable to actively seek it!

I think you may have misunderstood the comment.

Even a person that may have all their care sorted out with mental health professionals, still needs to arrange occasional appointments with their GP.

Even if they feel they need this or not. Which I believe was the point of McKneff's comment.

The GP will probably be the first point of contact, should another agency need information about a person's care, medication or condition.
So they need to be kept in the information chain, especially if you are applying for something like DLA.

It's fine to say that GP's are General Practitioners, and so not expert in MH, but needless to say, they should be updated, so they know what your current situation is, and if there is anything ese they can be doing for you.

Regards
Munchie

jetta_wales

munchings-n-crunchings wrote: »

I think you may have misunderstood the comment.

Even a person that may have all their care sorted out with mental health professionals, still needs to arrange occasional appointments with their GP.

Even if they feel they need this or not. Which I believe was the point of McKneff's comment.

The GP will probably be the first point of contact, should another agency need information about a person's care, medication or condition.
So they need to be kept in the information chain, especially if you are applying for something like DLA.

It's fine to say that GP's are General Practitioners, and so not expert in MH, but needless to say, they should be updated, so they know what your current situation is, and if there is anything ese they can be doing for you.

Regards
Munchie

My GP desn't know a thing about my condition but I've not long moved here and never had a need to see him about it (there's nothing anybody can do about it anyway) but you're definatly right that we should keep them in the loop whatever our condition especialy in regard of DLA (which I'm having looked at again) so I will make an appointment to see mine ext week (though he's not very nice he's really cold and matter of factish makes you feel like a nussance just for being there to be honest) but he should know that he may get a letter from DLA so he can reply properly with at least some vague and probably uninterested knowledge of my condition.

Just had my letter back saying they've recieved my forms but that it may take 11 weeks but that's frustrating as I was told 48 days by the guy on the phone. I'm hoping 48 days might be more representative of the time it's usualy decided by.

metalgal

thanks for all the help and advise regarding this.

i phoned up DLA and they have agreed to review my applicaiton in 14 days. When i told my sw about the refusal she was outraged. She wrote a very good report for me that afternoon and have forwarded to DLA myself.

I have been told that they will review it with SW report and then if its still refused i can go to appeal. sw agreed to help me with appeal if needs be. and the good news is it will all be backdated from when i sent in my form.

munchings-n-crunchings

metalgal wrote: »

I have been told that they will review it with SW report and then if its still refused i can go to appeal. sw agreed to help me with appeal if needs be. and the good news is it will all be backdated from when i sent in my form.

I suggest, if you do need to appeal, contact Welfare Rights.
They can be contacted through your county council.

Welfare benefits are their area of expertise, and although your sw will be able to help with things relating to you and your condition, its good to have experience with how the claims process and decision making works.

Hopefully, the dwp will now have enough information, and you will not have too long to wait.

Munchie

joey75

sorry to butt in but understand the not going to doctors thing for MH probs as im exactly the same i have been with my GP for 4 years and to be honest they are a waste of time i also suffer from agrophobia and fybro and ME and i struggle alone with it all i havent taken my meds for years and have totally shut myself away as im sick of seeing differenrt people everytime i go to GPs i suffer sever pain and anxiety and feel so depressed but try to get on with it so OP i understand what you are saying and to be honest you are lucky to have a supportive MH worker

Yuki60

caela wrote: »

Sorry but I really can't believe how ignorant that reply is! GPs are really bad dealing with mental health problems, they are general practicioners and not psychiatrists and it's very difficult arranging appointments with mental health problems. It certainly by no stretch of the imagination means that person does not need help, it may mean in fact they need far more help because they are unable to actively seek it!


I know you weren't trying to be rude but I have only just really seen the depth of ignorance regarding mental health problems after it took me nearly 30 years just to understand my own, so it's been a frustrating journey. Sorry to rant, I just hope people can see how these throw-away comments are so hurtful when you don't mean for them to be. Hope I haven't offended you, don't mean to get on my high horse, but it's been these face-value interpretations which meant I also had to take DLA to tribunal and it took a whole year to get any of the money I was duely owed. The DLA is so bad with mental health, they have only literally just this year in 2010 geared questions to accomodate mental health problems as well as physical problems in their new forms. Baby steps I guess. Sorry you had to take the brunt of it, but it's really this simple straight-forward and logical thinking which doesn't apply to mental health which is all about disorganisation. It's the nature of the dissease!

I think I am closer than a lot of people to this because I receive higher care rate dla for a severe anxiety disorder. Your GP would know everything. Your psychiatrist keeps them informed about everything that happens in meetings with him. The GP is your FIRST port of call and as such would be one of the first and most important people DLA might want to speak with or at least get a letter from to send in with your claim. I have no complaints about the service of GP's re my mental health condition and have to say that i disagree with your comment that if you are unable to actively seek help you need it more. I don't understand that at all.


. I've been claiming DLA for mental health problems for around 6 years and think the form does accommodate mental health conditions. Simply having a condition however, does not mean your entitled. In the case of anxiety disorders, they would need to know that it has been diagnosed by a GP or psychiatrist and would need to know from one or the other how severe a case you have. I have been to groups with this disorder. Some people have the odd panic attack and feel anxious a lot but can cope with day to day activities. At the other end, there are those with the condition who simply find it difficult to function at all. Chronic fatigue, multiple daily panic attacks, forgetfullness, dizziness, agrophobia, social phobia, insomnia. on and on and on. What I'm trying to say is that you cannot tell DLA who they have to speak to and it is odd that you don't seem to want them to hear from your GP etc. At the very least if you have been diagnosed he would be aware of it and how severe it is. As someone else said, he would have referred you in the first place and would certainly be kept informed as to your condition by the psychiatrist.

When all is said and done you can appeal. A lot of appeals are successful. I'm not saying it's not more difficult for mental health than for a physical disability and I know how awful anxiety can be. But you need firstly to get an appeal in asap and then you need to hotfoot it to your GP and ask for a letter. If you're worried that your GP or psychiatrist won't back you or are underestimating the impact this has on your life then it will be very difficult to get DLA to support you. Are you on medications etc? Who gives them to you. Who prescribes them?

Don't give up yet, but i think people are just confused as to why you seem not to want them to contact your GP. By the way on a better note, they didn't even bother contacting mine even though I put him down on the form. I've been on lower care and mobility for 5 years and went to get it raised to middle, which they refused so i appealed. Went to tribunal with no evidence at all. Got very upset and had a panic attack etc and got given higher care. Appeal and speak to them face to face at the tribunal. Tell them how it impacts your life. You could still be successful without a GP letter.

Good Luck!

Yuki60

jetta_wales wrote: »

My GP desn't know a thing about my condition but I've not long moved here and never had a need to see him about it (there's nothing anybody can do about it anyway) but you're definatly right that we should keep them in the loop whatever our condition especialy in regard of DLA (which I'm having looked at again) so I will make an appointment to see mine ext week (though he's not very nice he's really cold and matter of factish makes you feel like a nussance just for being there to be honest) but he should know that he may get a letter from DLA so he can reply properly with at least some vague and probably uninterested knowledge of my condition.
.

But you would have had a GP where you moved from. When you get a new GP all your medical details and files are sent on to them and so if you have been diagnosed with this condition, your new GP will be aware of it. The only way he will tell DLA you have the condition is if its been diagnosed by another doctor or if he diagnoses it himself. As you have the condition I presume it will be in the files sent from your old GP. So don't worry it'll be fine.

caela_2

Yuki60 wrote: »

Your GP would know everything. Your psychiatrist keeps them informed about everything that happens in meetings with him. The GP is your FIRST port of call and as such would be one of the first and most important people DLA might want to speak with or at least get a letter from to send in with your claim.

I've been claiming DLA for mental health problems for around 6 years and think the form does accommodate mental health conditions...
and it is odd that you don't seem to want them to hear from your GP etc. At the very least if you have been diagnosed he would be aware of it and how severe it is. As someone else said, he would have referred you in the first place and would certainly be kept informed as to your condition by the psychiatrist.

Hey,

Thanks for raising your points, but I just want to clarify the differences in how people deal with their mental health. Whilst I'm glad that you have sucessfully visited your GP and maintain a good relationship, I have found the nhs useless with mental health and as a result, rarely talk to them.
Whether it's my own personal choice not to seek help, having been unsuccessful with therapy in the past (sometimes it actually made me worse), or the fact that my mental health problems mean I do not trust anyone or am unable to organise appointments, either way, my GP is fairly uniformed. He could easily confirm the diagnosis, but not give a detailed report on how it effects my life.
I have a sleep disorder which mean I am not up during the day to make an appointment, let alone keep one, so you can imagine how often I get to see my GP even if I want to. That and the 5-10 minute window I am given to try to verbalise my problems means not much get's said. I have also moved around a lot, so my GP has changed and it takes a while updating each new one.

You do not have to be in therapy to get DLA and I refuse to take medications or speak to shrinks, for whatever reason. Therefore, I also had to appeal my claim because I had little supporting evidence. This is understandable, but when the DLA doc assessed me, he pretty much lied in his report which wasn't helpful. Also, DLA have several letters from my previous claims, from my last shrink who clearly stated I had a chronic condition.

It really isn't easy to claim. If we were organised enough to arrange our health care and fill in the forms, jumping through every relevant hoop, we'd be well enough to look after ourselves. I know everyone is different, but it does not undermine our mental health problems because we are unable to contact our GP, nor is it odd or deserving of suspicion. If anything, it highlights the problems we are having in receiving care and the lack of a stable source of guidance and help.

The forms, in my opinion, almost completely disregarded mental health issues until recently. It was only towards the end of the 1990's that they even recognised mental health problems as a disability, after an agrophobic took their case to court.

I'm not disagreeing with you, just saying all cases are different and I understand what this claimant was talking about. It's not fair to have your claim discredited because of something like this, although I can understand that they need the relevant supporting evidence. Perhaps they should provide someone to help you obtain evidence and go through your claim rather than making the process so difficult. They could be more encouraging at least. I mean, the new form is some 60 questions long and literally takes me months to complete, before I can even begin thinking about supporting evidence.

Well, that's my opinion at least lol.

System

woodbine wrote: »

advice to anyone applying for DLA as soon as you do go and discuss your care/mobility needs with your gp and inform them you have applied for it
to the OP see welfare rights for help with your appeal ASAP

This doesn't always work mind, i told my Psychiatrist who told me its for people who are worse than me, yet somehow i got awarded MRC and LRM.

But bascially the more support you can include the better. I always get copies of letter sent from psych/cpn to my gp. And included them in my application. You have amonth to appeal if needs be gte help from CAB/Charity/Welfare etc.

p.s. not all GPs are bad with mental health, mine has been a godsend in times gone by.