ESA medicals

happymumto2

Hi this is very long so a huge thank you to anyone that takes the time to read it.

I have been on ESA (C) since October, have been off work for 11 months with mental health issues. On 21st January I had a medical assessment for ESA which lasted at most 8-10 minutes because i was in a terrible state. I passed the medical and went on to main phase ESA in the work related group (no complaints although I did find it a bit odd as my employer is terminating my employment as the occupational health doctor who I have seen regularly over the past year, has said I am deteriorating rather than improving and he does not feel I will be able to work in that capacity again).

On Wednesday of this week I had my first work focussed interview for ESA (sorry if thats the wrong name), was told it would last an hour and that I had to attend 6 of these interviews. Within 10 minutes of starting the man told me to leave and that he would not be calling me for the remaining interviews for the forseeable future, because of the mess on me I was agitated, sobbing, and having a panic attack. He is referring me for some 1-1 support instead.

Yesterday I had a letter saying I had to go for another medical (letter dated before I had work interview thing so not to do with that), when I rang them and explained I had one 3 weeks ago the man was quite brusk and told me I had to have them regularly and that I should have been told that at the first medical.
I appreciate that people need to be regularly assessed to make sure they really are unwell but after only 3 weeks is not giving me a chance to improve healthwise.
I suffer acute anxiety and panic if I have to leave the safety of my home, I have attended what they asked me to attend at the expense of my health, I was hysterical and even now am worried sick about having to go for another medical, is it normal practice for you to be seen so soon?

Uncertain

I've never heard of anybody being (correctly) called for a further medical within just a few weeks. I would assume (and hope) this is some kind of administrative mix up.

The letter will have come from the dreaded ATOS Origin (I assume). The phone number on the letter is just a call centre for booking appointments.

You need to contact the DWP office that deals with paying your ESA. The address and phone number does not appear on the ATOS letter headed "Medical Services" so you will need to look for earlier letters headed "Jobcentre Plus". They have the power to decide (within guidelines) if a medical is required. Assuming they say it is not do try to get this in writing.

Hope this helps

happymumto2

Yes it was the Atos appointment centre I called, I have to say the manner of the man was very poor. He offered me 2 appointments, one half an hour before my disabled son gets home from school which was impossible as the place is a 40 minute drive away, the alternative appointment was given 15 minutes before I have a telephone appointment with the CCCS. He asked what appointment was for and when I said to try and "prevent home repossession", he began speaking to me like Marjory from Fat Fighters in Little Britain where she talks to the Asian lady and pretends she does not understand her. I appreciate I have a strong accent but not to that extent, he kept repeating "what is it your saying" tried saying it slowly and after about 7 or 8 times he asked me to explain what "homely possessions appointments" were for, its funny now but at the time I ended up shouting "home repossession" down the phone several times.

He did not deem either of these reasons suitable excuses for not attending and told me I had to attend the one at school time, I said he must have more than two appointments for the whole of south Wales (then it was a case of Little Britains "computer says no"! :rotfl:). The call ended with me saying I'd ring back Monday to see if they had any more appointments.

Will take your advice and check elsewher that its not an error. Thanks for replying.

stazi

The 'second' medical is the 'Work Focused Health Related Assessment' (WFHRA).

Originally when ESA was introduced, the WFHRA took place at the same appointment after the WCA examination. DWP have now separated the WCA and WFHRA to save time- there was no point doing the WFHRA if someone was not going to get the 15 points needed to pass the WCA.

More info on the ESA medicals is here-
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/FinancialSupport/esa/DG_172030

happymumto2

Thanks for that Stazi, that may explain why I am being seen again so soon. Do you know if after that medical they can change which group I have been placed in. My Gp has actually said she does not believe my mental health problems will allow me to hold down a job in the future. She knows me fairly well as a colleague not as a patient, as I used to do their ante-natals when their own midwife was off. So she knew me before I became unwell.

I am on maximum dose medication and am still deteriorating, so have been referred back to the psychiatrist to see if he can suggest an alternative medication regime to try and stabilise me. However because of the deep depression which is worsened at the slightest stress to the point where I recently went to bed for 6 weeks after opening a letter from my employer, and the manic episodes when I am really bizarre, she feels I would struggle to find an understanding employer. The NHS occupational health doctor has also written to my line manager and stated that this is a long term issue and as I have been off for a year they are going to terminate me on ill health.

I am not really sure what employment I could actually do, I can no longer speak to people I know let alone members of the public, not even on the telephone because of the anxiety, I cannot go out unaccompanied and even then it is only to appointments I really have to attend and after 10 minutes have a meltdown. I do not intend staying on benefits for the next 20 years, and my aim is to set up some sort of business from home, so that I am earning my own income from the safety of my house, it would also mean that I could pace myself and do nothing if I was having a "bad few days", which an outside employer would not put up with for long. However at the moment I am not well enough to attempt this.

stazi

The WCA medical decides the which group you are placed in- either the WRAG or Support Group. The WFHRA relates only on how your illness affects you from working.