ESA Medical

brendang_2

hi,can someone please tell me how long typically a medical examination for ESA lasts from experience as ive just recieved paperwork stating it could take upto 2 hours and this seems like an awful long time to me ,is this about right from peoples personal experience,TIA

daska

I understand from my support worker that the medical was about 45 minutes until I collapsed, prior to the physical exam, and then another 45 minutes to get me out of room, but thankfully I have only the vaguest memory of slobbering all over the desk. the WFHRA was probably less than 15 minutes, but then how long does a dr need if he's going to create a work of total fiction.

teakbank12

I was in the assessment room for 30 minutes at the most talking to the assessor who wasn't listening to a word i said.
After him tapping away on his keyboard (playing space-invaders for all i know) he asked me to attempt to touch my toes, then lay on a bed whilst generally assessing my health in minutes.
The final assessment didn't bear any relation to what my GP or Consultants have to say about my health. In fact this assessor overules any sicknote my GP has written, which rather irritated my GP.
But don't get stressed it's being done to us all

oystercatcher

My first medical took about 30 minutes I think. Most of it was just explaining to the Dr what was wrong with me and the problems I had. He asked me to go through what I did in a day, ie getting up and the problems, getting washed, getting dressed. Managing stairs to go downstairs. Could I cook, could I manage housework, gardening. What were my hobbies. What did I do all day?
He did a very brief physical examination and actually said he wouldn't make me bend over etc as he knew it would cause me problems.

My Dr was very nice....and I actually passed the medical and was put into the work focused group.

The second medical for work related issues was in the same place but I just saw a nurse. This again lasted about 30 minutes, there was no physical examination just a series of questions about the problems I had, very similar to the previous medical, could I manage stairs, could I cook, could I use a computer etc etc.
I was quite cross after this medical as I had to travel 20 miles alone on public transport (as my carer was unwell) which made me feel very unwell, and it seemed to be a complete repeat of the previous medical and also the work focused interview I had with The Shaw Trust on behalf of DWP.

Everyone has been kind and believed what I have said in every interview. There just seems to be huge amounts of repetition and "have you improved?" type interviews . If I had improved I would be back at work like a shot believe me !

hilstep2000

It took me nearly a year to get my ESA sorted out. I have MS and can hardly walk, I use a wheelchair for long walks, and the ATOS doctor made me walk 4 steps, and then put down that I could walk 30 metres or more based on that! I was put in the work group, despite being medically retired from my job! I appealed, and with the help of my MP won my appeal. I am now in the support group. The Government wants everyone back in work, but for some of us, it is just not possible. If you fail, do appeal. Good luck!

Indie_Kid

hilstep2000 wrote: »

It took me nearly a year to get my ESA sorted out. I have MS and can hardly walk, I use a wheelchair for long walks, and the ATOS doctor made me walk 4 steps, and then put down that I could walk 30 metres or more based on that! I was put in the work group, despite being medically retired from my job! I appealed, and with the help of my MP won my appeal. I am now in the support group. The Government wants everyone back in work, but for some of us, it is just not possible. If you fail, do appeal. Good luck!

You have to remember that ESA (and IB) are related to you doing any job.

cabrioletaddict

if he is very poorly atos staff in some cases do the interviews by phone

unimaginative_2

dmg24 wrote: »

brendang, it has just been confirmed on the Benefits board that the ESA transition has definitely not started, so it looks like you have been called in error. I would contact the JCP to ask why you have been called. I think they have made a mistake.

Hi there, i've heard recently within my office that IB appeals and ESA appeals may possibly be merging, and all IB DM's will be absorbed into ESA, therefore what the original poster said kind of fits in with that. I have heard nothing else though. Interesting.

dmg24

unimaginative wrote: »

Hi there, i've heard recently within my office that IB appeals and ESA appeals may possibly be merging, and all IB DM's will be absorbed into ESA, therefore what the original poster said kind of fits in with that. I have heard nothing else though. Interesting.

The transition has definitely not started yet. This is confirmed on the DWP website. Therefore the OP should not have been called for a medical.

Whilst IB and ESA appeals are heard by the same panels, they cannot be wholly merged because the benefits are awarded on different criteria.

brendang, did you chase this up with the JCP?

CUTESMILE

celinepatricia wrote: »

he has his medical on 23/3 and his appt on 29/3... do you think there is enought time between the two for any information to have been sorted

How did his medical and interview go?

My hubby had his medical today. It was with a nurse and she seemed really nice and quite concerned that my hubby was in a lot of pain and gave him some advice and told him off for not telling his GP about how much pain he's in and advised him to get stronger painkillers and different anti-inflamatories and ask for some answers to our questions.

We were in about an hour with her.

She explained she wouldn't examine him how she usually would due to his discomfort but did get him to move his arms and try out his grip whilst he was sat in a chair.