Medical reports for ESA appeal - only with permission of DWP!!!!

kurgon

I don't understand why yo don't get copies of the lcinic letters that are sent to your GP. All have the right to be sent a copy of these, and no matter whetheer you understand them or not, they may be useful to you. Just call the secretaries of Professor's in question and ask them to send you all letters dating back for however long you have been there. This is not an access to medical records issue and should incur no charges. If they are not helpful then PALS may be able to offer assistance in this matter.

Indie_Kid

kurgon wrote: »

I don't understand why yo don't get copies of the lcinic letters that are sent to your GP. All have the right to be sent a copy of these, and no matter whetheer you understand them or not, they may be useful to you. Just call the secretaries of Professor's in question and ask them to send you all letters dating back for however long you have been there. This is not an access to medical records issue and should incur no charges. If they are not helpful then PALS may be able to offer assistance in this matter.

I agree. My last consultant (who discharged me) always sent me letters that were sent to my GP.

I am also able to request letters from my GP / other consultant with no problem. (I just need to see them and talk to them)

happyinflorida

You can get some help on this website

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk

I've found this really helpful for me with making an ESA claim.

There's lots of free advice, I did pay to join and found everything really reassuring at a very stressful, worrying time.

Good luck with everything.

wishface

andyandflo wrote: »

Hi, My GP explained that her practice and others in the same area authority have decided that as there have been so many applications for ESA Medical Reports from patients, it had started to affect the level of care given to all of the other patients. She apologised, but said that she did not get paid to do that work, nor did she have the free time to do them.
It seems that this was a result of a meeting of local Consultants complaining of being asked to complete them and not being paid.

So all have decided that there will be no more reports unless the cost is met either by the DWP/Tribunal Service or the patient.

that's appalling. It isn't the fault of individual patients they are so busy (perhaps they should be asking why, though this stress filled high pressure society the answer is obvvious).

andyandflo

Hi everyone - just an update. Have asked DWP, ATOS & Tribunal to obtain reports from GP and my three Consultants, based in two different hospitals. Have set down in my request that there is evidence available from these people that will totally discredit the ATOS medical and report. Will have to see if they comply with the request.
As regards obtaining copies of letters between Consultants & GP, I have been told that I could have a copy by right as long as it is no more than 40 days after they were sent and the day I ask to see them.
I have now asked for copies of all my medical notes from the four hospitals that have dealt with me since January 1995 - so far that has cost me £100.
What I will make of those records will be any body's guess! I have approached a local solicitor as suggested on this site and will be dumping the lot on him to make sense of. I have been quoted a minimum of £750 for 3 hours work and just hope he can come up with a report that makes sense
Moral of the story: make sure you get copies of everything at the time they are sent to the GP and vice versa!!!!!!

Kronkston_2

dmg24 wrote: »

I would like to think that there are some GPs who would never agree to stop writing reports FOC. Unfortunately there is a lot of politics at the mo with GP contracts, and this could be a consequence of that.

Will you be telling us what FOC stands for?

I think it is rude to use obscure acronyms with out explaining them.

I

Breast_Cancer_Survivor

Kronkston wrote: »

Will you be telling us what FOC stands for?

I think it is rude to use obscure acronyms with out explaining them.

I

I don't know for sure but imagine that it means "free of charge".

Molly41

andyandflo wrote: »

Hi, thanks to everyone that has contributed. Quite a lot to get through but I now have an idea about where to go from here.

Just one final point, I happened to get onto the Benefits and Work website forum, and there right in front of me is the same problem.

There is now proof that it isn't just me, but it seems to be going nationwide.

Their GP quoted £12 per letter & charging just for a signature.

Capitive audience is it???

Like me, there are many that never get copies of letters from Consultants to GP's and vice versa, The only mail received are appointment notices which are scrapped afterwards.
You trust your medical team - why on earth would anyone want copies of medical reports/advice/drugs etc. Why should anyone want to check up on them!
To be honest I never knew that you could have them, I thought they were confidential between the medical people.

So a long drawn out and very expensive excercise has now got to be carried out.

Because its a partnership between YOU as the patient and THEM as the medical team. You surely want a record of what was said during a consultation? You have play your part and act on the advice/ meds given during the consultation. Its YOUR information. If you had been more proactive and just simply requested the information - which is your legal and moral right - then you might not be in this situation today.

Uncertain

andyandflo wrote: »

Hi everyone - just an update. Have asked DWP, ATOS & Tribunal to obtain reports from GP and my three Consultants, based in two different hospitals. Have set down in my request that there is evidence available from these people that will totally discredit the ATOS medical and report. Will have to see if they comply with the request.
As regards obtaining copies of letters between Consultants & GP, I have been told that I could have a copy by right as long as it is no more than 40 days after they were sent and the day I ask to see them.
I have now asked for copies of all my medical notes from the four hospitals that have dealt with me since January 1995 - so far that has cost me £100.
What I will make of those records will be any body's guess! I have approached a local solicitor as suggested on this site and will be dumping the lot on him to make sense of. I have been quoted a minimum of £750 for 3 hours work and just hope he can come up with a report that makes sense
Moral of the story: make sure you get copies of everything at the time they are sent to the GP and vice versa!!!!!!

Obviously it is your choice but I wouldn't have thought it was necessary to pay a solicitor £750 to do this.

All you are looking to do is to pick out bits from the doctors letters and reports that contradict ATOS.

e.g.

Nurse / Dr XXXX at ATOS says this whereas Dr YYYYY (consultant physician) says that and Mr ZZZZZZ (consultant surgeon) says the other. Gently but firmly imply that these people are more specialised and better qualified that the ATOS HCP.

stazi

I agree with Uncertain and I wouldn't pay a solictor £7.50 nevermind £750. Solicitor's generally know nothing about welfare benefits/rules. Get what reports you feel you need and then get help from an advice centre.