DWP, Medicals

FTW

If you've not yet attended a medical and have an appointment set to attend one, try to make sure you audio-record it (if you have the means to do so, but do NOT tell Atos or the DWP you're doing it).

cit_k

azules wrote: »

Hi guys

I have been out of work since the start of the year.
My wife works so many hours a week so I am not entiteled to beniefits
other than what she gets like working tax credit.

I have just recieved a letter this moring from DWP to attend a medical.
although I have no doubt they will have no problem in seeing that my situation is true and I'm not slinging the lead

Do I need to look out for anything in paticular and also
can someone tell me what actually gos on at one

cheers

Hope Im in the right forum here guy's
just realised I may need to be in disabilty and dosh
hope the mods can help put it right.

sorry

If its an ESA medical, dont be suprised if they are very polite, and very pleasant when they assess you.

Dont be suprised if you fail.

Dont be suprised if after requesting a copy of the medical report, the nice assessor lied through his or her teeth on the report.

Dont be suprised if they do not take into account medical evidence.

Dont be suprised if the report contains a lot of nonsense and self contradictory statements.

Do be suprised if you pass, do be suprised if the report is accurate.

And heed the warning about recording secretly very seriously, it is WELL worth doing.

If all goes well, nothing lost, no one is any the wiser you recorded it.

If it goes bad, you will be very thankful you have the recording.

seven-day-weekend

cit_k wrote: »

If its an ESA medical, dont be suprised if they are very polite, and very pleasant when they assess you.

Dont be suprised if you fail.

Dont be suprised if after requesting a copy of the medical report, the nice assessor lied through his or her teeth on the report.

Dont be suprised if they do not take into account medical evidence.

Dont be suprised if the report contains a lot of nonsense and self contradictory statements.

Do be suprised if you pass, do be suprised if the report is accurate.

And heed the warning about recording secretly very seriously, it is WELL worth doing.

If all goes well, nothing lost, no one is any the wiser you recorded it.

If it goes bad, you will be very thankful you have the recording.

Why do you have to frighten people all the time?

cit_k

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Why do you have to frighten people all the time?

Better to be prepared for the truth and expect the worst, and be pleasantly suprised if it goes well, than to lie to people and tell them all WILL be well, and then let them be gutted and disolusioned if it goes wrong.

Out of several assessments, apart from the first assessment, where the fools gave me completely the wrong medical, I have not had any assessments where they did not lie on the report.

ESA is not working well, its best not to sugar coat facts.

Katykat

I'm afraid Cit-k is correct. Unfortunately, due to a few benefits spongers, it seems ALL claimants are treated the same ie as if they are all trying to fleece the system. We have to remember that there are genuinely sick people out there and they should be treated with respect. Many of them have worked for 40+ yrs and at a time of their lives when they need help they have to go into these medicals with trepidation and suspicion. I agree with the recording, however it would be inadmissible and would be purely for your own perusal. DWP have this absurd rule that if you want the process recording, you have to apply for permission from them, and they insist it is recorded by a qualified sound engineer with the correct professional equipment. They say its to prevent any tampering with the recording, but really its because they know that this type of recording is way beyond the means of Joe Public. Azores, investigate whether you really need to pay any more NI contributions. It is only for your state pension, not as Oldernotwiser says, to do with sickness benefits, as you dont qualify for them anyway. Personally, i think if you dont need to top up your NI contributions I wouldn't put myself through the hassle of the medical.

azules

OK, Thanks for your input guy's
what I find hard to work out is
why have they sent for me

alright I get MI pais and my wife has a top up via working credit.
I have nowt to hide so I have no problem going to a medical
its not as if I will be doing anything that day anyhow

I does not help matters that the last time I went to the hospital
the consultant decide to send a physio to see me
and he totaly wrote every thing I said down incorrect

so that wouldnt help me as a medical report
I just wanted some idea as what to expect
and I think you guys have given me an insight


cheers

FTW

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Why do you have to frighten people all the time?

Because he's right - I've attended two Atos assessments so far, and exactly the same things happened at both.

I recorded the second one, because I wish I'd recorded the first one as well.

azules

FTW wrote: »

Because he's right - I've attended two Atos assessments so far, and exactly the same things happened at both.

I recorded the second one, because I wish I'd recorded the first one as well.

What type of equipment were you using
if would have to be decent to catch what was being siad
but yet be hidden

azules

I need to point out here folks that I dont look on this as frightning
as one poster is worried over.
I wanted to know what is involved and have been told, possible good points as well as bad.
I am gratefull for that
thanks.

FTW

azules wrote: »

What type of equipment were you using
if would have to be decent to catch what was being siad
but yet be hidden

Just a mobile phone with a voice record facility (not a great one, but it worked well enough). Tucked into a pocket, a bag, an envelope, it'll do the job - provided whatever it's hidden in doesn't get moved around too much.

A dictaphone (obtainable cheaply enough from EBay) will work just as well.