something good re esa atos medical

Molly41

I posted a while ago about my positive experience of ESA. I agree its very sad to be told officially that you are too sick to work. It has left a chasm in my life that may never be filled. However what is good is that for now the stress of applying for ESA is over.

Mupette

NASA wrote: »

As happy as I am that the OP got the right result I cant help but be disappointed that people see it as a reason to 'congratulate' someone.

'Hey, way to go on being sick, you rule'

Mupette, I'm glad you got the result you did.

I know what you mean, but i guess i have already accepted i will never get better, will only get worse but when that will happen who knows.
But at least now, i can just concentrate on one day at a time, the less stress the better it is for me.

bluetoffees

gillianr2 wrote: »

That's great news for you, congratulations!

However I have to toally disagree on your sentiments of if you tell the truth you have nothing to fear. I told the truth at my assesment and failed, when I received the report the majority of what I had told her and said had not been accounted for and there were blatant mistakes/lies in there aswell i.e. takes meds for high blood pressure. I've never had highblood pressure in my life, my meds are for a heart condition! So it isn't always a case of you simply telling the truth. I'm awaiting a tribunal, 5mths so stress so far and nothing.

All that said, congrats again, im glad someone has gotten through the system unscathed.
x

Hi Gillian,
Sorry to hear you failed your medical. I did too, back in April 2010. I waited and worried and finally got a hearing date on 22 February this year! However last Monday I got a letter from the Appeals office saying they had re-examined the facts and evidence and had revised the decision in my favour:j! I could hardly believe it and didn't until on Friday a letter arrived from the Tribunals Service confirming that the appeal was now lapsed and the decision was now more favourable towards me.

I've phoned the benefit office to find out more about what happens next as there was no detail in the letter:( and I've now had two phone calls and been told I am in the support group for 6 months (when I might need another medical or may continue in the support group) and also my arrears should reach my bank account on Monday:j!

So, try not to worry too much (and I hate it when people say that to me, so sorry!) as I think they have had so many people failing medicals and the tribunal service is backlogged that maybe they are reviewing cases before the hearings actually take place. I hope so. The last thing we need is more stress when we are already wondering how to support ourselves on very little money, without the added stress of what would happen if that money is taken away.

Good luck:)

FleurDuLys

I had a good experience with ATOS too. I went to my medical and explained that I was currently ill and was receiving treatment, but felt that I was getting better all the time and wouldn't need to be on ESA for long, I just needed some help for the moment. The ATOS doctor tried to focus on a spinal problem that I have, which is physically obvious and has caused quite severe problems in the past but no-longer causes major issues, and I explained that this wasn't a problem anymore, demonstrating that I could do plenty of the physical tests that they asked me to do. I was awarded ESA with no problems and went into the WRAG (obviously) which I found very helpful as they were happy to support me in retraining for a new career - something that I spent most of last year doing. I was already studying for a home study diploma when I applied for ESA but they would have paid for this if I hadn't already, and I was allowed to do voluntary work one day a week if I was well enough, to help me get practical skills.

Being sick is nothing to be congratulated on, I absolutely agree. After doing all I could for my new career last year, I was just applying for jobs, got offered an entry-level role at the place I was doing voluntary work and had been called for interviews for some fantastic positions when I flipping got diagnosed with cancer, so I've had to stay on ESA and move into the support group rather than go for those dream jobs.

parsons

bluetoffees wrote: »

I've phoned the benefit office to find out more about what happens next as there was no detail in the letter:( and I've now had two phone calls and been told I am in the support group for 6 months (when I might need another medical or may continue in the support group)
Good luck:)

I am hearing from many different sources that this ESA benefit seems to go in circles.

I sit here and wonder just what the Government think they are doing.
Maybe I am just a black or white sort of person with no grey in between.

It does seem a little difficult to comprehend that when some are placed in the Support Group and months later they find themselves back at the beginning after failing the re-tests.

How can someone be so ill and disabled that work of any type is out of the question yet a few months later they are found to be prefectly fit and should be looking for a job?

I do hope that that doesn't happen to you as is happening, it appears, to many in this country.

uolypool

My congratulations to Mupette was based on I know, based on the pms that have been tooing and frowing between us how hard a "normal" day can be,so my congrats was purely meant for the fact that Mupette will not have to fight through a tribunal. I too was congratulated when I was placed in the WFG last year and I appreciated the time ppl took to to say "well done" or "congratulations " as I knew my limitations on simple daily tasks and I certainly did not relish the thought of being dragged over the coals any further to prove that a normal day for me was perishingly difficult for me even the simplest of things that others may take for granted.I certainly didn't mean it to sound as if I was saying."congratulations on being to disabled to work" and apologies if anything I put caused anger or offence to anyone else on here.

Mupette

parsons wrote: »

I am hearing from many different sources that this ESA benefit seems to go in circles.

I sit here and wonder just what the Government think they are doing.
Maybe I am just a black or white sort of person with no grey in between.

It does seem a little difficult to comprehend that when some are placed in the Support Group and months later they find themselves back at the beginning after failing the re-tests.

How can someone be so ill and disabled that work of any type is out of the question yet a few months later they are found to be prefectly fit and should be looking for a job?

I do hope that that doesn't happen to you as is happening, it appears, to many in this country.

Actually i'm awaiting someone from atos or dwp in the future telling me i am cured from MS

parsons

Mupette wrote: »

Actually i'm awaiting someone from atos or dwp in the future telling me i am cured from MS

Me too!!! I sit and wait every day for my consultant to tell me that they have found a cure.

Then I remind myself that the DWP/ATOS may hold the key. I do wonder whether I am doing the right thing in not getting them to assess me. The choice between that and the merry go round that goes with it or the peace and quiet I get from a life free of interference from the Benefits Agencies has no competition.
Less money to me means a more relaxed life. Time when I can sit watch TV, enjoy my garden without thinking or worrying about the next form to fill in or assessment to go through.

I ask for nothing and get nothing, but I do have peace!

Skinticket

nice to hear of a good outcome for once, wished i could say the same about my own... they made a right mess of it. the mistake is clearly there for them to see too but they wont look at it again so im having go to tribunal.

they awarded me 9 points due to problems with manual dexterity, and another of the descriptors says "cannot carry a light/empty cardboard box with both hands - 6 points"

i have no use at all of my left hand, so how can they not have awarded me the 6 points for that bit?

i pointed this out to them, but they refused to listen, so off to tribunal i go.

pathetic.

parsons

gillianr2 wrote: »

The only other thing that gets me is that you are placed in the support group again but for 6mths only, surely the whole point of the support group is that you really are too ill to work, I think in cases where you are in that group then no medicals should need to be carried out for a year as alot of people attend consultants ect every 6mths so could be attending another medical without their update from their consultant and may ned up going throught the whole process again!

Whether you are in the Support Group or not they can and do, actually review every three months! If someone is given six months then they are on to a winner!

But yes I agree - what do they hope to achieve knowing that there will be no change whatsoever in the ability to work?
It all seems to be a game to the DWP, working on the basis of the law of averages. The more you are tested, the more you become likely to fail at least one of them.

That will remove you from mainstream ESA whilst an appeal is in the system. That can only be good for the stats!!

Am I glad I decided to be poor and content and not play their silly little games!