ESA; Atos Medical Tomorrow; Very nervous;

SimIsOnTheUp

wombles_forever wrote: »

Hi, I had an assessment medical last week and was told to allow between 4 - 6 weeks for a decision to be made.

I am not sure if they tell you this to cover themselves or DWP but as I am due a payment next week I am hoping that this one goes through but am aware that the next one may not.

Best of luck for tomorrow, hope it goes well for you.

Thanks.

Hope it all goes well for you.

As for appealing / payments, going by my experience from last year, I'd ask the DWP for an appeal form now, so that by the time it arrives (they post them second class), you can get it straight back to them.

That way your ESA should carry on without a break, while you're awaiting the result of the appeal (albeit at assessment rate).

I'm going to call my local DWP office tomorrow morning, and ask for an appeal form before I've even had my Medical I think!

healy

SimIsOnTheUp wrote: »

My only concern re tomorrow, is that my payment of ESA might not be paid when it's due to be - ie - this Friday (the DWP apparently action said payments, on their systems on the Tuesday, to reach my account by BACS by the following Friday.

However, with my Medical being tomorrow, the Doctor will then post off his results back to the DWP, who I'm assuming will receive them on Wednesday.

I'm worried that they will then cancel this week's payment :-/

I do not think you need to worry about the payment for this week as it often takes a few weeks for a decision to be made.

dmna

SimIsOnTheUp wrote: »

My only concern re tomorrow, is that my payment of ESA might not be paid when it's due to be - ie - this Friday (the DWP apparently action said payments, on their systems on the Tuesday, to reach my account by BACS by the following Friday.

However, with my Medical being tomorrow, the Doctor will then post off his results back to the DWP, who I'm assuming will receive them on Wednesday.

I'm worried that they will then cancel this week's payment :-/

Your payment should not be affected this week and should credit as normal on Friday unless there is some other issue - DWP will not receive the results the same day.

Try not to worry too much. Thinking positive is always the way forward!

skintas_2

i went for one for these tests in march. it came out work related activity, im still under the psychritriast if thats how you speall it and on heavy medication. i went to the job place they sent me, they said its mandatory i go? im still on heavy medication? didnt realise i could appeal it. as im not well i dont no what one day is to the next.. the test to me seemed a joke. wished they looked at my medical notes.

vwelsh13

I am appealing against a decision, the report contained incorrect data - results of tests never done!!! :mad: etc etc

the nurse (not a neurologist!) concluded a return to work in maybe 3 months

Dwp said I am fit, despite heavy medication and poor right hand/arm function due to nerve entrapment/damage

I do not know how they can put down results of tests/examinations that never happened, obviously atos employ psychics ..no..they would predict their own lottery winning numbers so they must employ fictional text writers:mad:

tommix

SimIsOnTheUp wrote: »

Thanks.

I've got a letter from my GP, and from the Substance Misuse team, ready to take with me tomorrow.

Good luck for today.:)

Muttleythefrog

skintas wrote: »

i went for one for these tests in march. it came out work related activity, im still under the psychritriast if thats how you speall it and on heavy medication. i went to the job place they sent me, they said its mandatory i go? im still on heavy medication? didnt realise i could appeal it. as im not well i dont no what one day is to the next.. the test to me seemed a joke. wished they looked at my medical notes.

Yeah you could have appealed... but to be honest very few probably appeal a WRAG award since it is a good award and it is almost certainly a short term one. In due course you're likely to be re-assessed... and the chances are that will take place before an appeal could be heard...lol... so it becomes messy.

My advice would be focus on your health and other issues and look at how you might be able to present a case (evidentially) for support group when you are next assessed. I would advise requesting a copy of your ATOS medical report from the DWP as it may prove informationally helpful - it may give good indication as to when to expect re-assessment as it should say how long it will be before you could be considered for return to work.

Muttleythefrog

vwelsh13 wrote: »

I am appealing against a decision, the report contained incorrect data - results of tests never done!!! :mad: etc etc

the nurse (not a neurologist!) concluded a return to work in maybe 3 months

Dwp said I am fit, despite heavy medication and poor right hand/arm function due to nerve entrapment/damage

I do not know how they can put down results of tests/examinations that never happened, obviously atos employ psychics ..no..they would predict their own lottery winning numbers so they must employ fictional text writers:mad:

Yeah... sadly this is commonly reported - that facts in the ATOS medical report simply had no basis because things were simply not said, implied or tests were not done etc.

Good luck in appealing... any evidence you can gather in timely fashion to challenge the report (and present a case for the descriptors you think apply) would be helpful to send for appeal.

SimIsOnTheUp

Just got back, after a lovely stroll home along the river, after my ghastly 'medical'!

Got there 10 minutes early, to be greeted by the aftermath of a poor lady having had a panic attack.

Luckily, it got better after that!

The Doctor turned out to be rather lovely

She asked me the scripted questions off the computer; eg "How do you spend your day?" and "How long have you been drinking?"; Asked to see my medication (I'd taken them with me), and then what I'd like to add at the end, as we'd discussed the fact that I'd pushed myself back into work too soon last year.

It made a refreshing change, as she *seemed* to take in what I said, as she typed.

The Doctor last year was an old fella, and as amicable as he was, he didn't really listen!

So, this time was like a breath of fresh air.

As things came to a close, she asked me if I had any questions, and I asked her, half - jokingly, "Yes. Could I see what you've written?"

She replied that I'd get a letter in the post, and that she would make sure the DWP are aware that I need time to recover (backed up by my GP's letter, which she already had).

All in all, not too bad.

I still don't expect to 'win' much more than 'nil points' though!

Which brings me on to....

Going to call the DWP now, and ask them to post me an appeal form, so I'm on top of things.

Any of you who've got a medical assessment coming up, good luck to you.

SimIsOnTheUp

PS -

I very nearly bottled it this afternoon.

Was so close to not going, and staying in, as I felt very jittery due to not having been out for 8 days.

Just kept repeating the 'Serenity Prayer' under my breath, as I had a shave and got my gladrags on.

Really didn't want to go through it all again, but I kept reminding myself how great I'd feel afterwards (if I went), as opposed to how grim things could get (ESA suspended; related grief) if I didn't.

Thanks to my Higher Power up there, it did the trick!

xx