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ESA Medical Assessment - Anxiety Disorder Questions

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  • skibadee wrote: »
    The whole 'medical assessment' thing I found was ridiculas, I was diagnosed with cancer 7.5 years ago, under-went surgery, chemo, radiotherapy and hormone therapy....I was also taking Citalopram, Tamazepam and Zolpidem......2 mths after finishing intense treatments I was called for a assessment.....the doctor said '' so its just the cancer thats the problem''!!!.....I was so exhausted from the whole assessment I didn't have the energy to question his comment.
    I feel the questions I was asked were not at all relevent to my illness and he had no understanding of the physical and mental/emotional effect of being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness.
    I scored 5 points I think.


    I'm still on Citalopram, Diazepam and Zolpidem but fortunately am able to work part-time in a job I've been in for 17yrs....I cannot cope with changing jobs or even attending courses related to my job.
    I have to take extra medication to be able to attend social events.....I usually try to get out of attending these altogether if possible.....especially if there are people there I do not know.

    I suffer from depression, general/social anxiety disorder/ panic attacks/ sleeping problems/ problems with my left arm from a severe lifting injury/ problems with arthritis in my knees/ recurring tendonitis in my right wrist/elbow/shoulder..

    By your own admission, you are fit for work. Hence the assessment appears to have been accurate?
  • skibadee
    skibadee Posts: 1,304 Forumite
    I am fit for work now!!!

    My point was the assessment I attended post my treatment consisted of questions which were inconsistent with my medical condition at the time, and at THAT time I did not feel fit to return to work both physically or mentally.

    Also my other point was that it is possible to work when suffering from anxiety/depression etc., with medication and support.
  • bestpud
    bestpud Posts: 11,048 Forumite
    GEMGIRL67 wrote: »
    I also know a lot of people who have children with mild learning disabilities and are getting £200 a week in benefits and are telling lies, they post on the facebook walls asking advice what to do to say their kids have ADHD so that they can get all the benefits. Whereas the ones who have kids who are really a handful, or disbaled cant get much off the government.

    So, why haven't you taken screen dumps and reported all these people?

    You complain the genuine ones are being hit, but you are watching fraudsters get away with it...?

    I would also question why you know so many people in this position...

    The anti-ATOS brigade on here would have us think disability benefit fraud is very rare, so how come you know so many of them?
  • You need to stop believing everything you read on the internet! ;) Having said that, I doubt you would score 15 points on the one section if you are able to use public transport without assistance.

    To get a home visit you will need to submit evidence of the need from your GP.


    I suffer from anxiety/panic attacks I went for my medical on my own by public transport. Of course they asked the normal questions how did you got here, did you come on your own both I did I traveled by bus and on my own there was no one to come with me which I told them.

    I passed my medical first time round without problem the thing is I had a massive panic attacks right in front of the medical examiner it took 6 mins before he actually calmed me down then I couldn't find my way around the building to get out because of panic which he had to help me with.

    Well I did tell him I can go out but it needs to be in quiet places and no crowd around me and the buses need to be pretty empty and I do get panic attack in building etc :D.

    I am now on indefinite IS benefits under illness sometimes it doesn't matter what you tell them if they see it first hand then you'll pass your medical without a hitch.
  • rogerblack
    rogerblack Posts: 9,446 Forumite
    And if you're having a good day, you're screwed if they don't have a good understanding of your condition, read the forms in detail, and believe you.
    Sure you can appeal, and if you're lucky, it'll only be 8 or 9 months on the assessment rate.
  • cit_k
    cit_k Posts: 24,812 Forumite
    GEMGIRL67 wrote: »
    Thank you cit_k for understanding.

    Been there done that, got the t-shirt, occupation health even knew removing me from an open plan office would be highly beneficial, not that the company took a ounce of notice.
    [greenhighlight]but it matters when the most senior politician in the land is happy to use language and examples that are simply not true.
    [/greenhighlight][redtitle]
    The impact of this is to stigmatise people on benefits,
    and we should be deeply worried about that
    [/redtitle](house of lords debate, talking about Cameron)
  • tottybum
    tottybum Posts: 115 Forumite
    rogerblack wrote: »
    And if you're having a good day, you're screwed if they don't have a good understanding of your condition, read the forms in detail, and believe you.
    Sure you can appeal, and if you're lucky, it'll only be 8 or 9 months on the assessment rate.

    Are you actually being serious?

    So ATOS/DWP should read the forms (I presume the ESA50/IB50) and if you say that you have xyz and that you cannot carry out any work of any kind and that your condition is such that looking for work would be a danger to your health, poor old assessor should say ' ah this person has explained everything, so it must all be true - put her/him in the support group for 5 years'.

    If that was the case we would be back were we were with IB, and everybody qualifies for the support group!

    Please get real - not everyone tells the absolute truth, so on that basis everybody should be treated as a liar until it can be proven otherwise.
  • cit_k
    cit_k Posts: 24,812 Forumite
    mealone wrote: »
    That has to be the biggest pile of crud I have ever read on a forum, working in a normal work place does not wreck lives :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

    Normal life is just that, normal life, working is a normal part of life and so are open plan work places, just normal for 100's of thousands of people who work there every day, week in, week out except for normal holidays and occasinal normal illnesses/accidents which cause bumps in their attendance records.

    Its sad someone can be so ignorant, and laugh about problems that can and do cause great suffering.

    Its sad, someone can ignore the facts about workplace stress, mental health issues, bullying, and the cost to industry (never mind human health) over workplace issues.

    Keep on living in a bubble, and be thankful your little bubble is so perfect.
    [greenhighlight]but it matters when the most senior politician in the land is happy to use language and examples that are simply not true.
    [/greenhighlight][redtitle]
    The impact of this is to stigmatise people on benefits,
    and we should be deeply worried about that
    [/redtitle](house of lords debate, talking about Cameron)
  • cit_k
    cit_k Posts: 24,812 Forumite
    edited 7 November 2011 at 5:36PM
    tottybum wrote: »
    Are you actually being serious?

    So ATOS/DWP should read the forms (I presume the ESA50/IB50) and if you say that you have xyz and that you cannot carry out any work of any kind and that your condition is such that looking for work would be a danger to your health, poor old assessor should say ' ah this person has explained everything, so it must all be true - put her/him in the support group for 5 years'.

    If that was the case we would be back were we were with IB, and everybody qualifies for the support group!

    Please get real - not everyone tells the absolute truth, so on that basis everybody should be treated as a liar until it can be proven otherwise.

    IB and ESA are remarkably similar, both used ATOS, both use LIMA software. Very little difference in assessments really.

    Fraud on IB is currently at 0.3 percent... many people have to appeal year after year, if they wanted to lie and pass, they could try, but they dont....

    Why is the ATOS assessor not also treated as a liar?
    ATOS have more to gain than a claimaint does financially, from keeping the dwp happy (ie meet the target of failing 1 million) as they dont want to lose a 100 MILLION a year contract.

    So going by motive, ATOS have a far bigger motive to lie than a claimaint.


    Oh, and yes, the DWP / ATOS are meant to read all the forms/evidence.

    Claimaint evidence has to be considered alongside all other evidence.

    The claimaints evidence is first hand testimony, the assessors evidence is mere 'opinion'.

    In fact, the assessors 'evidence' is not even always there opinion, its often the 'opinion' of a computer program, ergo the opinion of some bunch of medically untrained (no doubt) programmers in some far off land.
    [greenhighlight]but it matters when the most senior politician in the land is happy to use language and examples that are simply not true.
    [/greenhighlight][redtitle]
    The impact of this is to stigmatise people on benefits,
    and we should be deeply worried about that
    [/redtitle](house of lords debate, talking about Cameron)
  • cit_k
    cit_k Posts: 24,812 Forumite
    rogerblack wrote: »
    And if you're having a good day, you're screwed if they don't have a good understanding of your condition, read the forms in detail, and believe you.
    Sure you can appeal, and if you're lucky, it'll only be 8 or 9 months on the assessment rate.

    Out of interest do you have any idea what the situation is with upper tribunals and ESA?

    If you appeal an appeal, are you still paid the ESA assessment rate, or is it like with IB where they turn round and tell you to go starve?
    [greenhighlight]but it matters when the most senior politician in the land is happy to use language and examples that are simply not true.
    [/greenhighlight][redtitle]
    The impact of this is to stigmatise people on benefits,
    and we should be deeply worried about that
    [/redtitle](house of lords debate, talking about Cameron)
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