What happens in a esa medical?

wiganrl

Can someone please tell me what happens in a esa medical and how are the points scored? Thankyou

Muttleythefrog

A face to face medical presumably.

The Work Capability Assessment (WCA) often includes a face to face medical with an ATOS Healthcare professional for fact finding. The resulting report is a powerful piece of evidence used by DWP to take a decision regarding outcome of the WCA... often people complain it is as good as rubber stamped in many cases.

The points are scored as such according to the descriptors. THere are two groups for main phase ESA -WRAG and Support Grp. You need to score 15 points or more to qualify for WRAG or any Support Grp descriptor qualifies you for that group instead.

The WRAG descriptors http://www.tameside.gov.uk/esa/wca
Support Gp descriptors http://www.tameside.gov.uk/esa/lcwra

The medical starts the moment the HCP picks you up from the waiting area to take you to the assessment room. They will use a piece of software to drive the medical and produce the resulting report. They may ask you to do some things to demonstrate abilities/disabilities. They'll ask questions about your day to day life etc in order to decide what descriptors apply... they'll be banging away on their keyboard as this happens. They'll record facts obtained and also observations made.. the latter may be particularly relevant if claiming mental health problems... i.e. they'll look at facial expression, indicators of anxiety etc.

You can request a free copy of the resulting medical report (ESA85) from the DWP using number at top of DWP ESA letters. It may be many weeks after the medical before a decision is taken on outcome of WCA.

Advice. Make sure you answer questions honestly and fully and take a POV that they're trying to minimalise your problems and eliminate the possibility of descriptors applying. (Be prepared for them to use different tactics to get you to be liberal with information you supply - they may play good cop or bad cop.. or as in my case both... they're under pressure of efficiency... they want to process you ASAP and they may as a result not even follow due procedure of reading evidence in advance of seeing you.) So if they ask what your hobbies are then it would be a mistake to say handgliding if because of current illness you cannot handglide... much better answer would be.. I used to handglide but due to x I am no longer able to... or even better just say none if you genuinely don't currently engage any hobby. They may ask questions like do you watch TV, what do you watch... this might be to gather facts on whether you can sit for periods and concentrate etc. It's important to remember that their questions will all have a purpose... a question like 'did you have a nice journey here' before you get to the assessment room is not a polite gesture.. it's to find out if you had problems getting there. People report a vast range of experiences regarding professionalism of HCP and accuracy of their report.

wiganrl

Thankyou very much for the information....

ellieellieellie

Hopefully, I'm jumping the gun here, and you won't come to this, but...

If you (I am assuming it is you who is being assessed), aren't happy with the results of the assessment, please appeal. Get a copy of the results, and question anything you don't agree with. You'll be paid the basic rate during your appeal. And remember that you're appealing on the basis of the state of your condition at the time of the original assessment, not the time of the appeal (although if you've seen a drastic improvement in the meantime, don't hold your breath for a win!).

I don't know about other conditions, but I know that many people who face mainly cognitive difficulties (problems with information processing, decision making and memory) find they are assessed as being able to work when they are, in fact, not. These people often succeed at appeal.

I am sure that you will eventually get the benefits you are rightfully entitled to. I sincerely hope this happens first time around, but be aware that it might not - please don't be afraid to appeal if this happens.

Good luck!

wiganrl

Thankyou very much for the information again.

troyster_2

Hi, I don't want to make you paranoid, but be aware that you are being watched all the time you are in the building, and maybe even as you approach it. Also as you sign for expenses.
If the person doing the assessment doesn't volunteer the information, ask for their name and whether they are a doctor/nurse/physio.
Good luck and I hope you get a better result than I did.

wiganrl

Thankyou again, Dont expect a lot after all the horror storys.

wiganrl

Been and had the medical, A lady met me and introduced herself to me, She said you know why you are here etc,,, She said had we had a safe journey there and did we not get lost, How long did it take us. She asked was there anything different in my situations. I listed all my problems and medication before I went in also all my notes from different specialists that I had seen. She then asked what is a typical day like for me from night time onwards. What do I do at the weekends, Do I have pets and children. Housework are you ok doing. What do I do at home she said do you watch tv and go on computer. She did some hand tasks with me and leg tasks which I could not do due to my health,,, She said had I got any questions etc. That was about it.......Thankyou for your help.....

wiganrl

Just received my letter and I have been placed on the work related activity group, Can someone tell me what happens now? Iam very unsure, Do I still have to send sick notes in? Thankyou for any advice

rogerblack

wiganrl wrote: »

Just received my letter and I have been placed on the work related activity group, Can someone tell me what happens now? Iam very unsure, Do I still have to send sick notes in? Thankyou for any advice

You do not have to send in sicknotes.
You will shortly be getting a letter to go to your first Work Focussed Interview.
This is a series of six interviews which will be about 15 minutes long, and are designed to see if there are any appropriate trianing courses or other things that would help you into work that you might consider.

You have to attend these, unless you can prove you're unable, or you risk your benefit being reduced.

It's also possible that if the DWP consider you fit enouhg, you may be referred onto the work program - where they can require you do do more or less anything but undergo medical treatment, or apply for work.

They can (shortly) make you do unpaid work, with no limit of time if it's considered reasonable.

wiganrl

Can I still request a report of my medical assesment? If so where do I contact? Also how often does this get reviewed. Thankyou very much again.