ESA help needed, mental health problems

Broke_n_Broken

Hi all,
I'm due to be move from long term IB to ESA soon, I haven't received the form yet, but after reading some horror stories here I'm getting worried.
The short story is I'm stuck at home, alone. I have no friends or family and I don't get out much, maybe once or twice a month.
As such, I don't have anyone who can help with the ESA process and, more importantly, I don't have any recent evidence of my condition. It's nearly impossible for me to see the doctor.

What sort of problems do you think this may cause, and is there any way around them?
Can I / how do I ask for an examiner to come to me?
Is there a charity that I can contact via E-mail that may be able to help me?

Thanks in advance

rogerblack

First point is to understand the criteria for ESA.

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/m-06-11.pdf

lists them. You either need to total 15 points to get into the 'work related' group, or match one of the support group descriptors to get into the "support" group.

You will generally only get a home visit, if you can get a doctors letter.

You may also find http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/wca-handbook.pdf useful - this is useful to skim, to see what the Health Care Professionals who are supposed to assess you are looking for.
This will help you work out what evidence you should be looking for, and what's not so relevant.

UKTigerlily

Hiya, give Rethink a call, they give excellent advice on the changes, I contacted them yesterday myself about the change to ESA (have also not heard anything yet).

Welfare Rights/CSA or a CPN, Psychiatrist etc can provide evidence & help you fill out forms. How do you see the Dr for medication reviews?

mazza111

I would also recommend seeing your GP again. Even if the appointment is 2-3 weeks away. There is help available for depression, it might not seem like it now but with the right help you can beat it.

It would also be a good sign for ESA if you're seeing the doctor to try new things if what you're on atm isn't helping you.

Muttleythefrog

This is a useful document... including some guidance for filling in ESA50 with MH problems.
http://www.rethink.org/document.rm?id=10911

Broke_n_Broken

Thanks so far, had to take a breather.
I've googled rethink and there's a contact e-mail, which is great, but it says for general enquiries, anyone with experience e-mailing them?

Muttleythefrog

http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/@money/documents/digitalasset/dg_195544.pdf

This is the ESA50 form you'll likely be asked to complete. If you wanted a head start or wanted to see what you'll face filling in (get 4 weeks to do it) then it's worth a look. If you do want to fill it in though save a copy to your computer first otherwise you'll lose your 'amendments' to it.

mw2655

Broke_n_Broken wrote: »

Thanks for the advice guys (gals), I should try to give rethink a call, but I hate using the phone, so I may take a while.
I've just been kicked from mental health services as I only went once and they made 3 appointments that I couldn't keep.
If the (new) GP had put me on meds when I asked him to, I would have been able to go. I haven't been able to go to the GP since then either. I don't like my GP, I've only met him once, but he's a smug, arrogant SOB who doesn't listen.
WHY do these people not listen? I moved GP's as I couldn't get to the one 30mins away, then the new one sends me over an hour away to a "mental health practitioner" with no meds to help me get there! And obviously, because i didn't go when they wanted me to, I don't need them any more.....
I really am losing it now, sorry for the rant, I just had the letter informing me I've been kicked from mental health

Hi,

did you phone, cancel and rebook the 3 outpatient appointments with mental health services? then i can sympathise with you being upset at being discharged without being seen...

but if you just didn't turn up then you are just wasting their time...

many people feel they need medication when this route may not be the best option.

Broke_n_Broken

Im not asking for sympathy here, I did want to keep a long story short.
Anyway, I'm feeling a bit of thread rot, any advice relating to my original Q's?

Broke_n_Broken wrote: »

I don't have any recent evidence of my condition. It's nearly impossible for me to see the doctor.

What sort of problems do you think this may cause, and is there any way around them?
Can I / how do I ask for an examiner to come to me?
Is there a charity that I can contact via E-mail that may be able to help me?

Thanks in advance

FBaby

BnB, you clearly suffer from mental illness which prevent you from dealing with things like other people do, but you can't expect your MH issues to mean that you are relinquished from all responsibility for your own life. You can't expect everyone else to arrange everything around you and your needs.

It is normal practice for the NHS to offer appointments around their availability, not to contact you to ask when it would be convenient for you to go. That's the luxury of private practice. If you can't make it, it is your responsibility to inform them. If you can't go out, you need to tell them so they can arrange for someone to come to you.

Similarly, you can't expect the government to give you benefits without insuring that you are indeed unable to work beyond you saying so. Unfortunately, by not going to your GP (or asking for a home visit), refusing all appointments without even bothering to cancel or discuss your situation with them, you are leaving yourself with no evidence of your mental illness. That might be your worse concern, but really, as importantly if not more, it means that you are doing nothing to try to get better and get back to a more normal life.

Approaching a charity for support in insuring you are accessing the help you need is an excellent idea. I'm sure MIND would help you with it, but remember that ultimately, you need to take some responsibility for yourself.

Broke_n_Broken

!!!!!!, I didn't want this to be a discussion about my metal health, or lack there of. I know I had a rant, but that's all it was.
FYI, I am trying to to get help, that's how I got the appt with mental health in the first place and I wasn't expecting them to jump through hoops for me, more of a 'don't call me, I'll call you' kind of thing.
And as the reason I couldn't use the phone was somewhat linked to me not being able to get there, it's a bit redundant telling me to phone if I couldn't get there. I'm not gonna get into why, this isn't the place and before anyone makes some comment about using the PC now, please read PAST tense.
Oh, as for arranging things around my needs, that's kinda the point isn't it? Ya know, my head, my health, my needs.

Anyway, thanks to those who helped, would a mod please kill this thread.