Taking someone with you for a medical. I have no-one

shegar

SailorSam wrote: »

It use to be like that in our Doctors, by the time you got in to see them you were already better.

Or dead..!!

Ames

If you get a war pension will the British Legion help? Or I think there's another organisation but I don't know much about that area.

Depending what your illness is maybe the charity for it will be able to help, I think Mind do, not sure about others.

Or your council should have a Welfare Rights department but I'm not sure they go to medicals with people.

mazza111

Why not give your local welfare rights officer a call and see if they can suggest anyone to go with you. I don't know if they do either, they will go to tribunals with you. Might also be worth contacting some charities to see if they can accompany you.

prepareathome

Also call NHS Direct 08454647 as I have found they don't just have info on health but have lists of things in your area - they have directed me to a few things (of course all health related like a support group etc). If they don't have info to hand they will call you back. So call and ask if they know of any groups/services that could offer someone to go with you.

Wishing you all the best for 16th

hugs xxxxx

Jo_King

I wonder if MIND might be able to help?

Or the Depression Alliance?

I wonder if it's possible to get to speak to someone from the community mental health team.

I also don't know your gender, but someone from Women's Aid might be some use...

[Deleted User]

Firstly, have you tried phoning your CAB for an appointment? They normally have a drop in service for urgent advice and an appointment system. An appointment would mean u wouldn't have to stand around obviously. With your GP, it should be the opposite. I often have problems getting a GP appointment within a couple of weeks so sometimes I have to say its an emergency and they have an allocation of emergency appointments. My area also has a surgery purely running drop in appointments because its recognised that getting GP appointments can be impossible at times. However, for this kind of situation its probably best you see your GP (and ask if they will support you for a home assessment - see below).

Do some research online.,. with support from say your GP you might be able to request a home visit (although it seems from research I have just done ATOS usually only allow this if u can't attend even hospital appointments.., but its worth thinking about?)

I don't know what condition(s) you have.., but whatever it/they are, can u find a forum online and ask for help/advice there? Also google ATOS assessment if you haven't already.., prepare yourself as well as you can so you know what to expect.

It is important to record what happens in the ATOS assessment from what I have read. Either take a tape recorder or video with you. Obviously its a good idea to take someone but u are finding this difficult.

I have found this web page http://www.afteratos.com/advice-sites-forums/ which might contain a helpful link.

BUT go in there with your eyes wide open.., its an assessment that is biased to finding that you can work. I watched a Dispatches and Panorama programme last week where an ATOS trainer said specifically that even if a person only has one arm, and one finger working, they can press a button and so can still be found able to work. In spite of denials, ATOS assessors seem to be to a target to find only 12% of attendees unfit for work. People who are obviously unable to work have been assessed as fit to work, and sent to back to work groups.

Please give yourself the ability to fight back and find some support. I know you are depressed for good reason, but u need to fight it and get some support.

I don't know if you have used them but http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/images/image/samples/esa/esa_mental_nov_11_sample.pdf
and http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/images/image/samples/esa/physical_wca_nov_11_sample.pdf might provide some help with how to word your answers in the assessment. I'd advise taking some notes and taking them in with you (I only read the beginning of the first one due to the late hour).

dazza-mac

mazza111 wrote: »

Why not give your local welfare rights officer a call and see if they can suggest anyone to go with you. I don't know if they do either, they will go to tribunals with you. Might also be worth contacting some charities to see if they can accompany you.

Hi,
my worry is that it's going to be too late to arrange anything now as it's just over a week to go. There is a CAB in town but you have to be there at the crack of sparrow and that's really difficult for me. They used to do home visits but that stopped ages ago.

In hindsight I really should've done what you suggested before I'd even filled in the ESA form as I didn't realise the assessment would come so quick after they received the form

dazza-mac

deannatrois wrote: »

Firstly, have you tried phoning your CAB for an appointment? They normally have a drop in service for urgent advice and an appointment system. An appointment would mean u wouldn't have to stand around obviously. With your GP, it should be the opposite. I often have problems getting a GP appointment within a couple of weeks so sometimes I have to say its an emergency and they have an allocation of emergency appointments. My area also has a surgery purely running drop in appointments because its recognised that getting GP appointments can be impossible at times. However, for this kind of situation its probably best you see your GP (and ask if they will support you for a home assessment - see below).

Do some research online.,. with support from say your GP you might be able to request a home visit (although it seems from research I have just done ATOS usually only allow this if u can't attend even hospital appointments.., but its worth thinking about?)

I don't know what condition(s) you have.., but whatever it/they are, can u find a forum online and ask for help/advice there? Also google ATOS assessment if you haven't already.., prepare yourself as well as you can so you know what to expect.

It is important to record what happens in the ATOS assessment from what I have read. Either take a tape recorder or video with you. Obviously its a good idea to take someone but u are finding this difficult.

I have found this web page http://www.afteratos.com/advice-sites-forums/ which might contain a helpful link.

BUT go in there with your eyes wide open.., its an assessment that is biased to finding that you can work. I watched a Dispatches and Panorama programme last week where an ATOS trainer said specifically that even if a person only has one arm, and one finger working, they can press a button and so can still be found able to work. In spite of denials, ATOS assessors seem to be to a target to find only 12% of attendees unfit for work. People who are obviously unable to work have been assessed as fit to work, and sent to back to work groups.

Please give yourself the ability to fight back and find some support. I know you are depressed for good reason, but u need to fight it and get some support.

I don't know if you have used them but http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/images/image/samples/esa/esa_mental_nov_11_sample.pdf
and http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/images/image/samples/esa/physical_wca_nov_11_sample.pdf might provide some help with how to word your answers in the assessment. I'd advise taking some notes and taking them in with you (I only read the beginning of the first one due to the late hour).

Hi,
All your advice is very good. My worry is that I've not got enough time to do anything. I did request a recording of the assessment so hopefully that will happen and I'm trying to find out what to expect at the centre. But to be honest, I can't think clearly as I'm in panic mode and have been for weeks now!

dazza-mac

intranicity wrote: »

Not sure it's worth the hastle for you from everything you say about ESA, with savings and a War Pension, I doubt you'd get much if any ESA anyway would you?

Are the problems you are suffering from related to your War Pensionable injury, do you get a SAP as well as your War Pension? Maybe you ought to ask foe a review of your War Pension?

Hi,

My foot problems are related to my War Pension, the other problems are with my back/coccyx from an assault, and now I have Fibromyalgia.

I don't know what SAP is....

My concern about ESA WRAG is that it'll stop after a year and I'm concerned that I wouldn't be able to do a job. The problems I have mean I'm always in pain from one thing or another (like most other people too) So when I sit I need to stand after a bit, and when I stand I need to sit. When I fidget and move about I'm just moving from one painful position to another. Takes me ages to do anything.

I don't really want to ask for a War Pension review as I had a very 'dodgy' medical years ago and have been reluctant to apply for anything. To be honest I don't think I would get an increase in percentage disability as most of the problems that have made me worse are separate to the foot problems

happyinflorida

The best thing you can do is not panic - I know easier said than done!

I've been through the whole process and come out the other side.

I'm very lucky that I've got a very supportive husband and he came with me first time - I was very lucky - the first one I had a lovely doctor who was great, gave me all the time I needed and listened and wrote a good report - I passed.

Then I discovered I had to go for a 2nd medical?! I rang DWP who said it was a mistake as I'd had one and told me to ring ATOS to cancel who then told me - no you have to have 2!!

Second one wasn't so great - I had a horrible woman who kept interrupting, not listening to me properly and finally my husband got fed up and told her to stop doing and saying what she was and listen and explained to her fully what was wrong with me. She was obviously a bit fed up with up him but things improved.

So my advice is this - write things down if you've got a bad memory.

Put it on big sheets of A4 paper with clear heading - like "Things that are wrong with me" - or whatever you're happy with!

If they try to rush you - don't let them - get your point over, make them wait for you to answer fully. If they rush ahead then stop them and go back over what you wanted to say and point out all the things that effect you and how they effect you.

With depression it's very difficult to deal with this - but you can just take your time and make sure they are told everything.

If you are told afterwards that you're fit for work, appeal.

I personally believe this rotten, corrupt government is deliberately picking on the sick and disabled as they're an easy target.

I wish you well for all of this - deep breaths and my favourite expression is "Don't let the bar stewards get you down"