We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum. This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are - or become - political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.

ESA medical - trick questions?

Hello I have had another ESA medical home visit. I have autism and it's either the second or third medical I've had now. I can't remember.

It all went relatively smoothly, but there were two suspicious questions that stand out. Here they are:

1. "Do you have anything I can lean on, please? I need a flat surface to write on."

It wasn't until afterwards that I realised this had probably been a trick question. If he genuinely needed something to lean on, he would have come prepared with his own clipboard.

This may have been one of those tricks whereby they can can allegedly "prove" something. Perhaps he wanted me to hand him a book so that, by observing there is reading material in the house, he could conclude I was able to read, and was therefore "fit for work."

2. "How do you spell your dog's name, please? I'm curious."

The doctor can spell. It's a very easy name. And a pet's name is not necessary for inclusion in a medical report! Also, it's odd that he was suddenly making small talk about my pet and slowing down the conversation as though he had time to go off topic and chat. I'm not buying that. The rest of the time he kept rushing through everything at top speed, and sometimes interrupting me before I'd finished answering the questions - yet suddenly he's slowing down to make small talk about a pet's name!

Am I right that those two questions were some kind of devious trap to "prove" something? Have these things happened to anybody else?

ATOS criteria is insane. :mad: Neither owning a book suitable for leaning on nor being able to spell a dog's name are medical criteria that render a patient fit for work. They don't seem to be doing a proper medical job. They're just playing mind games.

Hopefully they will assess my claim based on the more sensible questions I was asked!
«13

Comments

  • These questions are designed to test what you can and cannot do. So, for instance, if you have mobility problems, but then jump up and find a book, that would contradict your problems. The spelling question may be used to test if you can complete a simple activity.

    These questions are not "suspicious", they are all part of the assessment. If you went for a job interview, they consider far more than your answers to the standard questions, and the same principle applies here.
  • bedpotato_2
    bedpotato_2 Posts: 329 Forumite
    edited 7 August 2012 am31 10:20AM
    [text removed by MSE Forum Team]
    These questions are designed to test what you can and cannot do. So, for instance, if you have mobility problems, but then jump up and find a book, that would contradict your problems. The spelling question may be used to test if you can complete a simple activity.

    But I do not have mobility problems. I have neurological problems. There is no reason to test my mobility by asking me for a book. My mobility is fine (apart from dire spatial awareness). Also, I did not "jump up" and get the book. He asked me for the book as soon as he walked in the door, before either of us had even sat down. As for a spelling test: literacy is not relevant. Proof that you can read and write does not automatically mean you are able to work. It just means you have received an education.

    I just do not understand why these tests have to be so silly. It's very frustrating.

    I think the doctors should be allowed to use their common sense, and ask questions that are relevant to the individual. Oh well.

    As long as I pass and do not have to appeal, it will be fine.
  • princessdon
    princessdon Posts: 6,902 Forumite
    You know just to play devils advocate here

    I occasionally forget my clipfile when I do home visits. I do sometimes have to ask for a book or something to lean on.

    I also ask their children's/pet's names etc to put them at ease and yes that includes spelling sometimes (mainly unusual ones). I use this when I see them getting nervous as it shifts the onus onto a none threatening stream that they are comfortable with.

    Maybe you are reading a lot into this that is actually human nature and not to "catch you out".
  • bedpotato wrote: »
    But I do not have mobility problems. I have neurological problems. There is no reason to test my mobility by asking me for a book. My mobility is fine (apart from dire spatial awareness). Also, I did not "jump up" and get the book. He asked me for the book as soon as he walked in the door, before either of us had even sat down. As for a spelling test: literacy is not relevant. Proof that you can read and write does not automatically mean you are able to work. It just means you have received an education.

    I just do not understand why these tests have to be so silly. It's very frustrating.

    I think the doctors should be allowed to use their common sense, and ask questions that are relevant to the individual. Oh well.

    As long as I pass and do not have to appeal, it will be fine.

    I clearly stated "for instance", and the doctor may have asked for something to lean on for other reasons, which may or may not be related to your assessment.

    Calm down, and stop trying to second guess what the doctor was doing. The tests are not "silly", they are designed to both directly and indirectly test certain descriptors.
  • mazza111
    mazza111 Posts: 6,327 Forumite
    I think we would all like to see ATOS assessments done individually and have common sense applied. I think some aspects of them as silly too, the pushing a button or the lifting an empty box for example. At the end of the day, all you can do is be as honest and open with them as you can be, and hope you've had a fair assessor who doesn't twist everything you say.
    4 Stones and 0 pounds or 25.4kg lighter :j
  • mazza111 wrote: »
    I think we would all like to see ATOS assessments done individually and have common sense applied. I think some aspects of them as silly too, the pushing a button or the lifting an empty box for example. At the end of the day, all you can do is be as honest and open with them as you can be, and hope you've had a fair assessor who doesn't twist everything you say.

    You are confusing the ATOS assessments and the DWP descriptors. I agree some of the descriptors are silly.
  • zippy1969
    zippy1969 Posts: 150 Forumite
    I'm starting to wonder if the WCA will eventually consist of one question:

    ATOS: "Can you breathe?"

    CLAIMANT: "Yes"

    ATOS: "Claimant is fit for work"
  • mazza111
    mazza111 Posts: 6,327 Forumite
    You are confusing the ATOS assessments and the DWP descriptors. I agree some of the descriptors are silly.

    And some of the WCA are silly too, when they only look at one aspect of a condition and not at the whole person....
    4 Stones and 0 pounds or 25.4kg lighter :j
  • Dunroamin
    Dunroamin Posts: 16,908 Forumite
    bedpotato wrote: »
    Hello I have had another ESA medical home visit. I have autism and it's either the second or third medical I've had now. I can't remember.

    It all went relatively smoothly, but there were two suspicious questions that stand out. Here they are:

    1. "Do you have anything I can lean on, please? I need a flat surface to write on."

    It wasn't until afterwards that I realised this had probably been a trick question. If he genuinely needed something to lean on, he would have come prepared with his own clipboard.

    This may have been one of those tricks whereby they can can allegedly "prove" something. Perhaps he wanted me to hand him a book so that, by observing there is reading material in the house, he could conclude I was able to read, and was therefore "fit for work."

    2. "How do you spell your dog's name, please? I'm curious."

    The doctor can spell. It's a very easy name. And a pet's name is not necessary for inclusion in a medical report! Also, it's odd that he was suddenly making small talk about my pet and slowing down the conversation as though he had time to go off topic and chat. I'm not buying that. The rest of the time he kept rushing through everything at top speed, and sometimes interrupting me before I'd finished answering the questions - yet suddenly he's slowing down to make small talk about a pet's name!

    Am I right that those two questions were some kind of devious trap to "prove" something? Have these things happened to anybody else?

    ATOS criteria is insane. :mad: Neither owning a book suitable for leaning on nor being able to spell a dog's name are medical criteria that render a patient fit for work. They don't seem to be doing a proper medical job. They're just playing mind games.

    Hopefully they will assess my claim based on the more sensible questions I was asked!

    I think your reaction to these questions certainly shows that you have autism as they are just part of a normal human interaction.
  • Why would he need to write my dog's name in the report, though? Perhaps his need for something to lean on was genuine, but I still don't understand why he needed to know how to spell my dog's name.

    As for telling me to "calm down" I am puzzled as to why you're saying that. I am not worked up. I'm only analysing things. This is normal for me. I'm perfectly calm.

    As for telling me to "stop trying to second guess," that is well-meant but ignorant advice. Unlike normal people, I do not posses the ability to instinctively know what's going on in social situations. "Second guessing" is a compensating skill I use and need to get by.

    Thank you.
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 348.3K Banking & Borrowing
  • 252.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 452.4K Spending & Discounts
  • 240.9K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 617.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 175.6K Life & Family
  • 254.1K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.