ESA and medical certificate

greenorange

I am registered partially sighted/blind and have applied for ESA which has been approved, however I cannot receive any money until I provide a medical certificate.

I haven't been to the doctor since I was a child (I'm in my twenties now) and am now registered at a different doctor who I have never seen. I'm under Moorefields Eye Hospital who I see every year for checkups since I was born.

Do I get a medical certificate from the doctor or do I ask Moorefields for one, or can I simply supply all of my hospital letters/statements to prove my disability, even though these letters are years old, my disability has not/cannot change.

If I have to go to the doctors to get the sick note, what does this involve? Will they examine me as I've never been before?

I'm a little naive, so any advise appreciated. Thanks!

Torry_Quine

greenorange wrote: »

I am registered partially sighted/blind and have applied for ESA which has been approved, however I cannot receive any money until I provide a medical certificate.

I haven't been to the doctor since I was a child (I'm in my twenties now) and am now registered at a different doctor who I have never seen. I'm under Moorefields Eye Hospital who I see every year for checkups since I was born.

Do I get a medical certificate from the doctor or do I ask Moorefields for one, or can I simply supply all of my hospital letters/statements to prove my disability, even though these letters are years old, my disability has not/cannot change.

If I have to go to the doctors to get the sick note, what does this involve? Will they examine me as I've never been before?

I'm a little naive, so any advise appreciated. Thanks!

You get a fit note (medical certificate) from your own GP. They will say on it whether you have to completely not work or are limited in what you can do.

What have you been doing up to now?

ETA You will get ESA at the assesement rate for approx 13 weeks at which point you will have to be assessed by completing an ESA 50 form and may be sent for a 'medical'. If succesful you will go into either the support group or the WRAG where you will have to attend meetings to 'help' prepare you for work.

greenorange

Torry_Quine wrote: »

You get a fit note (medical certificate) from your own GP. They will say on it whether you have to completely not work or are limited in what you can do.

What have you been doing up to now?

I'm a full-time university student.

Will my doctor know about my disability/have my records from the hospital? Do they examine me?

Thanks.

Pennywise2012

Do you mean in the sense of examining your eyes, or a full physical because you haven't been to that doctor's before?

greenorange

Pennywise2012 wrote: »

Do you mean in the sense of examining your eyes, or a full physical because you haven't been to that doctor's before?

Both really...

sammyjammy

On what basis are you applying for ESA? I'm a bit confused....

Pennywise2012

There's a lot of 'probably' in this.....but they'll probably have all your notes from Moorfields. If the GP wants to confirm it himself, he may have a look, but GP practices don't tend to have the kind of equipment an eye hospital has, so it will probably consist of checking what you can see and maybe a quick look with an ophthalmoscope if they have one.

Physical depends on the practice, but it's unlikely. I'm sure the dreaded smear test will come up if you're female!

I'd imagine the majority of the appointment will be establishing how your condition limits your ability to work, so mostly you telling the GP about your day-to-day life. HTH

Torry_Quine

greenorange wrote: »

I'm a full-time university student.

Will my doctor know about my disability/have my records from the hospital? Do they examine me?

Thanks.

Yes your doctor will have hospital notes from when you've been see there to refer to. He may have a look at your eyes but could well think it unnecessary.