DWP told doctor to stop medical certificates

FBaby

But GP do acknowledge they issue sick note without really believing the patient can't work. They do it because they don't want to aggro. If it is obvious to the DWP that the medical records show no clinical reasons why the patient can't work, then surely it is their duty to inform the GP.

I find it particularly concerning that a GP would be worried about the situation. Why would they be if they were confident that indeed they have medical records to show why that patient's condition is according to them preventing them from working... We are talking about a GP, someone who should have great confidence in the medical decisions they make....

The facts that the DWP would write when this is not -yet at least- a routine move AND that the GP is worried about it does make me wonder whether sicknotes were indeed issued a bit too eagerly.

looby75

ah now this shines a bit of light on a comment my GP made to me at my last appointment with her.

On top of my mental health problems I've also got a few physical ones too and at my MOT earlier this month my thyroid function has come back as being borderline so my GP is sending me for more tests. She checked to see when my sicknote was due (not till the beginning of feb) and has booked me an appointment to see her for then, while doing so she said "I'm not having you bullied by that lot, I know you are ill and we need to get to the bottom of it all regardless of what they say"

I though she was just referring to the fact I'm currently appealing the fact that I "failed" the ESA medial, I'm now wondering if she's had one of those reminder letters about me.

Robbie64

iluvmarmite wrote: »

I have appealed the decision to put me in the WRAG, I was told I didn't need to send in fit notes, even though I have read numerous times that I would have to during an appeal, I phoned earlier to ask again if I need to send fit notes, after looking at my file I was told once again that I didn't have to, I wonder if this is another way round things, instead of asking the GP not to issue them, they just say you don't need to send them.

It is correct that if you are appealing a decision to place you in the WRAG rather than in the Support Group then you don't need to send any further fit notes. You have passed the Work Capability Assessment and and the DWP have have already decided that you have limited capability for work. You are appealing against the DWP decision that you don't have limited capability for work related activity, having the latter is what gets you into the support group. A further fit note isn't needed after you pass the WCA gateway to continue receiving ESA.

Robbie64

looby75 wrote: »

ah now this shines a bit of light on a comment my GP made to me at my last appointment with her.

On top of my mental health problems I've also got a few physical ones too and at my MOT earlier this month my thyroid function has come back as being borderline so my GP is sending me for more tests. She checked to see when my sicknote was due (not till the beginning of feb) and has booked me an appointment to see her for then, while doing so she said "I'm not having you bullied by that lot, I know you are ill and we need to get to the bottom of it all regardless of what they say"

I though she was just referring to the fact I'm currently appealing the fact that I "failed" the ESA medial, I'm now wondering if she's had one of those reminder letters about me.

When a person fails the ESA medical (technically it is called not satisfying the Work Capability Assessment) a letter is sent in every case advising the GP of this and advising that no further fit notes are required. However GPs are (or should be) aware that where the person is pursuing an appeal against the decision to disallow ESA that further fit notes are needed for payment of ESA at the assessment rate to continue. In other words the GP can ignore the letter sent by the DWP and can continue to issue a fit note. The DWP cannot force a GP to stop issuing further fit notes.

iluvmarmite

Robbie64 wrote: »

It is correct that if you are appealing a decision to place you in the WRAG rather than in the Support Group then you don't need to send any further fit notes. You have passed the Work Capability Assessment and and the DWP have have already decided that you have limited capability for work. You are appealing against the DWP decision that you don't have limited capability for work related activity, having the latter is what gets you into the support group. A further fit note isn't needed after you pass the WCA gateway to continue receiving ESA.

Yes I was migrated from incap Ben to ESA WRAG but I didn't have a WCA, I just got a letter informing me I was to be put in the WRAG.

I believe I should be in the support group so am appealing to get into that group.

FBaby

Robbie64 wrote: »

It is correct that if you are appealing a decision to place you in the WRAG rather than in the Support Group then you don't need to send any further fit notes. You have passed the Work Capability Assessment and and the DWP have have already decided that you have limited capability for work. You are appealing against the DWP decision that you don't have limited capability for work related activity, having the latter is what gets you into the support group. A further fit note isn't needed after you pass the WCA gateway to continue receiving ESA.

There would be a huge difference between a letter suggesting that it is not required for the GP to continue to supply notes as his patient is still entitled to receive benefits during the appeal period and writing to them to accuse them of fraud and threaten them if they continue so because they have assessed that the concerned person is fit to work...

missapril75

sja75 wrote: »

So it is immoral in bullying Doctors with threatening letters.....More so if these letters are implying Doctor's maybe committing fraud

Any chance someone can post a copy of one of these threatening, bullying letters accusing doctors of Fraud so we can see for ourselves?

I'm surprised not to have heard of this policy given that doctors via their associations are not slow when they want to make a point and this particular regime/process has not been without its critics.

One would have expected such a practice to have been reported in the daily mail let alone the guardian, yet I cannot find any reference to it.

Poppie68

I deal with these letters sent to our GP's on a daily basis, they in no way mention fraud. The letter simply informs the GP that the patient has been assesed and either found fit for work or and placed in the WRAG and they no longer need to issue fit notes on those grounds. They also explain that if the patient decides to appeal fit notes can still be issued. This is purely for ESA purposes, and GP's will still issue sick notes if they feel their illness warrants it on request of the patient.
GP's are only aware of what the sicknotes are for either benefit claims or work purposes if the patient informs the.

HB58

Poppie68 wrote: »

I deal with these letters sent to our GP's on a daily basis, they in no way mention fraud. The letter simply informs the GP that the patient has been assesed and found fit for work and placed in the WRAG and they no longer need to issue fit notes on those grounds. QUOTE]


I sincerely hope that this is not true as people placed in the WRAG have been deemed unfit for work!

Poppie68

HB58 wrote: »

Poppie68 wrote: »

I deal with these letters sent to our GP's on a daily basis, they in no way mention fraud. The letter simply informs the GP that the patient has been assesed and found fit for work and placed in the WRAG and they no longer need to issue fit notes on those grounds. QUOTE]


I sincerely hope that this is not true as people placed in the WRAG have been deemed unfit for work!

Yes sorry i was mixing the 'found fit for work' and being placed in WRAG. I will change the wording now.:o