incapacity benefit, doctor!

Morglin

It doesn't always happen - the problem is that the success or otherwise of an intial claim depends a lot on the medical evidence supplied at that point by the GP.

If the GP doesn't understand ME/Fibro/CFS properly, then the report does not support the application properly, so the claims often get rejected, and end up at appeal.

This is interesting:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmselect/cmhealth/503/503we79.htm


Lin

freakier_darkali

im afraid some people have a little to much faith in this system! And the people behind it. We are genuinley ill not swindling money off the dwp. But being mentally ill makes us an easy target, you know these doctors have targets to meet, they are only allowed to let a certain number of people stay on benefits, this is why they lie.
I dont believe for one second these people are doing their jobs properly, if they didnt have these targets to meet then maybe they could!
Anyway not long to wait now appt on monday!
Also we dont actually recieve ib we get income support, with a disability premium as i am on dla. I really dont understand why we have to do this medical!

healy

freakier_darkali wrote: »

im afraid some people have a little to much faith in this system! And the people behind it. We are genuinley ill not swindling money off the dwp. But being mentally ill makes us an easy target, you know these doctors have targets to meet, they are only allowed to let a certain number of people stay on benefits, this is why they lie.
I dont believe for one second these people are doing their jobs properly, if they didnt have these targets to meet then maybe they could!
Anyway not long to wait now appt on monday!
Also we dont actually recieve ib we get income support, with a disability premium as i am on dla. I really dont understand why we have to do this medical!

I dont think this is true about the Doctors having targets and only being allowed to let a certain number of people stay on benefits. If you have proof of this I would be interested if you could provide it but it sounds like hearsay to me. I think you and others are worrying people unecessarily about DWP medicals.

Morglin

There are no targets/incentives for doctors to keep people off of benefits - all they are required to do is to provide an examination, and submit their report.

No incentives are paid by the DWP - why would there be?

If the EMP gives an incorrect report, then the whole thing often ends up at appeal (which costs the DWP more money), and is overturned by the tribunal. :rolleyes:

The reason you have to do the medical examination is because you are being paid Income Support in lieu of IB, and recieving a disability premium, so the examination is just to confirm that you are too sick/disabled to work..

Some EMP's get it wrong (in which case, appeal), but the vast majority give a fair report.

Lin

Chrysalis

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

So tell them!

You assume too much, I would guess they do get told but often ignore what they told.

Lin atos origin do actually have targets to meet in regards in finding people capable of work. Also not everyone is getting income support they get IB directly as they have enough national insurance payments. I dont think they care too much about tribunals costing money as there will be a number of people not bothering to appeal and in that case it pays off. I am just correcting the false assumptions been made in that if you tell the truth there is nothing to worry about.

hissingsid

There are certainly some not very good doctors employed to do the medicals.

This was the situation a few years ago, and I doubt that it has changed much whichever company runs the contract. The company that has the contract advertises for doctors to do the medicals--this is not usually full time, but rather a day or 2 (or some half days) a week. If you are a popular doctor with a thriving practice and a great bedside manner, this is unlikely to interest you. On the other hand, if your practice isn't busy, perhaps because you are unsympathetic etc., its a nice little earner. You also get doctors who have retired (and are perhaps past their use by dates) who can earn a bit to top up their pension. Result---while many are OK, some arn't.

Morglin

Chrysalis wrote: »

You assume too much, I would guess they do get told but often ignore what they told.

Lin atos origin do actually have targets to meet in regards in finding people capable of work. Also not everyone is getting income support they get IB directly as they have enough national insurance payments. I dont think they care too much about tribunals costing money as there will be a number of people not bothering to appeal and in that case it pays off. I am just correcting the false assumptions been made in that if you tell the truth there is nothing to worry about.

Atos have no targets to meet, in regard to "fixing" medical reports so that those incapable of work are wrongly assessed - any mistakes are because the doctors aren't on the ball, and you can appeal this.

The DWP hate appeals, because every decision has to be justified.

I mentioned IS because the poster said this: Also we dont actually recieve ib we get income support, with a disability premium as i am on dla. I really dont understand why we have to do this medical!

I do a lot of benefits work, and I stand by what I have said - some EMP's do get it wrong (as do GP's etc.,!!!) but most give honest reports.

Forums only tend to display those claims that have gone wrong - they are in the minority.

Lin

freakier_darkali

I think you and others are worrying people unecessarily about DWP medicals.

I am the one who originally posted this thread! I am going out of my mind with worry already. I still cant believe people have so much faith in this system, in this government everyone has been screwed over at least once by it! I will find where it says about doctor targets but i find it odd that you dont believe it. Everyone has targets gps, police, hospitals even traffic wardens. So why would they exempt these people. They arent out to help people who need it, they dont care about you. Im sick of being a second class citizen in my own country, i didnt do anything wrong.

Also if we do get through this doctor buisness, we are sure my partner does qualify for recieving ib payments, how would we find out without causing chaos in our money?

healy

freakier_darkali wrote: »

I am the one who originally posted this thread! I am going out of my mind with worry already. I still cant believe people have so much faith in this system, in this government everyone has been screwed over at least once by it! I will find where it says about doctor targets but i find it odd that you dont believe it. Everyone has targets gps, police, hospitals even traffic wardens. So why would they exempt these people. They arent out to help people who need it, they dont care about you. Im sick of being a second class citizen in my own country, i didnt do anything wrong.

Also if we do get through this doctor buisness, we are sure my partner does qualify for recieving ib payments, how would we find out without causing chaos in our money?

I know you are the one who originally posted. I cant see how everyone has been "screwed over at least once by it" when the majority of people receive benefit without a problem. I dont believe about the targets to remove people from benefit that Doctors have because there is no proof that they exist and you will not find it. The only targets they are likely to have is how many people they see in a day. Lin is correct in what she said and until you provide proof otherwise you should not worry people unecessarily.

hissingsid

I've been critical of some of the doctors used, but healy and others are correct, there are no targets for doctors to get people off benefit.