Esa assessment very short - help needed

yorksgirl87

Hi,

I am a first time poster, so please excuse me if I am sounding like a broken record at any time. Also please tell me if I am.

My partner when for his ESA medical assessment today, he has severe PTSD which leads to a number of mental health issues around anxiety, paranoia, personality disorder, socialising issues etc.

He was scared the whole time he was in the appointment and the Dr (yes we were lucky enough to see a Dr!) appeared to be kind, he didn't offer his hand to my partner and wasn't pushy when it came to me needed to prompt my partner into a response.

The Dr asked my partner about his health issues, treatment, medications, etc. Then he asked about the effects of his illness and the symptoms. We discussed how my partner is in constant fear of everyone minus myself, how he self-harms, has suicidal thoughts, hears voices in his head, how he loses consciousness, amongst other more issues around his health. Then when my partner talked about how he looses his temper and becomes violent (he throws whatever is in his hands or to hand, be it scrunched up paper, to crockery, to sharp objects). The doctor then asked more questions about his anger issues and if he had ever been sectioned under the mental health act, i tried once but my partner became violent towards me so i escaped to safety.

Once we finished talking about my partners anger/violent outbursts the Dr declared the interview to be over.

Throughout the interview my partner was not well, he was jumpy at doors closing and people walking past in the hallway, and was not even making eye contact with me, he was always asking me for paper to scrunch up to keep his hands busy too. did get a sneaky look on the computer screen and saw that the Dr had written "the claimant was fearful throughout the assessment".

My question is, is this normal? Compared to the questions on the form it seems very strange that the interview was stopped once we discussed this? From what I have read about the questions in the interview, we were not asked anything like the alarm clock questions, or how my partner travels around. Only the question, I guess, about interaction with others.

I am worried that the DM is going to decline the application as my partner wasn't asked all the questions and say my partner is ready for work, which he really isn't. Most days he will only talk to me via text message or email. I know this is a point I can challenge the report on if needs be, the interview was recorded because my partner;s paranoia issues.

Any help would be appreciated, and thanks in advance.

yorksgirl87

The form is now over a year old, we've waited that long for the assessment. I was told at the assessment not to submit a new form as it reached the assessment phase.

I know there's nothing I can do for now, but my mind is a mess, my partner is saying the interview was that short as they don't want to know him and has been self-harming all day because of it.

I was hoping someone's been in a similar boat

Alice_Holt

Remember that (should your partner need to) he has the right to appeal.

Your local CAB can help with an appeal (now a 2 stage process). The majority of ESa appeals heard by the Tribunal Service are successful.

At the moment all you can do is await the decision. If you do need to appeal to get the correct decision, do let us know.

yorksgirl87

I shall thank you

densol_2

This sounds like my assessment. The lady was ever so kind and even moved to sit next to me and hold my hand as I was in such a state. It lasted 12 minutes. I was given support group and got the decision in just a week. I even posted my concerns on here as I too was worried about the length. My medical evidence runs to almost two inches thick. I think if they have enough they dont labour the point and make their recommendation.

Im sure it will be just fine but like others say there are reconsiderations and appeals should it be necessary

Edited to add link to my post in Oct last year

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5335552

yorksgirl87

The assessment was around 30 minutes, my partner due to his ptsd has to explain everything in detail, and then there were times when we had to calm him for a good few minutes before he could talk.

It just seems strange.

I guess if its a phone call its bad news, a letter good news

TELLIT01

I suspect that the Dr had seen all he needed to see in those few minutes so didn't need to prolong the agony for your partner. The lack of probing questions makes me think that what the doctor was seeing tied in with what was on the ESA50.
I would be surprised if your partner was to be refused ESA based on what happened.

yorksgirl87

The ESA50 is over a year old and my partner's condition has deteriorated since then. Also the GP report is over a year old and from our old GP who told my partner to man up when he said he was self harming

fierystormcloud

Why is the assessment a year after the ESA50 form was sent in? :huh:

Mrs_Ryan

Presumably it's taken that long to arrange an assessment- it does happen.

minimad1970

fierystormcloud wrote: »

Why is the assessment a year after the ESA50 form was sent in? :huh:

Mrs_Ryan wrote: »

Presumably it's taken that long to arrange an assessment- it does happen.

It does happen, I had to wait a year for my assessment.