Doctor wrote a letter saying I'm not able to work anymore but job centre won't listen!

Muttleythefrog

Nannytone said:

You cant rely on what your GP says.
They have a personal relationship with you, and take everything you say as fact.

You need to look at the LCW and LCWRA descriptors to see where you fit in

GP reports could be useful and it may be that in this case such was or if not then consultant reports perhaps or combination of both. I definitely wouldn't want to discourage people from getting such evidence - assessors have even used my GP and consultant reports many years after the event even though in some cases they only touch on relevance to activities/descriptors.

GPs do not necessarily as such have personal relationships (although I suppose it depends how you define) - I've never even spoken to mine let alone seen them but they'll have access to medical records.

GPs do not take everything said to them as fact.... they might be expected to listen to everything you tell them... but they're entitled to reject information as false or misleading and give opinion as they see fit.

savvymum1 said:

Hi, 
Thanks for your replies. So my GP and consultant issued reports and medical facts for my assessment but the questions they ask during the assessment aren't very relevant to my illnesses I phoned the DWP up yesterday and have complained and we went through my assessment results again and my medical evidence and I'm being awarded it now with no need to look for work and no more assessments needed. I think I was just unlucky with my assesor! 

Well done.... a positive sign in the process if they have changed their decision.

I would assume they'll be sending formal decision details to you and I think it important you familiarise yourself with the reasons underlying the decision. Perhaps return here if you are confused by it or disagree with any of it.

Murphybear

The WCA is not a medical, they are not there to ask about your illnesses/health issues.

They are to to assess how they affect you in terms of being able to work.  

I do understand, I have been through the process myself.  

Nannytone

I wouldnt discourage anyone from getting a GP/specialist report.
I was just  pointing out they are healthcare professionals, and there opinion of 'unable to work" means little

Muttleythefrog

Nannytone said:

I wouldnt discourage anyone from getting a GP/specialist report.
I was just  pointing out they are healthcare professionals, and there opinion of 'unable to work" means little

Surely that would depend on what their opinion constituted. I mean a bland statement "Mr X is currently unable to work" I agree is unlikely to be much use in relation to a WCA. However... GPs or specialists could give opinion or detail facts that are entirely relevant or specific to the activities/descriptors and while the DWP notoriously tends to rely a lot on their own commissioned advice (the private companies/assessments) they should not entirely and a tribunal surely would consider all relevant evidence they get. It's hard to know from the limited information here how useful GP/specialist reports were ultimately but it does sound like the Op had some persuasive influence in contact with DWP.

I have documents from GP and specialists that are circa 10 years old and still being used in assessments for PIP and the WCA... none of them are particularly brilliant in terms of tailoring to the activities/descriptors... indeed one or two were written for DLA. My last face to face WCA report refers to the documents in giving ultimate conclusions.. and my last PIP assessment (paper based) utilised that WCA report... so I think there is an element of putting in place the bricks to make a solid wall.

Importantly though I wanted to challenge your notion that GPs "take everything you say as fact" as this may indeed make people think there is no value to documents from professionals like such who are perfectly entitled (and hopefully capable otherwise what is their purpose) to form their opinions based on what you tell them or indeed what you don't. My former GP absolutely rejected some of the things I told her over the years (and was cautiously prepared to even state so in requests for information regarding benefit claims) and I imagine so will the next....lol. (I'm buying a house where I can see my next GP directly from my bedroom and kitchen window... perhaps the facts will be easier to assert)

Nannytone

Very few GPs or hospital specialists are experts on the benefit system, or the descriptors thar need to be met for  a successful benefit claim.
I have a yearky hospital appointment and use the letter sent to my GP.  It just bullet points my condition and says no chance of improvement.
But i am lucky in as   much that i have a condition thar cant be disputed.

If there were any grey areas, that letter would be useless
B

JaneDoeJohnDoe

A GP letter or sick/fit note is trumped by the WCA decision. Even if the HCP assessor person is as thick as a brick & does not understand a single word you told them & wrote rubbish to the Decision Maker of DWP.  That is the way the system so badly works. Letters etc are possibly useful for back up in Mandatory Reconsideration to possibly influence a DM decision if you have submitted that letter in with your ESA/UC WCA form as it is evidence. Or better still evidence at a Tribunal. I know someone who got zero ESA WCA points, went through MR & got zero but then as part of tribunal appeal sent in a specialist dr letter & before the hearing went ahead got a letter from DWP awarding ESA Support group!

calcotti

JaneDoeJohnDoe said:.. I know someone who got zero ESA WCA points, went through MR & got zero but then as part of tribunal appeal sent in a specialist dr letter & before the hearing went ahead got a letter from DWP awarding ESA Support group!

There is no way of knowing if the letter helped or not. It often happens that DWP revised decision when it is pending appeal.

JaneDoeJohnDoe

calcotti said:

JaneDoeJohnDoe said:.. I know someone who got zero ESA WCA points, went through MR & got zero but then as part of tribunal appeal sent in a specialist dr letter & before the hearing went ahead got a letter from DWP awarding ESA Support group!

There is no way of knowing if the letter helped or not. It often happens that DWP revised decision when it is pending appeal.

It certainly did as letter said something like "in view of further evidence"

calcotti

JaneDoeJohnDoe said:
It certainly did as letter said something like "in view of further evidence"

Worked in this case then. The few tribunal appeals I have made in the last two years have all resulted in revised DWP decisions before any further evidence has been submitted.