PIP PA4 assessors report

peteuk

mrsdoyle said:

I did,sock and button aids,assessed as "reports no back or spinal pain preventing bending" dosette box aid assessed as "unlikely as shows good cognition so can manage medication unaided" Hearing aid assessed as "only one aid in one ear and had no difficulties hearing me"  It was a phone assessment and the final DWP decision has yet to be made.

A couple of questions to ask are (Rhetorical as they involve medical details)

Do you have a diagnosis for the neuropathy, are you under any specialist care? How do you manage in the kitchen with jars etc (Would be interesting to see what they scored you in the cooking activity) 

With your dosette box, who loads it? I use one for ease and to remind me when to reorder my meds.  Equally other aspects would have been brought into the decision, which reflects your cognitive ability.  Has there been a time where youve forgotten to take your meds?

Hearing is difficult and changed just before i left PIP assessments, what is your hearing like in your good ear? Would you hear a fire alarm if in the bath and without your hearing aid?  Again who is providing care for your hearing loss?

I would also say just because you scored 8 on the assessment, the DM does how the power to overrule the assessment, i take it in this case they didn’t.   Good look with the appeal.

mrsdoyle

Neuropathy diagnosed 10 years ago and 3 months ago (has got worse in hands) I drop things,scored 2.Dosette loaded by me have missed or doubled meds without.scored 0 hearing in "good ear" poor, (also have chronic Tinnitus in both ears)have audiologist test report ,Would not hear a normal high pitched fire alarm in bath. due to see Tinnitus/balance team at hospital hopefully soon.What do you think?

Robbie64

DWP appear to think that only having to wear 1 hearing aid = hearing is fine in the other ear. Were you prescribed two hearing aids? if so, is there a reason why you only wear one. if only prescribed one hearing aid, what was the reason?

I wouldn't get too hung up on the dosette box as it only scores 1 point and won't get you the higher amount of PIP Daily Living even if you can get it accepted. The line the assessor wrote that includes the word cognitive is a variation on a stock phrase. The DWP for some reason are reluctant to give a point for this despite the fact that it doesn't help many people get PIP or get an increase of PIP (incidentally, if anyone wonders why use of an aid to manage therapy, medication etc scores only 1 point, it's because when PIP was being devised a number of  activities in PIP scored 1 point. They were all ultimately increased to 2 points when PIP went live but this one one stayed at one point, thus making it next to useless unless the person also needs help getting into or out of a bath or shower as that scores 3 points, the only other odd numbered point scoring activity in PIP).

mrsdoyle

Only prescribed one as hearing was badly reduced,but may be reveiwed at next appt.The one point for dosette would make a difference in my case.thanks.

Alice_Holt

mrsdoyle said:

Neuropathy diagnosed 10 years ago and 3 months ago (has got worse in hands) I drop things,scored 2.Dosette loaded by me have missed or doubled meds without.scored 0 hearing in "good ear" poor, (also have chronic Tinnitus in both ears)have audiologist test report ,Would not hear a normal high pitched fire alarm in bath. due to see Tinnitus/balance team at hospital hopefully soon.What do you think?

      Then, I think the assessment that you can hear to an acceptable standard is questionable.

     As is the finding that you can dress to a satisfactory standard without aids (given the difficulty of the neuropathy in fastening buttons, zips, tying laces, etc).

   But I wouldn't expect a MR to increase the award. I think you'd need to proceed to an independent tribunal and explain to them. 
  Given the delays to get a tribunal hearing (and that they will be looking if the DWP decision is correct at the time it was made), I'd keep some dairies describing the difficulties around these descriptors and perhaps get written confirmation (dated now) from family members, etc of the need for aids / assistance and why. 
These could be send to the tribunal alongside your statement.

peteuk

mrsdoyle said:

Neuropathy diagnosed 10 years ago and 3 months ago (has got worse in hands) I drop things,scored 2.Dosette loaded by me have missed or doubled meds without.scored 0 hearing in "good ear" poor, (also have chronic Tinnitus in both ears)have audiologist test report ,Would not hear a normal high pitched fire alarm in bath. due to see Tinnitus/balance team at hospital hopefully soon.What do you think?

I did mean for my questions to be rhetorical because I didn’t want to force you or make you feel you had to reveal your medical details.  

You load your dosette so its questionable that an assessor would give you the point.

With the neuropathy i get its the smaller things you struggle with, buttons but if theres evidence elsewhere which may be used to discredit the use of aids to dress then it will be.  Is it the fine pincher movement and general grip you struggle with, so think to yourself is there other times i use these and what’s the effect.  For example how do you use a knife and fork, did you score for eating? Opening jars and tins grip with one hand hold and twist with the other?