Recording pip interview refused after authorization from assessment centre

bluecliocar · 16 April 2018 at 8:31PM

Hi there, I recently had a pip review. I arranged to have the interview recorded by requesting a recording more that 3 days in advance. I had used this tape machine in my previous pip review 18 months ago and the assess was fine with it.When I arrived at the interview I was told that they had not been notified and that recording not allowed. I told them the the assessment centre had sent them an email. They had not received it. They told me that the assessor was not trained in recording and they had to make special appointment for recording as a special person comes along to the assessment center that is fully trained to administrator the recording. and as they were not informed they could not accommodate my request. Thanks

I was so stressed out by this and felt I could not trust them but I had to go along with the interview without the recording. I telephoned assessment center when I got home and the email had been sent 5 days before interview.
I have asked for a case manager in the rescheduling team to telephone me back.

My question is can I have the assessment dis allowed on a technicality as not valid as I was not happy and felt I had to go ahead with the assessment under duress. Am I legally allowed a second assessment interview. The assessment did not go well as I was resentful towards the assesses and I felt that she was trying to rush me saying" I dont need to see that information" I tried to give her in support of my claim. I asked if my mum could come into the interview after we had discussed my medical condition as I did not want her to know just how bad it was and she said "no she in all of the time or not at all""

poppy12345 · 16 April 2018 at 9:07PM

bluecliocar wrote: »

Hi there, I recently had a pip review. I arranged to have the interview recorded by requesting a recording more that 3 days in advance. I had used this tape machine in my previous pip review 18 months ago and the assess was fine with it.When I arrived at the interview I was told that they had not been notified and that recording not allowed. I told them the the assessment centre had sent them an email. They had not received it. They told me that the assessor was not trained in recording and they had to make special appointment for recording as a special person comes along to the assessment center that is fully trained to administrator the recording. and as they were not informed they could not accommodate my request. Thanks

I was so stressed out by this and felt I could not trust them but I had to go along with the interview without the recording. I telephoned assessment center when I got home and the email had been sent 5 days before interview.
I have asked for a case manager in the rescheduling team to telephone me back.

My question is can I have the assessment dis allowed on a technicality as not valid as I was not happy and felt I had to go ahead with the assessment under duress. Am I legally allowed a second assessment interview. The assessment did not go well as I was resentful towards the assesses and I felt that she was trying to rush me saying" I dont need to see that information" I tried to give her in support of my claim. I asked if my mum could come into the interview after we had discussed my medical condition as I did not want her to know just how bad it was and she said "no she in all of the time or not at all""

Just curious, why did you agree for the assessment to go ahead when you knew you couldn't record it?

Alice_Holt · 16 April 2018 at 9:42PM

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/684001/pip-assessment-guide-part-1-assessment-process.pdf
P31 of the assessment guide gives info on recording assessments.

This is the DWP policy on WCA recordings:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/418925/wca-audio-recording-policy-march_2015.pdf

Reading these, I would doubt that you have a legal right to a second assessment since "The audio recording of face-to-face consultations is not currently part of the contractual specification for PIP assessments.". And on the WCA document it states "However, claimants do not have a legal right to a recorded assessment and it should be noted that neither DWP nor CHDA has a legal obligation to provide an audio recording service or equipment."

P30 of the PIP assessment guide deals with companions at the assessment - there is no reference to the companion needing to be present for the complete interview only "HPs should use their judgement about the presence of companions during any examination. A companion should be in the room for an examination only if both the claimant and the HP agree." The guide notes that the HP can ask a companion to leave, and carry on with the assessment - so, in those cases, the companion is not present for all the interview.
I would have thought that you may have more grounds for questioning the administration of the assessment on the grounds that your mum was not allowed in the interview rather than the recording issue.

bluecliocar · 17 April 2018 at 8:27AM

Hi there, thanks for your reply, I made it clear I was very upset and unhappy about not beable to record. I was panicking stuttering in speach, couldnt think straight I suffer from depression ptsd anxiety panic attacks and found getting to the assessment a massive struggle I just could not face arranging another one. I just wanted it to be over. Now I realize I should have not taken the assessment on that day. But the decision was too difficult at the time. My mum was not allowed in the room so could not consult anyone.

bluecliocar · 17 April 2018 at 8:31AM

Thank you. I followed the guidelines for recording but was still refused because they had no one trained in recording. They have to get a special person from outside to do them. That was the reason I was refused. It was not my fault they failed to get someone in. I felt under pressure to go ahead with the assessment thanks

gypsy_janet · 17 April 2018 at 4:25PM

I secretly recorded an ESA assessment about four years ago. At my appeal tribunal the doctor was permitted to read the transcripts of the recording. The lies that the HCP wrote got me 18 months on the work program but the tribunal overruled it and placed me on the support element for 3 years.
I am now in the process of a complaint against the nurse at the Nursing and Midwifery council but I am expected to face an actual lawyer with out any one helping me as there is no legal aid any more.
The DWP have so far not taken any action against me despite recording another assessment recently.
From a data protection point of view; When ever you enter a government building and it warns members of the public that recording equipment is being used such as CCTV it also covers you as a member of public to use such equipment.
At an assessment the information you are giving is your data and as such the DWP should not place restrictions on how you record that data.
Im quite happy for the DWP to let me challenge me on this issue in court of law
Recordings must be of good quality and you do not have to buy really expensive equipment to do this.
When submitting transcripts they have to be word for word.
Do not record in a Tribunal court.
Everyone should have their assessments recorded and if the offer is there take it even if it means postponing your assessment.
My last assessment report the HCP stated that I did "ironing" and its had my family and friends laughing for ages as I havnt ironed a bloody thing since 1978 when I left the army!!!!!

Mojisola · 17 April 2018 at 4:37PM

bluecliocar wrote: »

When I arrived at the interview I was told that they had not been notified and that recording not allowed.

I told them the the assessment centre had sent them an email. They had not received it.

They told me that the assessor was not trained in recording and they had to make special appointment for recording as a special person comes along to the assessment center that is fully trained to administrator the recording and as they were not informed they could not accommodate my request.

That isn't what the website says -
"You will need to provide your own audio-recording equipment. Your recording equipment must be able to produce two identical copies of the recording at the end of the assessment, either on audio cassette or CD. "
http://www.capita-pip.co.uk/en/assessment-process.html

Recording pip interview refused after authorization from assessment centre

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