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I'd laugh if it was funny

Posted , 6 users are following.

sweetyb1
sweetyb1

Well it's been a while! I made a direct lodgement appeal to the HMCTS. I've waited with bated breath and finally I received a 100 page manuscript from the DWP on why they believe a General Nurse as opposed to a Professor of Rheumatology. I guess these day's qualifications don't matter it was only a Professors word, not that of an Atos Nurse -- good grief!!!

Yes I'm smiling - nothing to smile about but in reality I now have to wait for the next step in this very long tiresome saga. 

They don't believe that I am so seriously affected and the award is for the most vulnerable people in our society? Sorry but I am not an amoeba. I know there are many more people worse off than me and many more who are going through the same and I wish I could say that it it in the lap of the gods but quite honestly I don't know what happens next, I am only assuming the HMCTS will look at their reasoning and providing they accept my side of the story, they will contact me to apply for a tribunal. Unless they agree with the DWP?

The 20 metre rule is a joke (Not really a ha, ha joke) If you can manage to do it but in excrutiating pain - that's it bang goes your enhanced rate! Where does reliably and repeatedly come into it - it doesn't If you can walk down a corridor to a consulting room no matter how you do it, crawl even then the box that says "Walked" is applicable

Hopefully I'll go to appeal if invited. Armed with my Highly qualified Professors statement, oh wait a minute..... I need a friendly Atos nurse since they are the only ones who know how to assess a disability. Wish me luck. Round 3 ding, ding!!!

 

3 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • meme31
    meme31 sweetyb1

    Posted

    good luck hun sounds like ur going through it with this hope it all works out
  • barbara51733
    barbara51733 sweetyb1

    Posted

    I know exactly how you feel hun. I scored 0 points in my esa assessment but awarded pip enhanced on both. I have just put in for a mandatory reconsideration well my welfare adviser as. He said he is seeing so much of this lately where there just twisting everything you say the nurse I had lied on the forms. I am so distressed about all this making my anxeity worse. I have letters from 2 specialist doctors etc and they have just disreguarded them. It's a complete joke. They don't realise what affect this all as on people's lives. Good luck hun xx
    • sweetyb1
      sweetyb1 barbara51733

      Posted

      It stink's basically! There's a pattern forming. I giess they just want everyone off as much benefit as possible regardless of how it affects you. They make you feel like a liar. I wish I was, then I'd be thankful to be without this disease. My assessor didn't lie, she just omitted things she knew nothing about and based the whole claim on lesser debilitating conditions that I also happen to have, alongside my main one that was totally discounted. 

      I happened to be ill on the day, not unusual for me so to be honest I didn't care what she said to me and I think I answered everything. Obviously I made such a good impression because the report contained very little. I forgot to take a tape measure for the walk and a video recorder but I never thought I would need them - I'm being sarcastic.

      How can they award nothing on esa and enhanced on PIP. Goodness gracious do they draw lots in the office?

      I thought the idea of PIP was to simplify the system, it's beyond belief. If I'd run my business like that I'd have been bankrupt in no time. 

      Anyone can tick boxes .. can't they???

       

    • SteV3
      SteV3 sweetyb1

      Posted

      IDS is bringing in just one Assessment for ESA & PIP, and increasing assessments to at least 200 a day!!!

      By doing this, you can lose both at the same time! That is what many people are scared of.

    • anthony97723
      anthony97723 sweetyb1

      Posted

      Hi Sweety

      I know you are making some statments in guest but honestly you are far closer the truth than you realise.

      It cannot be denied that the WCA and PIP Assessment have one primary function and that is to reduce the welfare bill, any support is a very far second.

      I have spoken to ATOS health care professionals and the rational is that Doctors/Consultants are experts in diagnosis while they are experts in care and as this is a benefit for care, they have the trump card not the far more qualified medical experts.

      Make of that what you wish but one thing for certain it is not a fair system and the more vulnerable are going to get caught up in it.

    • sweetyb1
      sweetyb1 anthony97723

      Posted

      We all have a cross to bear don't we? I guess it's a case of how bad you are against how bad someone else considers you to be and the help you need. There are lots of conditions all affecting people in different ways  but it helps of the condition is more recognised. I laughed my socks off when I got the bumf from the DWP. 100 pages of drivel and the photos I sent in were unrecognisable, in fact all you could see was the pattern in the carpet. Was that really my foot! No wonder they couldn't take them into consideration.

      I'm not by far the worst off in terms of my health but please!!! I've had my share of illness and I've been at deaths door (I walked up to it less than 20 metres) I've found myself screaming in pain, vomiting in the street not to mention all the other disgusting stuff that's happened to me.Ive been left stranded and wanted to chop my feet and hands off. I've been on the brink of starvation and glued to my bed because I couldn't get out of it - oh yes theres lots more. Can I walk 20 metres or more reliably? er no not really! I dont go out alone and some days I cannot walk at all.

      Its not a fair system you are right. I wish everyone well in their road with PIP. I shant give up!

  • SteV3
    SteV3 sweetyb1

    Posted

    The DWP would not stand a chance over my main consultant who is The British President of Neurology Doctor. G. Fuller. When he says anything everyone takes notice, it is funny to watch, because you end with so many people wanting to help you! But in my case, it is needed.

    My hospital records is now on it's 3rd Volume, which just goes to show how often I attend hospitals for Outpatient Appointments, Injections and scans.

    Last time I applied for my Care to upped from Middle to High - I had no assessment, and the reviewer actually asked me for more time, due to my case. In the end it was backdated for about 6 months and they asked why I had not applied before... my answer was, because I did not think I was disabled enough eventhough my wife cares for me 24/7 and I am on the TeleCare System, which is attached to my wrist.

    Walk 20 metres! LOL I cannot even walk, I got a wheelchair but manual only - I tried an electric one and scratched a line in the car bumper paintwork! My brain does not send the correct pulses to various body parts, hence I have major issues.

    Whether or not I get an Assessment I don't know, because most of the time, the medications I take cause mental problems.

    Oh well, I'll have to wait and see! lol

  • les59996
    les59996 sweetyb1

    Posted

    How is PIP/ESA assessed? OK, you have a diagnosis, you have a repeat prescription list, you have a list as long as your arm of all of the consultants that are treating you - none of that matters!

    What is important is evidence of (a) for PIP, of all of your care needs and mobility issues & (b) for ESA evidence that you fit into enough descriptor boxes to gain enough points.

    ESA has nothing to do with not being fit to work. It is all about proving that you qualify under some or all of the descriptors that make up ESA.

    Likewise with PIP - it is all about proving that you tick enough of the boxes to get enough points. Can you prove that you can't walk 20 metres? Can you prove that you have difficulty with eating/washing etc?

    ATOS/CAPITA/MAXIMUS assess you against the criteria set down in the regulations not whether a consultant has stated that you are disabled! You don't have to be disabled to get PIP. You just have to prove which box you are aiming for. 

    With just one of my many conditions, I was written off by everyone saying that I will need care for the rest of my life. Technically I do based on what the assessor would accept is reasonable.However, there are things that I can do that the medics involved say I shouldn't be able to do. I'm very active with my charity and voluntary work. I speak at meetings on subjects of interest. In fact I thoroughly enjoy speaking in public to an audience. Yet, due to my mental health conditions, everyone that treats me says that I shouldn't have that capacity - it just doesn't fit with the diagnosis.

    So who is right - my consultants & doctors or ATOS?

    Consultants treat me, ATOS assesses me for the impact of that condition on my life.  

    • SteV3
      SteV3 les59996

      Posted

      I have never had an assessment for DLA or PIP (not yet changed over!). I receive DLA Care & Mobility High Rates for an "indefinite" period. I have only seen a private doctor once, whom was asked by Social Security at the time to give them a full medical on my condition because at the time I was only the 7th reported case in the UK.

      If I want to have Deep Brain Surgery done to control the condition more, that is my only option, the success rate though is just 5%. I opted for control via medication, but it has progressively become worse over the years, hence oral medication is taken everyday and every 10th week Botox is injected in to 6 muscles, this takes 2 weeks to cut in then 2 weeks to where off - so basically 6 weeks should be entirely without pain, but it does not work like that with me. That is the major disorder, but to add to it I have secondary disorders, however these become complex when the third disorder comes in to play because there is 28 variations. On top of all this I have had major stomach operations, spending nearly a month in hospital then another 10 months at home to fully recover.

      To actually diagnose me initially took a US Professor of Neurology and his team of Neurologists (since all neurologists have specific fields they specialize in!), Two years and many tests all over the UK and mainly in London hospitals because they were the only hospitals that had the equipment they used for numerous tests.

      On a monthly basis I have to see doctors, specialists and consultants, numerous times I am admitted to hospital via ambulance every month. I take over 30+ tablets a day, a bad day this increases to nearly 40! At this level, I have to be woken up to be fed. Being on Class "A" medication really gets me down, I fall asleep - and do not even realize I am asleep. My wife cares for me 24/7 - and I am under Adult Social Care, and have to sleep on an hospital bed, which may seem a good idea to some people, but it is a battle with the bed.

      How ATOS or the DWP work my benefits out I have no idea, I have had no assessments whatsoever, whether that will change I don't know.

      Just to type this, has taken me a good couple of hours! I am forever changing my clothes, because of cramps and muscle spasms. I would love to be active more, tried neurophysiotherapy but I ended up in so many cramps, which last for hours. With twisted limbs and a very bad gait, spasms are a nightmare.

    • les59996
      les59996 SteV3

      Posted

      I'm still on DLA myself and also have never had an assessment since the first claim back in 95.

      That is in itself another of the reasons that PIP was brought out - people being awarded it based entirely on the forms that we filled in and a possible factual report from the GP - no independent examination or assessment has been carried out.

      I too have a regular supply of Class A drugs. My regime just for pain is up to 100mg MST every 12 hours 24/7 + Oramorph (as much as I need) - I sleep OK with it!!!

      PIP is a whole new ball game. The main changes over DLA is the continual reassessment of entitlement.This can take place at anything from 12 months to 9 years after the previous award. As I have said before I doubt that I will qualify for PIP which in a way is OK as I would not wish to be subject to continual re-assessment until the day I die. Never mind the possible MR's and Tribunals along the way!! 

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