Second PIP/ESA Commons Select Committee next Wed.

[Teri]

Thank you for this info Nukecad. I will watch out for today's transcript.

Teri

[RobcarerT]

I’m seriously shocked that there are so few doctors, I know the majority of ‘healthcare professionals’ were nurses etc, but 2, TWO doctors?! I’m shocked.

How on earth are complex mental health cases EVER going to be properly assessed by people with minimal mental health training?

[nukecad]

I've said it before- There is nothing in the law that say assessors have to have any medical training at all.

(It is a condition of the AP's contract with the DWP, but it is not stated in benefit law).

The law just says that you have to be assessed, it says nothing whatsoever about who should do it.

[Shelob]

This sits next Wednesday, 6th at 9.30am, live on BBC Parliament. Representatives from Atos, Maximus and Capita will be quizzed. No mention of a DWP minister being present so not sure if they'll have a third sitting.

Has anyone watched this, makes my blood boil that they can sit there and say what they say!!!

[ChrisK]

The first five minutes of the video summed it up for me when the MP’s asked if the disabled person was able to bring someone with them and are they able to give comment as my carer wife within two minutes of my assessment was told to more or less shut the mouth up when I was a bit confused about what I was being asked.

One MP hit the nail on the head when she said the assessment seem to go something like “Question, yes or no, type, type, type, question yes or no, type, type, type etc etc.

[Lighttouch]

Having listened to some of this meeting it seems that most claimants think they are going for a PIP 'medical assessment' when in fact it's a 'functional assessment'.

And 'supporting evidence' sent from doctors etc isn't of any use as it talks about there 'medical problems' and doesn't elaborate on how their medical issues impair on the claimants daily living.

Capita said they write to 33% of claimants doctors but only get 10% replying. And of the 10% that do reply only 3% send information about the claimants 'functionality'. So it looks like claimants Doctor's just go into overdrive talking about medical stuff that isn't any use.

Is it any wonder so many appeals win!

So note - don't think your Doctor knows best. Draw him a picture of how you cope on a daily basis from first thing in the morning to going to bed.

[RobcarerT]

To be fair, have you seen the junk ‘templates’ they send to GP’s? And that’s before you put any thought to the fact that most GO’s don’t have a clue how a patients illnesses affect them, how could they? 5 minutes appointment windows aren’t exactly long enough for that.

I’m not sure how they got around without being asked

“If it’s not a medical assessment, why do your staff need medical background?”

I mean really, why are we, the tax payers, paying a company of medical people, to do a job that doesn’t involve any medical training?

[nukecad]

“If it’s not a medical assessment, why do your staff need medical background?”

I mean really, why are we, the tax payers, paying a company of medical people, to do a job that doesn’t involve any medical training?

Funnily enough there is a "Medical Examination" in the ESA legislation.
It's regulation 23 of the ESA regulations 2008. (The WCA is regulation 19).

It "may be" carried out as part of the WCA. (or may not).

Trying to get a straight answer about just what this "Medical Examination" is from the DWP can be like trying to knit fog.
TBH I think most of them don't even know that there is a seperate regulation for "Medical Examination", which is not the WCA regulation.

This FoI request eventually got it pinned down. (sort of).
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/reque...coming-1048842

Extract from their (second) reply:

DWP’s revised response is therefore as follows:

The Limited Capability for Work Assessment is the process a claimant will go through when they make a claim for Employment and Support Allowance. This is also referred to as a Work Capability Assessment. As part of this process, a claimant can be called to attend a face-to-face examination with a Healthcare Professional, to determine the claimant’s capability for work.

For some claimants a medical examination is required as part of the WCA. A medical examination is where the healthcare professional assesses the effects of a claimant’s medical conditions on their ability to carry out functional tasks, rather than for the purpose of diagnosis or treatment of their medical conditions. We do not carry out a face-to-face assessment where there is enough existing evidence to determine benefit entitlement.

[RobcarerT]

“We do not carry out a face-to-face assessment where there is enough existing evidence to determine benefit entitlement.”


Hahahahhaha. Thank you, I needed a laugh on this cold windy school run!

[Teri]

Has anyone else seen this 13th December report about dropping the 80% unchanged decisions during MR's - https://www.parliament.uk/business/c...ess-statement/

If this is actually taken up and the evidence is looked at again thoroughly, then it could save (some) people having to go to appeal. That's if I have picked it up correctly and reconsideration truly means reconsideration - forgive me if I got it wrong.

Teri