ATOS medical

Hi
I have been in the support group since Nov 2012 due to mental health issues. I received a letter recently telling me I was continuing in the support group until November but I have now received a letter for a medical at the end of this month.

Is this normal? I had presumed that since I had had a letter I wouldn't have a medical until November at the earliest.

The last medical was conducted by a physio, who had no experience of MH and seemed to think that all mental health patients have to be incoherent, unwashed and rocking backwards and forwards in a chair. She, at first, wouldn't tell me what her medical training was and wasn't going to allow my partner to take notes. To an outsider I probably appear to cope with life, years of practice I suppose. They don't know that I do the school run and then go home and wait until pick up, unable to do much in between. I don't have a life, I exist. How do you get that across in a twenty minute assessment?

Any advice would be most appreciated.

Hjhowe wrote: Hi
I have been in the support group since Nov 2012 due to mental health issues. I received a letter recently telling me I was continuing in the support group until November but I have now received a letter for a medical at the end of this month.

Is this normal? I had presumed that since I had had a letter I wouldn't have a medical until November at the earliest.

The last medical was conducted by a physio, who had no experience of MH and seemed to think that all mental health patients have to be incoherent, unwashed and rocking backwards and forwards in a chair. She, at first, wouldn't tell me what her medical training was and wasn't going to allow my partner to take notes. To an outsider I probably appear to cope with life, years of practice I suppose. They don't know that I do the school run and then go home and wait until pick up, unable to do much in between. I don't have a life, I exist. How do you get that across in a twenty minute assessment?

Any advice would be most appreciated.

Hi Hj

Are you sure that the recent letter informing you of continuing SG entitlement was not the normal annual ESA uprating letter stating the annual rise in ESA from circa 07/04/14 to November 2014 ?

If you are to be reassessed, it would be normal to receive an ESA50 first, although the issuing of an ESA50 is not absolutely necessary to a reassessment process, and sometimes one is not issued for claimants with MH problems.

Do you know the prognosis (recommended period before reassessment) of your existing SG award ?

You could check whether it is your time for reassessment Re : the prognosis by contacting the DWP on the contact number on any ESA letters that you have.

You could also contact ATOS to query why you have been asked to attend a face to face without first receiving an ESA50.

You can ring ATOS on : 0800 2888 777 or 0113 230 9175.

It may be best to back up any phone conversation with an e-mail so that you have a paper trail : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

You are allowed to rearrange a face to face appointment once.

Whether you do rearrange or attend the appointment at the end of the month, unless you receive written confirmation to the contrary, you must attend or face the possibility of your ESA ceasing due to failure to attend.

If you have the support of a CPN or other HCP with your MH issues it may help to ask for their input.

bro58

I thought that WCA reassessments had been suspended for the time being???

summertrain wrote: I thought that WCA reassessments had been suspended for the time being???

Hi st,

As Gordon has reiterated we can only go on information that we are privy to.

Maybe the OP was re-referred to ATOS before the cut off date for deferrals ?

"Any WCA repeat referrals that we have already received from DWP will also continue through the WCA process as they would before."

From :

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/2653-atos...ts-for-esa-claimants

bro58

Thank you for your replies. My review should have been November but I haven't had any other forms to fill in, no medical form. Perhaps I was in the system before they stopped carrying out medicals then. I was just shocked that I hadn't had any forms to complete but straight to assessment.

Thanks again