Medical Assessment

Hi

I wonder if anybody can help me . I was asked to go to a Medical Assessment in Luton which is on the 6th floor . I have a very painful left knee with limited mobility. I had a total knee replacement 2 years ago which has not gone well. I asked for a home Assessment because of health and safety. I got a letter from my Doctor saying the reason for a home Assessment but was turned down on the medical evidence. I was then sent a letter saying I would have to go to Milton Keynes medical centre which is 46 miles away and 1hour 30 minutes away with traffic. Can anyone tell me if this is allowed.

Thank you

Hi thank you for your advice the assessment is for ESA.

emilys wrote: Hi thank you for your advice the assessment is for ESA.

Hi Emily,

Although I do not deal with ESA queries because due to long term health issues of my own, I lost track of Incapacity Benefits, and it's successor Employment Support Allowance. I am a retired Welfare Rights Adviser and now tend only to deal with DLA/PIP and appeals because I sat on DLA Tribunals from 1994 to 2005.

My point in responding to this thread is based only on DLA experience.

However, whether you are claiming sickness related benefits (IB or ESA) or DLA/PIP you should not be expected to travel a distance of 46 miles to be medically assessed.

To the best of my knowledge Atos are no longer carrying out ESA medicals, as they prematurely pulled out of their contract for ESA claiming they did not have the staff to cope with ESA assessments, although they continue to do assessments for DLA/PIP.

In my opinion, you should have been given a venue closer to your home, or alternatively been offered an assessment at your home, since in my opinion it is wrong that you are expected to travel over 46 miles to an assessment centre taking over 1.5 hours, and presumably the same distance to get home.

I totally agree with Gordon's comments and suggest that you follow his advice also.

I hope my comments are of some help.

Kind regards,

Jim Allion

The Luton office in Alma Street is on the 6th floor with a lift, the biggest problem there is there is very little on street parking, it is all double yellow lines with kerb side yellows as well. There are 4 parking bay spaces at the other end of the street to the office, its a dreadful setup for the disabled.
ATOS apparently arrange the appointments according to the next available date, not the nearest office, so if MK is the one with the closest date then that would be offered, my hubby was offered the same when we said it was me who couldnt do the stairs, hubby was having the assessment.
ATOS are still apparently doing ESA assessments, hubby had his last Tuesday and I thought the same, why on earth are they still allowed to assess when theyve made such a mess of it all.

I don't think ATOS are withdrawing from the contract until early 2015, so there is still a while to go.