PIP payment consultation with health professional

Hi I've waited over a year for this medical with atos healthcare. Now the appointment has arrived I'm not sure I can go? I am claiming on mental health grounds and suffer from high anxiety and panic attacks, they have given me an appointment very far from where I live and a very unfamiliar area. This is already causing me anxiety at the thought of travelling there! Do I have the grounds to refuse to go if it affects my mental state? Thankyou for your help.

oopsydaisy wrote: Hi I've waited over a year for this medical with atos healthcare. Now the appointment has arrived I'm not sure I can go? I am claiming on mental health grounds and suffer from high anxiety and panic attacks, they have given me an appointment very far from where I live and a very unfamiliar area. This is already causing me anxiety at the thought of travelling there! Do I have the grounds to refuse to go if it affects my mental state? Thankyou for your help.

Hi od,

You are allowed to rearrange a consultation/assessment once.

However, as you are probably aware this could result in another long wait for a fresh appointment.

If you look at : This Page, you will see a list of ATOS PIP Consultation Locations, you will also see a link on the right to contact The ATOS PIP Customer Services.

Maybe you could see if there is a Consultation Location nearer to you, and if so, query why you have not been given an appointment at that one.

It is stated that a claimant should not be expected to travel longer than 90 minutes either way to and from a Consultation.

Your only other option is to request a Home Assessment, however ATOS are most reluctant to provide these, although they are supposed to make Reasonable Adjustment for disabled people, as covered under Sections 20/21 Of The Equality Act 2010. They also have a "Duty of Care under : Section 149 of EA2010.


For a Home Assessment, they may well insist that you provide a letter of support from your G.P. or other treating HCP, and that said letter is Faxed directly to them.

I would keep all correspondence in writing by e-mail so that you have a paper trail.

If you fail to gain a Home Assessment or a rearranged appointment, you will have to attend the current one, or your claim may be cancelled.

Further, as you are only allowed to re-arrange once, if you do gain a fresh appointment, and miss that, again your claim will be cancelled and you will have to show good cause for non attendance.

There is an option of ATOS providing a Taxi door to door, again they are most reluctant to do this, for cost reasons.

If they were to do this it would have to be pre-arranged with them prior to the Consultation.

You could always complain to your M.P. as well :

Contacting your MP

bro58

Hi thanks so much for your reply/advice, after phoning their customer service dept. I have been told that an appointment is no longer need it has been dealt with on paper???? I just wondered whether this is a good or bad thing? I'm confused? Thank you again for any advice given.

oopsydaisy wrote: Hi thanks so much for your reply/advice, after phoning their customer service dept. I have been told that an appointment is no longer need it has been dealt with on paper???? I just wondered whether this is a good or bad thing? I'm confused? Thank you again for any advice given.

Hi od,

We have seen this quite a lot in recent times.

PIP Assessment Providers have been encouraged to carry out paper based assessments without the need for a face to face where at all possible.

It means that they feel that you have provided enough evidence on paper for them to make recommendations on a PIP Award.

The fact that you have challenged them with respect to your limitations in traveling to and from the face to face due to your anxiety and panic attacks may have indeed helped with this.

ATOS will now send their recommendations to The DWP PIP Decision Maker who will make the final decision and inform you.

Much the same as they would have if you had attended the face to face.

You could give it 2-3 weeks then contact the PIP Helpline for an update.

PIP helpline :

Telephone: 0345 850 3322

Textphone: 0345 601 6677

Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.

I am glad that you do not have to go through the turmoil of traveling to and from the face to face.

You might want to ask ATOS to confirm in writing/e-mail that the face to face has been cancelled. You can then keep this confirmation in your file.

Please keep us updated

bro58