Telephone Assessment

Background: I have severe emphysema, pancreatic insufficiency and probably have atypical cystic fibrosis. Plus, I have various other physical health and mental health conditions. I stopped work in 1995 and eventually started claiming incapacity benefit (now ESA). After changing to ESA, and an appeal, I was placed in Support Group where I have been ever since. There is no cure for my condition and as time goes by I progressively become worse.

I filled in my ESA50 questionnaire and then I received a letter advising me of a telephone assessment on 22 August between 9 am and 12 pm. I waited for the telephone to ring, but it never did. So, I rang the Health Assessment Advisory Service and told them what had happened. They said that they would send the assessment centre an email, plus they gave me the assessment centre's phone number and said I should try contacting them myself. For the next 50 minutes or so, I tried to get through to the assessment centre, but after every 30 seconds the call was terminated and I kept on having to redial. No one ever answered. That evening I decided to ring the Health Assessment Advisory Service again. They said that they would send the assessment centre another email asking them to contact me, and I should receive a phone call the following day. The gentleman on the phone said that they can never get through to the assessment centre on the phone and that the fact that they had not made any contact with me to either cancel my assessment or to tell me what was going on was not on. It is now two days later and I have had no contact from anyone.

Any advice would be welcome.

Hello BIS and Gordon,

Thank you for your responses.

Yesterday, I tried ringing the assessment centre again and still could not get through. I then contacted the HAAS and spoke to someone who was rather dismissive of the whole affair, but she did say that I would receive another appointment in due course. As suggested, I rang DWP to inform them of what has occurred - took an hour to get through. The lady I spoke to was very understanding and made a note of all that had happened and said that if I did not receive an appointment to get in touch. This morning a voice message was left by someone from DWP stating that they had contacted the medical assessment service and that an appointment has been made for 7 September.

So, all rather very unsatisfactory, stressful and distressing. But resolved. I am sure if I had missed my appointment by my own fault that the HAAS and DWP would not be so accommodating, and I would be facing sanctions. Yet, they seem to be able to treat me with contempt!

Thanks ,again.

Hello All,

Update and outcome:

I sat and waited for the telephone to ring on the rescheduled day, but like the first appointment there was no call and no explanation as to why. Another 3 hours waisted.

I then did the ringing around trying to see what was happening, and I was told the assessment appointment would be rescheduled for a later date. The 12th September in the afternoon.

On the 12th, I did finally have a fairly lengthy telephone assessment. It was hard work and did not leave me feeling with any confidence that it went well.

Over a month later (about 20th October) I received a letter from the DWP about Your Claim For ESA. I am pleased to say that the decision made on my capability for work was that I would remain in the support group.

For my records, do I now ask for a copy of the report on the decision? Is this an ESA85?

Thank you for your help.

Kind regards,

Oli