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ESA50 and telephone assessment

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14 hours 9 minutes ago #297081 by Twentyfold
ESA50 and telephone assessment was created by Twentyfold
Does anyone know, please, if the DWP do actually review and consider the ESA50 WCA questionnaire, (for which they ask the claimant to fill in and return) considering that the next stage seems to be an assessment, whereby some sort of report is written by a healthcare provider, which the DWP then apparently uses to make their decision? Ie, Do the DWP actually use the ESA50 for decision making, or this just being used as a ‘prompt’ as sorts, for the private healthcare provider to make their assessment? As the ESA50 is quite a huge form to fill out, which takes a lot of time and effort for vulnerable people to understand. Just wondering if it is actually used. Thanks.

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13 hours 29 minutes ago #297084 by David
Replied by David on topic ESA50 and telephone assessment
Hi Twentyfold,

The ESA50 and UC50 are documents central to the WCA Work Capabilities Assessement.
See the following extracts from the DWP WCA Handbook.
"The HCPs have to ensure that they are fully familiar with all the conditions a claimant has indicated
on an ESA50 or in the available evidence (such as Med 3, 113, previous ESA85/IB85 reports)
before commencing Filework activity or a full assessment."
"Particular attention must be
paid to the current claimant questionnaire [ESA50 or UC50] and all areas where the
claimant indicates that there may be a problem must be fully explored."
"List all the current diagnoses. Ensure that all conditions entered in the ESA50/UC 50, or
documented in other medical reports, such as previous benefit assessment reports, Med
3, 113, GP/Specialist/Consultant letters, are included."
"It is particularly important
to carefully explore any change in conditions where the ESA50/UC50 for the current claim
has been completed some time ago. Note the ESA50/UC50 must still be utilised regardless
of age as long as it relates to the current benefit claim."
"It is also imperative to address all the information obtained during the assessment and in
the ESA50/UC50."

Here is the link to the document if you wish to investigate the matter yourself.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6...ndbook-sept-2024.pdf

David

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