Home medical

Had dla hrm stopped after being called in to JCP to what I thought was going to be a 'can we get you back to work?' OR 'you haven't had a medical for 10 years' ( - only form-filled on renewal dates) basis. I was totally unprepared for the grilling received, got terribly confused as I hadn't taken an advocate and guess I must have given the 'wrong' answers in an extremely unexpected stressful situation.
Anyway I have a genuine long term arthritis condition as well as drug controlled epilepsy with a bucket full of different medication and a list of hospital in-patient and out patient visits as long as your arm. That's the history.
Naturally I appealed the decision and was contacted by ATOS for a home medical visit. The doctor asked lots of questions trying to catch me out with double meanings and two-way approaches to the same problem.
I was asked to move to another room where I could lie down to be examined and the effort nearly killed me. Clearly the strain had exhausted me and after a couple of requests to raise my leg(s, bend from my elbow etc he declared that he was going to put down that I was in too much pain to be properly examined. I had also noted by this time that there was only 2 minutes left before the clock struck the hour for which he had already chatted to me that he had another local appointment.
I had already read on the site about the £100 fee's they pick up so I just wondered if you thought he called it time because he wanted to get to his next case or whether genuine pain (as was) IS a valid reason for cutting short an examination regardless of whether it was at 'closing time'.
Secondly if he put down that I was unexaminable because of the pain and discomfort of moving to and getting on the bed does that mean I might have to go through all the stress and worry of having another medical or is that statement alone likely to carry weight to the DM.
I was prepared to try to do the manoeuvres he wanted but he said I appeared in too much pain (but then again he might have been clock/cash! watching.
This is a great site. i hope you can advise.

jeffw wrote:

Had dla hrm stopped after being called in to JCP to what I thought was going to be a 'can we get you back to work?' OR 'you haven't had a medical for 10 years' ( - only form-filled on renewal dates) basis. I was totally unprepared for the grilling received, got terribly confused as I hadn't taken an advocate and guess I must have given the 'wrong' answers in an extremely unexpected stressful situation.
Anyway I have a genuine long term arthritis condition as well as drug controlled epilepsy with a bucket full of different medication and a list of hospital in-patient and out patient visits as long as your arm. That's the history.
Naturally I appealed the decision and was contacted by ATOS for a home medical visit. The doctor asked lots of questions trying to catch me out with double meanings and two-way approaches to the same problem.
I was asked to move to another room where I could lie down to be examined and the effort nearly killed me. Clearly the strain had exhausted me and after a couple of requests to raise my leg(s, bend from my elbow etc he declared that he was going to put down that I was in too much pain to be properly examined. I had also noted by this time that there was only 2 minutes left before the clock struck the hour for which he had already chatted to me that he had another local appointment.
I had already read on the site about the £100 fee's they pick up so I just wondered if you thought he called it time because he wanted to get to his next case or whether genuine pain (as was) IS a valid reason for cutting short an examination regardless of whether it was at 'closing time'.
Secondly if he put down that I was unexaminable because of the pain and discomfort of moving to and getting on the bed does that mean I might have to go through all the stress and worry of having another medical or is that statement alone likely to carry weight to the DM.
I was prepared to try to do the manoeuvres he wanted but he said I appeared in too much pain (but then again he might have been clock/cash! watching.
This is a great site. i hope you can advise.

Hi,

The visiting Doctor (EMP) shold not put you through tests that bring on severe pain if you did them. He should just record the fact that you could not do 'xxxxx' due to severe pain.

Beyond that it is impossible to say what the situation was with his appointments and running late. It can happen that they get delayed if an examination tales longer or they get delayed in traffic etc. A quick phone call to say they are rnnning a bit late would be courteous.

Normally you shold not have a second EMP visit.

Pete

Thanks for that Pete.

Where in the scheme of things does this home medical-after-appeal fall?
I appealed my stopped HRM DLA just before Christmas which was acknowledged as received, and here we are in March having the EMP visit.
Is the home medical a means of evidence gathering for the reconsideration stage by a DM (for or against) or do you expect we are past that stage and that it is for use at a tribunal?
The strange thing is, is that I am fully confident that my ailments and back up medical documentation qulify me for HRM at least but I am absolutely shaking about the thought of a tribunal where one nervous misinterpretation and a muddled answer could ruin it all. I'm even more nervous now after the EMP visit as I have it in the mind that he may have misinterpreted my under-pressure responses.
The only thing that keeps me calm is knowing I have my GP and consultants on my side, help from the CAB and the resources of the wonderful people on this site.

I posted this on your other thread, but I don't know if you saw it.

I was refused DLA, appealed, had a home medical on Christmas Eve, and was then awarded DLA in January - I did not have to go in front of a tribunal, to my surprise and relief.

The Decision Maker changed their mind on the evidence of the doctor. The arrears were in my bank account three weeks after the medical.

So the medical doesn't necessarily mean you have to go to tribunal. Here's hoping!

Elaine