ESA Medical from Doctors report.

Hi
I have been on ESA Support Group since August 2012. I had been a Full Time Carer for my mother for 10 years before that.

I live with my boyfriend of 22 years.

I was taken by a friend to a medical in 2012 and got Support Group after using this forum. I filled in a form last year that was sent to me and I explained all my problems clearly and succinctly and I heard no more from them. Yesterday I got a letter to attend an Atos Medical later this month. I telephoned to explain, as I had done in 2013, that one part of my disability is the fact I have a problem with my foot and I cannot get to their medical center without a long walk from the car park which I cant do.

Just to be clear, I have an autoimmune condition which affects my thyroid, plus I am morbidly obese which has been made worse by an underactive thyroid. I get terrible problems with my foot and ankle. Although I can walk very short distances, I end up with severe pain and an inability to walk for several days. Sometimes it comes on whilst I am asleep and I have to crawl on hands an knees in the morning to try to make it to the loo without accidents. This is a constant, even though I have seen a physio and do exercises to help the muscles.

In all honesty, I don't know from one day to the next if I can get out of bed or will be in abject pain.

On top of this I suffer depression, insomnia and many other problems caused by my thyroid issues.

Now, apparently a doctor who I very rarely see at my GP practice and never for all these other issues, has filled in a form sent to him by Atos. According to them, the answers he gave have made them decide that this year I must go to the medical.

I can't get there. My friend cannot help as she also has health issues and my OH cannot get time off work.

I telephoned Atos who have told me if the doctor who filled in the form is not my regular doctor, then I must get my regular doctor to fax a letter across from her.

I was not sent a form this year to fill in - should I have had one?

Can I please get advice as I am very concerned about what this doctor has said. I have a telephone appointment with him tomorrow and hope to glean some information about that.

I am just scared. There are days I am better than others, but the foot problem isn't going away. I have no way of knowing which days of the week or for how long this problem lasts at any time. I suffer extreme tiredness and pain often and get the Hashimoto's flare ups which mean I can be dozy, forgetful and a whole host of other things.

Sorry this is so long, just feel so worried.

LadyLuna wrote: Hi
I have been on ESA Support Group since August 2012. I had been a Full Time Carer for my mother for 10 years before that.

I live with my boyfriend of 22 years.

I was taken by a friend to a medical in 2012 and got Support Group after using this forum. I filled in a form last year that was sent to me and I explained all my problems clearly and succinctly and I heard no more from them. Yesterday I got a letter to attend an Atos Medical later this month. I telephoned to explain, as I had done in 2013, that one part of my disability is the fact I have a problem with my foot and I cannot get to their medical center without a long walk from the car park which I cant do.

Just to be clear, I have an autoimmune condition which affects my thyroid, plus I am morbidly obese which has been made worse by an underactive thyroid. I get terrible problems with my foot and ankle. Although I can walk very short distances, I end up with severe pain and an inability to walk for several days. Sometimes it comes on whilst I am asleep and I have to crawl on hands an knees in the morning to try to make it to the loo without accidents. This is a constant, even though I have seen a physio and do exercises to help the muscles.

In all honesty, I don't know from one day to the next if I can get out of bed or will be in abject pain.

On top of this I suffer depression, insomnia and many other problems caused by my thyroid issues.

Now, apparently a doctor who I very rarely see at my GP practice and never for all these other issues, has filled in a form sent to him by Atos. According to them, the answers he gave have made them decide that this year I must go to the medical.

I can't get there. My friend cannot help as she also has health issues and my OH cannot get time off work.

I telephoned Atos who have told me if the doctor who filled in the form is not my regular doctor, then I must get my regular doctor to fax a letter across from her.

I was not sent a form this year to fill in - should I have had one?

Can I please get advice as I am very concerned about what this doctor has said. I have a telephone appointment with him tomorrow and hope to glean some information about that.

I am just scared. There are days I am better than others, but the foot problem isn't going away. I have no way of knowing which days of the week or for how long this problem lasts at any time. I suffer extreme tiredness and pain often and get the Hashimoto's flare ups which mean I can be dozy, forgetful and a whole host of other things.

Sorry this is so long, just feel so worried.

Hi LL,

Sorry to hear this !!

"Now, apparently a doctor who I very rarely see at my GP practice and never for all these other issues, has filled in a form sent to him by Atos. According to them, the answers he gave have made them decide that this year I must go to the medical."

Yes, it can cause problems when one of the Practice G.P.'s fills in an : ESA 113 Questionnaire for a patient that they rarely see.

If you look at Questions 6-7 of The ESA 113 you will see that they ask, "Could your patient travel to an examination centre by public transport or taxi"

If the G.P. has answered "Yes", this could be causing the problems.

I feel that this question is quite ambiguous, as the question includes public transport or taxi.

The actions involved in traveling by Taxi door to door, or using Public Transport are totally different.

Especially as the way that you manage the return trip to and from The ATOS Assessment Centre are used as part of the actually assessment.

A copy of The ESA 113 may be on your G.P. records, if it is, you could view and discuss this with your G.P.

"I telephoned Atos who have told me if the doctor who filled in the form is not my regular doctor, then I must get my regular doctor to fax a letter across from her."

This is normal procedure with ATOS when a claimant states that they are unable to attend a F2F "Medical" after ATOS have already made an appointment for a F2F.

If your G.P. is to support your dispute, then it is important that they state that you are unable to travel to a F2F, and need a Home Assessment.

It would help further if they gave detail of how and why your limitations preclude your attendance.

I would advise that any future correspondence between you and ATOS regarding this issue, is done so by e-mail, so that you have a paper trail.

You can contact ATOS by e-mail from the link under : "WCA Customer Service:"
to the right of this page : www.atoshealthcare.com/claimants

You are allowed to rearrange a F2F once, this may be helpful to give you time to get something sorted out with your G.P.

However, you should understand, that if you do rearrange, and for some reason you cannot attend the rearranged F2F, that payment of your ESA may cease unless you can show good cause for non attendance.

"I was not sent a form this year to fill in - should I have had one?"

DWP/ATOS do have huge backlogs with ESA Assessments/Reassessments, so it would seem that this F2F has been arranged as a result of The ESA50 that you sent back to ATOS last year.

However, an ESA50 does not have to be issued.

I hope that this helps, and please do keep us updated.

bro58

Thank you for your reply. The doctor telephoned me today and he admitted he wasn't entirely aware of everything so asked me to explain the issues. He did say he had put all the correct info down on the form and is amazed they think his answers, (as they told me), would require them to ask me to go there. He has found me not fit for work.

He took the fax number and will write a covering letter to explain things further.

The medical centre they want me to attend has no parking near. I could not use public transport. Also, last year in my form I asked for the appointment to be recorded. I wonder if that were the reason they didn't get in touch?

The building also has 47 stairs and we have to be aware that in the advent of a fire you will vacate via the stairs. I couldn't do that. Part of my issue as the doctor said, is muscular issues in my calf which means walking up or down stairs is often almost impossible.

Have the criteria changed for the Support Group since last year, please?

I am also having trouble downloading the guides. Maybe you can advise?

This incredibly stressful. Why is it legal for them to have such inaccessible medical centers?

Hi the problem with the downloads is I am not getting the full compliment of pages. 1-7 and 36 onwards. I paid my subscription the other day. Maybe I am in the wrong place?

What should I do now, please? The doctor is writing. Should I be sending anything in support of my claim? I would ask for a recording but that seems silly when I can't get there.

I am very confused with this. If I genuinely can't get there and they don't have to do a home visit, what happens then please?

I have asked if there is an assessment center with parking on the door step and they told me not in this area.

[quote="LadyLuna
" post=125489]Thank you for your reply. The doctor telephoned me today and he admitted he wasn't entirely aware of everything so asked me to explain the issues. He did say he had put all the correct info down on the form and is amazed they think his answers, (as they told me), would require them to ask me to go there. He has found me not fit for work.

He took the fax number and will write a covering letter to explain things further.

The medical centre they want me to attend has no parking near. I could not use public transport. Also, last year in my form I asked for the appointment to be recorded. I wonder if that were the reason they didn't get in touch?

The building also has 47 stairs and we have to be aware that in the advent of a fire you will vacate via the stairs. I couldn't do that. Part of my issue as the doctor said, is muscular issues in my calf which means walking up or down stairs is often almost impossible.

Have the criteria changed for the Support Group since last year, please?

I am also having trouble downloading the guides. Maybe you can advise?

This incredibly stressful. Why is it legal for them to have such inaccessible medical centers?[/quote]

This a national disgrace first reported on B&W at Atos assessment centres lack disabled access

Such breaches of Disability Discrimination Act have been frequently reported in Parliament, but sadly little has changed.