Sent request for PA4 which i got today. Not good.

Do you have proof, ie recorded, that assessor didn't read your paperwork before your assessment?
That goes directly against their training and guidance in their rule book.
If you can tie stuff in your evidence that wasn't looked at to the notes made on your report you can make formal complaints as well as highlight the failure in your MR submission.
You should also challenge the assumption that recording the assessment showed cognitive abilities. As you say you were helped and able to practice beforehand it doesn't prove anything but these people make unlinkable leaps of pure conjecture in their reports. You need to look at your evidence in light of what is in the report and see if you have got any backing up what you put on the form. If not you need to see someone like your GP or other healthcare worker involved in your treatment or care to get some. You can also use testimony from your son as to what he does for you.

Do you have proof, ie recorded, that assessor didn't read your paperwork before your assessment?

Indeed I do have it on tape, he states that "ive read as much as I can in the 20 minutes or so Ive had this morning".
He starts to back track after that, I suspect he realised his error on tape, and says he will read the other 209 pieces of evidence before he makes the report. I send around 200 sheets of print outs from a data request I made to my GP a couple of years back.

Crucially perhaps I also added 10 hand written sheets of extra info to go along with the questionnaire itself as the questionnaire says to do if needed. I would say its fair to say that in 20 minutes he could never have read the questionnaire in its entirety. The other 200 sheets, well, that might be a moot point, but not reading the questionnaire first?? Hmmm.....

If you can tie stuff in your evidence that wasn't looked at to the notes made on your report you can make formal complaints as well as highlight the failure in your MR submission.

I note than in the PA4 at the start of the report he goes to great length to list the headings of the sheets I printed off. That said, I dont think he mentions the extra 3 sheets I gave him on that day from a consultant (that I had to sign a document for to say I had given him.)

There are certainly some discrepancies on the PA4 that I noticed. No glaring lies (he knew he was on tape...) but in my opinion, some definite omissions or incorrect assumptions. He notes Ive had 2 skin grafts on my left hand. Correct, I have so sensation in left hand or arm, yet I gain no points for problems with food preparation or cooking. Perhaps Gordon is right, when I said I dont use an oven, I mean the hob/ grill/ actual oven. I wonder if he interpreted that as meaning I use the hob and grill fine? No idea. Anywway, I thought 2 skin grafts would possibly prove I have issues around hot items of cooking etc. He obviously didn't agree.

You should also challenge the assumption that recording the assessment showed cognitive abilities. As you say you were helped and able to practice beforehand it doesn't prove anything but these people make unlinkable leaps of pure conjecture in their reports.

Yes, a definite damned if you do, damned if you dont there. You record as you have a right to and that can actually count against you. My lad pressed the record buttons and changed the tapes over.... the assessment went on for so long.

You need to look at your evidence in light of what is in the report and see if you have got any backing up what you put on the form. If not you need to see someone like your GP or other healthcare worker involved in your treatment or care to get some.

Ive asked my GP for a summary of my condition but feel guilty to be honest. It goes back decades and he is semi retired now and I hardly get to see him these days. That said, the conditions I have, syringomangelia (sp?), Arnolde Chiari malformation etc. will never improve. Other mental health issues could be argued to be more variable, but the history goes back to the late 1980's for my OCD for example. I shall see what my GP comes up with.

You can also use testimony from your son as to what he does for you.

The PA4 acknowledges the help my lad gives me with reminding me to take meds, ensuring I dont take too many meds, puts some of them in dossett boxes for me etc etc but no points are given for medication descriptor.

Please note: I am completely lucid in the notes I make above. However as so many on here will understand, that does not reflect my state of mind or the constant neuropathic pain I am in. My mental health problems have cost me much of what people consider a normal life. I am blessed to still have a mother and a son that love and stand by me. Everyone else and everything else has melted away over the years. No sob story, just feel the constant need these days to point out that being able to construct a sentence does not mean you are not in inner turmoil.

Ironically my obsessive compulsive personality makes me just the type of person to record the assessment, give him 200 pages of evidence and be determined to fight his assessment too. Thats about the only positive silver lining my OCD has ever given me. I wont even go into the life destroying negatives.

It is subtitles like this that I would argue a sports physio will never understand in a thousand years.

Thank you for the help as always foss27.

I beIieve it is a proven fact that the average honest person tries to play down their medical condition and how they are. Its ingrained from birth not to complain or moan about things.
I remember someone asking me once if I was alright and I started to tell them about how I really was. I saw their eyes glaze over very quickly and just stopped and said, yeah I'm OK. I never forgot that moment. Thats the average fit person as well. They ask if you are alright but they don't want you to say Weeelllll actually ..........
So it is perfectly normal for people to play down their state of health but the DWP make ATOS use this against you. And anything else they can use. They indoctrinate them to believe every person they see will be a lying, lazy, idle scrounger.
Nothing could be further from the truth.

Hello Foss,

Yes I agree with what you say in its entirety.

I tend to just point at the scar on my head rather than tell people (family etc) what's really wrong.

A scar is visible and traits little explanation.

Mental health issues are still taboo in many ways though I think it's improving slowly.

Hello again, just a couple of questions to ask please.

1) Is it worth lodging a complaint about the PIP assessor with ATOS? I ask as if I am challenging his assertions made in the PA4 I am inherently being critical of his ability to perform his job role. Hence I should back this up with a complaint to ATOS? Will that help/ be unhelpful if it went all the way to tribunal though? I read that a tribunal expect you to have already complained to the HP employer before/ if it go to tribunal stage? Not sure if correct though.....

2) Apart from the PA4 (which I now have) are there any other documents I should do a SAR to DWP for in case they contain any helpful information for the MR/ appeal? I've read somewhere of PIP1, PIP7 documents (I think that was their names?)

As always, thank you for the help.

Hi again

Yes please do a formal complaint and copy in your MP.

You don't need any other paperwork. You highlight everything in the report that is wrong, use your evidence to support you, use the recording to prove everything.
You should be prepared for the MR to jst rubberstamp the decision. This is their default position.
Sometimes the MR will overturn the decision but usually they don't.
Please don't let this bother you.