PIP Assessment on Wednesday 9/12/15

Hi, My hubby has Atos coming on Wednesday for his PIP face to face. He has severe COPD and on a home concentrator so it is a home visit. They sent the letter and we received it with 5 days notice. Not that it matters as we hardly have a full busy life. We are both petrified, I think we have read so many scary stories that we both think we are going to be under so much pressure. We sent 10 pages of Doctors reports, test results and the big list of meds he is on. Hubby has 8 hours a day on his oxygen therapy and is up for consideration for a transplant, that does not look like a possibility now due to previous operations he has had that makes transplant much more difficult. The doctors have said there is no more they can do for him and he is on maximum medication. We do not have downstairs toilet or bathroom facilities either and hubby has an NHS bed in the living room, In fact we both sleep downstairs. I cannot leave him downstairs alone. We declined a wet room and stair lift because we cannot pay our mortgage and have to move anyway, so with the little equity we have we want to buy a bungalow up north where we can afford one, this will be the other side of the country as we live in Kent, and away from all of our family. Forgive me for being a bit green but I really thought that considering my hubby has a life threatening disease and that he was being considered for transplant, that he probably would not have to go through this assessment. He is so upset and stressed that even though Atos has all information that they need from Qualified Doctors reports, they are still going to interrogate him. Perhaps they have a miracle cure and are coming around to give us the good news! Can anyone in a similar position give us some advice please.

Brian wrote: Hi, My hubby has Atos coming on Wednesday for his PIP face to face. He has severe COPD and on a home concentrator so it is a home visit. They sent the letter and we received it with 5 days notice. Not that it matters as we hardly have a full busy life. We are both petrified, I think we have read so many scary stories that we both think we are going to be under so much pressure. We sent 10 pages of Doctors reports, test results and the big list of meds he is on. Hubby has 8 hours a day on his oxygen therapy and is up for consideration for a transplant, that does not look like a possibility now due to previous operations he has had that makes transplant much more difficult. The doctors have said there is no more they can do for him and he is on maximum medication. We do not have downstairs toilet or bathroom facilities either and hubby has an NHS bed in the living room, In fact we both sleep downstairs. I cannot leave him downstairs alone. We declined a wet room and stair lift because we cannot pay our mortgage and have to move anyway, so with the little equity we have we want to buy a bungalow up north where we can afford one, this will be the other side of the country as we live in Kent, and away from all of our family. Forgive me for being a bit green but I really thought that considering my hubby has a life threatening disease and that he was being considered for transplant, that he probably would not have to go through this assessment. He is so upset and stressed that even though Atos has all information that they need from Qualified Doctors reports, they are still going to interrogate him. Perhaps they have a miracle cure and are coming around to give us the good news! Can anyone in a similar position give us some advice please.

Hi B,

Welcome to Benefits and Work

You can read what to expect at a PIP face to face from around Page 70 of our : PIP Claims Guide. (2nd Link down the page)

You can choose the room in which you wish the assessment to take place, you can have someone else present to take notes, and you should draw the Assessors attention to any aids or adaptations.

If you look at this extract from Page 30 under the heading "Cases that should not require a face-to-face consultation.

2.5.10.

"• The health condition(s) is severe and associated with a high level of functional impairment which is consistently claimed.

Examples might include :

o Claimants with cardiorespiratory conditions such as severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) or those awaiting a transplant."


From the latest version of : The PIP Assessment Guide which was updated on 28th July 2015.

It looks like your hubby clearly meets the criteria for a claimant where a Paper Based Assessment may be appropriate.

You could Contact ATOS drawing their attention to this and querying why the feel that a face to face is necessary.

However, the information that I have provided is only "Guidance" given to PIP Assessment Providers rather than legislation, so you cannot force them to carry out a Paper Based Assessment.

You could try complaining and escalating to a Manager.

The threat of a complaint to your M.P. may help :

Contacting your MP

Good luck !

bro58

Hi again, The assessor came to our home, we were given a time of 10.30 to 12.30 and we thought that it would be alright for me to go and have a quick bath before the assessor showed up, (I always get hubby's breakfast first, wash and get him ready etc.}. I was just getting out of the bath when the assessor knocked on the door and hubby answered the door. By the time he showed her in and sat down he was completely out of breath and she could see for herself how bad he is. All the equipment was in the living room which is where the assessment took place, the hospital bed commode, concentrator etc. The assessor acknowledged this and all of hubby's meds including NHS nebuliser. The wash bowl, flannels and towel were still in the room as well. The assessor was very good, she understood about all of his conditions and how it affected him and asked only relevant questions, none of these silly questions we keep hearing about .Judged on her stance and her questions I think her report will be a fair one but what the decision maker will conclude will be something we will have to wait and see! I will let you know. The assessor said we will hear after the new year.