home assessment and gp

shell wrote: my carer filled in my re-assessment form as 3yr time limited was up, sent off with all documents needed got a reply to day saying that I have to attend a assessment at sunderland assessment centre but gp coming out to see me on wed to try and arrange a home assessment for me

Hi s,

O.K., so you have received an appointment for a face to face.

The travelling time to and from the Assessment Centre should not take any longer than 90 minutes either way by Public Transport.

If your doctor agrees to Fax Maximus with a letter supporting the fact that you cannot travel to/from the Assessment Centre, explaining why you can't, that should help !!

Quite a few of our members have successfully challenged having to travel to a face to face and : The Centre for Health and Disability Assessments (CHDA) (aka HAAS) (Maximus) who took over the ESA WCA Contract from ATOS on 02/03/15, still have to make "Reasonable Adjustments" under : Section 20 of EA2010 if you fulfil The Definition of disability under the Equality Act 2010. , and they can be taken to County Court for failing to do so !!

You are allowed to re-arrange once which may give you time to challenge this, but if you do so, and it ended up that you still have to attend, you would have to take part, or face the risk of your ESA payments being stopped for failure to attend.

Be forewarned, Maximus may not give in without a fight, and you could involve your M.P. Many member have, and their M.P.'s have helped :

Contacting your MP

Please keep us updated by replying to this topic and we will try and help as much as we can !!

bro58

thank you very much for your help the centre is only 5 miles from where I live if I would have to attend in case they decide to go against the doctors letter is this a medical or just a interview

shell wrote: thank you very much for your help the centre is only 5 miles from where I live if I would have to attend in case they decide to go against the doctors letter is this a medical or just a interview

Hi s,

I sometimes "rant" as well, as seen : Here. !!!

The ESA face to face is more of a Q &A session which may involve a very basic physical exam !!

They use a LiMA software programme which generates the questions and then suggests certain assumptions from your response to the question.

You can read what to expect from Page 74 of our "Employment and Support Allowance claims on physical health grounds: a guide to the work capability assessment." Guide 2nd link down : This Page

Or from Page 81 of our : "Employment and Support Allowance claims for Mental Health and Learning Difficulties: a guide to the limited capability for work assessment. " Guide 3rd link down the same page.

You can also read about how The ESA Assessor is supposed to carry out the Face to Face in The WCA Handbook which is further down the same page, 2nd link under the heading "DWP ESA Resources"

If you do have to travel to an Assessment Centre, you should be aware that how you manage the return trip to/from the Assessment Centre will be taken into account as part of the actual assessment.

You may be observed on approaching, leaving and whilst inside the centre.

Assumptions may be made by the assessor with regards to the above.

These assumptions could result in the assessor writing comments/recommendations within the ESA85 medical report which they compile and send to The DWP.

You can have someone accompany you, and they can take notes !!

Have you requested that if you do have to take part in a Face to Face, that it is recorded ?

There is a template letter in our ESA Claims Guides referred to above, and further information on The CHDA Website : Here.

Good luck !!

bro58

my carer wants to show at the f2f interview the tribu award notice when they overturned the dwp,s last assessment I know I read something about this on your site but we cannot find it or should we leave it in case the medical is not successful and produce it at a mandatory review thanks

shell wrote: my carer wants to show at the f2f interview the tribu award notice when they overturned the dwp,s last assessment I know I read something about this on your site but we cannot find it or should we leave it in case the medical is not successful and produce it at a mandatory review thanks

Hi s,

There is no harm in giving copy of it to The Assessor at your F2F if you have one !!

Always provide copies and keep originals !

bro58

gp came to see me yesterday and has sent off fax for a domicile visit only, due to my many conditions he also stated that him might pop in when this was taken place as feels like along with my consultant that they are taken how server my server bruising syndrome is been taken at all if not at all this is not just the odd bruise here and there but where the whole leg or arm turns black this can happen any where and multi places on the body,and my gp has said he might pop in at the time that my home assessment is taken place can he do this and what effect could this have on my claim as cannot see the person doing the assessment been to happy, mind it could be a laugh if nothing else