ESA reassessment - home visit request plus timing

Hi again,

Wondering what the protocol is for reviews and decision making about additional evidence faxed through by a GP in support of home visits and also what the likely time scale is for such a decision to be made? I spoke to my GP on Monday about sending extra evidence through in support of a home visit and she said she would write another letter and that the practice would aim to fax it across within the next couple of days.

How long do they usually take to make such decisions and does it sound sensible to ring the Centre for Health and Disability Assessements again on Friday to check for an update, if I haven't heard anything further? Are they supposed to respond to the claimant about the extra evidence either way? I realise that I might have to chase the GP practice if the assessment centre claim not to have received the extra evidence. My assessment is currently scheduled for Wednesday of next week and doing anything on Monday would be very difficult for me.

If I am still not granted a home visit after my GP's extra evidence, I will also need to check out with the assessment centre if they are willing and able to accommodate my need to lie down at the test centre (including on arrival at the reception whilst waiting for my appointment) and I am wondering how far in advance I need to inform them on the phone, for them to make the appropriate adaptations (despite the information already being all over my assessment form and will be repeated in my GP's additional evidence!). When I went for my PIP assessment, I did not ring ahead to check out they would be accepting of me lying down because I was too scared to contact them - and the information was all over my assessment form and medical evidence already anyway. No one rebuked me when I lay down on their seating in reception (although this has happened to me before when I did the same in A &E!), but they really didn't like the idea of me 'unexpectedly' lying down for the assessment itself and were very aggressive, stressed and confrontational about it. The PIP assessment room I was in didn't have a couch, they couldn't find any alternative available room with a couch for me on the day, and they really did not like my own back up plan of bringing my own mat and cushions to lie on, despite me saying I was ok with it. Both my assessment form and medical evidence for PIP had described my physical needs very clearly but I had not rung beforehand to check that someone had read and paid attention to this information and requests for adaptations. Are ESA assessment rooms generally set up differently from PIP ones? (Ie I note that you said you thought the ESA assessment rooms have couches in) As well as the great difficulties for the journey, if I have to attend, I am also worried that, even whilst saying I don't need a home assessment, they might say they need to have a different assessment date for them to 'meet my needs' and change the date at short notice for this reason. At least for the date they've already given , I know a friend is available to come with me.

I realise that I am probably getting a bit hung up on details but panicking a bit about all things ESA related, especially since I have to coordinate appointments with support from a trusted friend (even home ones, so without the travelling complications, I would still feel too anxious to try to undertake the assessment alone and also need extra prompting to cope with the questions due to my brain fog). I realise I might appear articulate within my messages, but this has taken me hours to write. I think it would be helpful to have as much knowledge of the process as possible. Thanks.

Thanks, Gordon.

Just rang the Centre for Health and Disbility Assessments to check if they've received my GP's fax and was told that they've now decided I don't need a medical assessment at all! I'm a bit in shock (In a very good way!) I was in the support group with the premium related to being on enhanced PIP so I'm hoping this means there will be no change to anything. The person I spoke to said it was most likely given that it was a paper based assessment. Fingers crossed! Thanks again for all your support. I'll let you know when I hear anything more.

Thanks Gordon. I really appreciate all of your support and the opportunity to read about and learn from other people's experiences too. It's a great site. (Shame that it's needed, though!) Best wishes.