ESA Assessment would not have been necessary

Hi, I just want people to know that when I went for my ESA assessment the other week, I was told as soon as I went in by the woman assessing me that there had been a letter sent to my doctors from the agency assessing me to get a report to verify my state of ill health; and if they had received one from my doctor, I would not have been called in, as from the information they had, it appeared I would be too ill to work.

As it was I had to attend; and the woman assessing me was very nice and she said at the end of the assessment that I had got enough points and would qualify for ESA. I thanked her for putting my mind at rest,as obviously anxiety is such a problem when having to go for something like this.

I saw my doctor today and asked if such a request had come through for a report on me. She looked to see, and yes, it had on 27th March 2019 (My initial form for ESA had got to the Health and Disability Assessment Agency on the 6th March 2019. ESA sent me a letter for a face to face assessment on 29th April (a month after the letter arrived at the doctors) - appointment booked for 11th May.

However, it takes apparently a minimum of 8 weeks for my doctor's surgery to respond to such requests; and upon asking today when I saw my doctor the request is still in the system and not been responded to. 8 weeks is up, it is too late, I have had the assessment!

I am also aware that if any report had gone from my doctors it very possibly would not have had enough information on it anyway. Despite having a bullet point letter sent by my psychiatric nurse to go at the front of my file to make it easier for any doctor who sees me to see clearly what conditions ail me easily; it seems no doctor seems to read it pre my seeing them. As when I say my doctor, there is no 'my' doctor because there is no continuity as I rarely see any doctor more than once. Bookings need to be 2 weeks in advance as it is. I know that GP's struggle to fill posts these days in London; and I appreciate this; but how many people are slipping through the cracks? Care, especially for mental health issues is not good.