PIP Telephone Review Ignores Mental Health

Hi
I just wanted to share my experience and see if anyone else has been treated in a similar way on a PIP medical assessment.

After a brief introduction the first thing the assessor said to me on the call was that he had read my form but would not be discussing anything to do with treatment I am receiving for PTSD. I don’t want to elaborate much on this much but it is in relation to two sexual assaults which have had a significant impact on my mental health. After years of trying to deal with this myself I finally found the courage to get some help coping with the impact it has had on me. I was a little taken aback when he said this and felt instantly on a back foot. I feel any impact my mental health has on my daily life is just as significant as any impact my physical health has so found it strange that this was not going to be part of the interview. On my form I had specified why I was receiving the therapy and felt perhaps he felt uncomfortable with the subject matter. But after days of anxiety about the call I put my doubts to one side and carried on. With hindsight I should have asked him why he had felt the need to say this and perhaps even asked that the call was postponed until they were able to find someone better trained to deal with this type of medical history. But having waited over 6 months to get this call I naively soldiered on.

It was a disaster. As the interview progressed it became apparent that he really did mean to totally avoid my mental health completely.... if he strayed into an area where my answer related to it he quickly changed the subject. For example he asked if I used public transport and when I paused and said ‘Well no, I probably never will again after being attacked on it.....’’ he rapidly changed the subject. At no point did he give me the opportunity to discuss how my mental health affects my day to day life....whether this was because he felt uncomfortable discussing it I don’t know but if this was the case I feel he should have passed the call to someone who was more capable of discussing my issues.

The interview lasted about 90 minutes and he literally bombarded me with questions about my physical capabilities non stop. It felt like a full scale interrogation! He seemed very proud of the fact he asked more question than other assessors. Maybe there’s a gold award out there for star performers!!! I was physically and mentally exhausted by the end of the call.

My award came back today and needless to say there is no mention of any impact my mental health has on my day to day life whatsoever. It’s all been airbrushed out because he did not ask one question pertaining to it!

I rang the DWP immediately and requested an MR and explained what this assessor had said to me at the beginning of the call. She was totally shocked and just kept repeatedly apologising to me. I have also raised a complaint directly with the medical assessors..... once again profuse apologies!! But to be honest that’s not enough. I’m feeling pretty down about it all today and knowing that I’m faced with going through the whole MR process and possibly an appeal just depresses me but tomorrow is another day and I will fight this.

At the back of my mind I have this niggling concern that this guy was primed to ignore my mental health issues from the very beginning of the call..... why was that? I really don’t like the answers that are coming first and foremost to my mind. Any help or advice on what to do next would be really appreciated.

Thankyou

Hi POPPY0404

So sorry to hear what you had to go through, although it doesn't surprise me at all as I feel that some of these people are out to take our awards from us & can only do this by ignoring most of what we tell them. During my home assessment I mentioned PTSD, the assessor stuck her hand out in front of me & told me to stop right there as she wouldn't be able to discuss or record any details. Not that I was about to go into any great detail other than the very basics, & that was just to explain why I rarely went out alone. I lost my award & got no points at all, but got 10 points upon MR. I'm still going to the tribunal though as I'm sick of the way that some of these people treat us, & I'm sure there's a few more points to gain here & there. Go get 'em!