ESA50

Thanks for that i'll look through those, yes he's been sent out the ESA50 01/13 & I've got that now.

Regards - Taggy

Hi taggy,

There is no need to submit duplicate posts if yours does not appear immediately. Every post on this site has to be read and approved by a moderator before it is published. How long this takes depends entirely on how many (voluntary) mods are on duty and how busy we are. Posting duplicates just slows down the process even further.

Thanks

Hi....Sorry about that, when I tried to submit my post it didn't show up as submitted & waiting to be approved, which is why I tried again!

I'm going through the info in your guides now & the WCP handbook too, so i'm sure there will be a few questions i'll be wanting to ask over the next few days/week.

Regards - Taggy

Hi There

I'm starting to fill in the ESA50 form now & would just like to clarify some things with regards to the Physical Functions first. (I will also be completing the Mental & Cognitive ones too).

My Son is Brain Injured from Birth which has caused him severe Physical & mental & Cognitive impairments. Am I right to assume that because its the actual Brain Injury that has caused his physical problems, that is acceptable within the physical Descriptors. I'm assuming of course that Brain Injury being a specific physical injury to the Brain can cover both categories.

In question 1 for example, although he is not able to propel 50 metres in his wheelchair due to breathlessness, he also isn't able to do this safely & reliably because he has low "visuo-spacial" awareness of things around him. This, plus the fact that because his "physical" Brain injury means that he is not cognitively aware of people or things around him, means he cannot do it safely or reliably too.

On the same issue, because of his Brain Injury he only has the use of one hand, he just has a normal manual wheelchair, not a self propelling one for use by someone with one hand. This was agreed upon by his wheelchair assessor because of his poor cognitive function that the self propel one wouldn't be suitable. So i'm intending to put all those facts onto the form. Also if i'm saying he cannot do 50 metres because of this, is it better not to tick the 50 metres box & just explain everything in the "use this space box" or should I tick the 50 metres box too?

The same situation applies to other areas within the Physical descriptors of other questions too, it is the Physical Brain injury which has caused him to be unable to walk & transfer onto a seat, and also to lead to more limited dexterity too.

I've noticed within the picking up & moving things that it states its about picking up & transferring the items. But it doesn't say transfer them to where? Does this infer that you would need to pick something up on a table & just move it a few inches whilst still being in the same fixed position, or say move the object to another area? The reason I ask is because my Son is wheelchair bound but can only use one hand, so if he picks an object up he cannot propel his wheelchair to another area whilst still holding that object. He could only do that if the object was small, light & safe enough to squeeze down the side of his chair or be put on his knees.

Again on the communicating with people & people communicating with you questions. My Son can actually speak but because of his Brain Injury most of his communication can be very misleading. he's not aware of danger so could not reliably communicate about a hazard & he cannot write legibly or use a computer in this way without assistance. We have a very good Medical report from a Neuropsychologist, which we will enclose with the form. this indicates how very low his cognitive & communicating functions are which are due to a damaged right hemisphere. She mentions all the tests that he has had done over the years which all indicate low functioning ability, which she says reveal scores at the lowest limit involving attention, memory, verbal fluency, language and visuospatial function. she later mentions that he lacks capacity and has no prospects of future employment.

Sorry if I've rambled on a bit here, but i'm wanting to put as much relevant info into the right places as possible without making any mistakes in the process.

Regards - Taggy

Taggy wrote: Hi There

I'm starting to fill in the ESA50 form now & would just like to clarify some things with regards to the Physical Functions first. (I will also be completing the Mental & Cognitive ones too).

My Son is Brain Injured from Birth which has caused him severe Physical & mental & Cognitive impairments. Am I right to assume that because its the actual Brain Injury that has caused his physical problems, that is acceptable within the physical Descriptors. I'm assuming of course that Brain Injury being a specific physical injury to the Brain can cover both categories.

In question 1 for example, although he is not able to propel 50 metres in his wheelchair due to breathlessness, he also isn't able to do this safely & reliably because he has low "visuo-spacial" awareness of things around him. This, plus the fact that because his "physical" Brain injury means that he is not cognitively aware of people or things around him, means he cannot do it safely or reliably too.

On the same issue, because of his Brain Injury he only has the use of one hand, he just has a normal manual wheelchair, not a self propelling one for use by someone with one hand. This was agreed upon by his wheelchair assessor because of his poor cognitive function that the self propel one wouldn't be suitable. So i'm intending to put all those facts onto the form. Also if i'm saying he cannot do 50 metres because of this, is it better not to tick the 50 metres box & just explain everything in the "use this space box" or should I tick the 50 metres box too?

The same situation applies to other areas within the Physical descriptors of other questions too, it is the Physical Brain injury which has caused him to be unable to walk & transfer onto a seat, and also to lead to more limited dexterity too.

I've noticed within the picking up & moving things that it states its about picking up & transferring the items. But it doesn't say transfer them to where? Does this infer that you would need to pick something up on a table & just move it a few inches whilst still being in the same fixed position, or say move the object to another area? The reason I ask is because my Son is wheelchair bound but can only use one hand, so if he picks an object up he cannot propel his wheelchair to another area whilst still holding that object. He could only do that if the object was small, light & safe enough to squeeze down the side of his chair or be put on his knees.

Again on the communicating with people & people communicating with you questions. My Son can actually speak but because of his Brain Injury most of his communication can be very misleading. he's not aware of danger so could not reliably communicate about a hazard & he cannot write legibly or use a computer in this way without assistance. We have a very good Medical report from a Neuropsychologist, which we will enclose with the form. this indicates how very low his cognitive & communicating functions are which are due to a damaged right hemisphere. She mentions all the tests that he has had done over the years which all indicate low functioning ability, which she says reveal scores at the lowest limit involving attention, memory, verbal fluency, language and visuospatial function. she later mentions that he lacks capacity and has no prospects of future employment.

Sorry if I've rambled on a bit here, but i'm wanting to put as much relevant info into the right places as possible without making any mistakes in the process.

Regards - Taggy

Hi T,

I understand where you are coming from here, I have a very simple response to your very long post.

If your son has problems and limitations with respect to the Physical Functions part of the ESA50, give details. If he also has problems and limitations with respect to The Mental Functions part of ESA50, again give details.

It is not you job to decide whether a mental health problem is causing a physical limitation, or vice versa.

You should provide as much information as you can, and let The DWP/ATOS pick the bones out of it.

Make the ESA50 fit your son's limitations rather than the other way round.

Worse case scenario is that they may disregard some of the information. However, if you don't supply the information, they cannot possibly pay due regards to it.

bro58

Hi There

I'm getting close to completing the form & getting additional info finalised now. My Step Sons Mother has completed the form for him as he lacks Mental capacity & would not have a clue about how to fill this in or what to say. It states that even if someone else has filled the form in you must sign this yourself if you are able to. Does that mean any type of mark or signature as he could not legibly write his full name consistently? Or is it in order for his Mother who is also his benefits appointee to sign this on his behalf? If she does I assume she would sign her name in the box not his?

Also how best would you advise numbering/marking extra info sheets. I've printed off the form itself which runs to 20 pages, I've also got 3 separate lots of additional supportive evidence. These include an 18 page report from a consultant, a separate 2 page report from the consultant and also a 4 page submission from me as well.

Obviously also with so much paperwork its not really possible to staple them all together, so am wary of some of them going missing, should I perhaps staple another sheet to the front of the form saying how many other items i'm enclosing?

Many Thanks.

Best Regards - Taggy