GP Refusing Letter of Support

Hi all

I'm looking for some advice. I'm currently migrating from IB (cont) to ESA. I have physical disabilities since I was a child and also mental health problems as I got older.

This week I went to my GP asking for a letter of support to send in with my form but she refused (in a nice way) saying that the DWP contacts her anyway and she also said that she would let me see the report before she sends it back. But I'm still not happy with this because I would really have rathered something from her to send with my ESA50. Due to my disfigurement I suffer from symptoms similar to body dysmorphic disorder with the difference being I actually am disfigured. Without me even saying anything, my GP said to me to not worry that she would be strongly insisting that I'm not to be called in for a medical as she knows the thought of someone touching or looking at me causes me severe distress, and unfortunately I can become angry towards the person.

I'm really worried though because if no written backup from her, how are they going to know this is a legitimate reason for potentially not calling me in for a medical? They only have what I say on the form.

Am I correct in thinking that the ESA50 and any evidence you send along with it is what they use to decide whether or not you need to be medically assessed by ATOS and also which group you are placed into (if any) or do they always send this form to my GP before any decisions are made? I did try and tell her it could speed up the process but she insisted she was right.

Also do people migrating from IB need to send in fit notes?

Thank You.

LifeIsAMess wrote: Hi all

I'm looking for some advice. I'm currently migrating from IB (cont) to ESA. I have physical disabilities since I was a child and also mental health problems as I got older.

This week I went to my GP asking for a letter of support to send in with my form but she refused (in a nice way) saying that the DWP contacts her anyway and she also said that she would let me see the report before she sends it back. But I'm still not happy with this because I would really have rathered something from her to send with my ESA50. Due to my disfigurement I suffer from symptoms similar to body dysmorphic disorder with the difference being I actually am disfigured. Without me even saying anything, my GP said to me to not worry that she would be strongly insisting that I'm not to be called in for a medical as she knows the thought of someone touching or looking at me causes me severe distress, and unfortunately I can become angry towards the person.

I'm really worried though because if no written backup from her, how are they going to know this is a legitimate reason for potentially not calling me in for a medical? They only have what I say on the form.

Am I correct in thinking that the ESA50 and any evidence you send along with it is what they use to decide whether or not you need to be medically assessed by ATOS and also which group you are placed into (if any) or do they always send this form to my GP before any decisions are made? I did try and tell her it could speed up the process but she insisted she was right.

Also do people migrating from IB need to send in fit notes?

Thank You.

Hi LIAM,

Unfortunately, more and more G.P.'s are taking this stance.

The problem is that ATOS seldom send an : ESA 113 Questionnaire to a claimant's G.P., generally only when they are considering an award of SG.

You should state the reasons within the ESA50 why you cannot attend a face to face assessment, and inform them that you have the backing of your G.P. with this, if that is the case.

If you provide enough evidence with The ESA50, they can assess you on the paper evidence alone.

You can request copies of your G.P. records, and use any relevant extracts as evidence :

Requesting your medical records

Charging for medical records

So, yes the ESA50 is used to decide which group of ESA you are placed into, and whether a face to face in needed.

The only time that you may need to provide a "sick note"/"fit note" is if you are found fit for work, (which cannot happen unless you have had a face to face) and you wish to appeal that decision.

Hopefully, that will not be the case.

I don't know whether you have read any of our guides or FAQ's, but I will work on the assumption that you haven't.

Here is a copy and paste of another post that I did for a new member earlier. :

Start by reading the following

"Being transferred from incapacity benefit to employment and support allowance. A 22 page guide to the transfer process."

At the top of this page :

ESA Claims Guides

As you have received the ESA50 Questionnaire, you must fill it in and return it to ATOS, by the deadline given.

You may wish to consider :

Using The PDF Version Of The ESA50 Questionnaire

Whilst referring to the ESA Claims Guides under the heading :

"New ESA50 form"

On the same ESA Claims Guides page as above :

See also :

How long do I have to complete the ESA50?

ESA50 too big for the envelope

&

Sending Documents to the DWP or ATOS

It may also help, if you read through our :

IB, IS, SDA, Migration to ESA FAQ’s

And our :

ESA FAQ’s

It may seem a lot to take in, so you might wish to Favourite/Bookmark this page, so that you can revisit it easily.

You can then pose any further queries, when necessary, by replying to this topic.

The forum is now closed to new posts until 2 PM on Monday, so you can post any queries that you may have then.

bro58

Thanks bro58

Yes I tried to explain to her that ATOS would not always get in touch with GP's etc before making a decision but she insisted they do. Also I didn't want it to look like I was simply trying to wiggle my way out of going for a face to face assessment which is definitely not the case.

I will do as you suggest and put the reasons why I can't attend on the ESA50 thank you. I had already put in to please contact her before arranging anything but I'll amend that now.

I've left filling in my form to the last minute unfortunately. I just haven't been able to face it so it has to go via next day delivery by Thursday.

Thanks for your advice.

LifeIsAMess wrote: Thanks bro58

Yes I tried to explain to her that ATOS would not always get in touch with GP's etc before making a decision but she insisted they do. Also I didn't want it to look like I was simply trying to wiggle my way out of going for a face to face assessment which is definitely not the case.

I will do as you suggest and put the reasons why I can't attend on the ESA50 thank you. I had already put in to please contact her before arranging anything but I'll amend that now.

I've left filling in my form to the last minute unfortunately. I just haven't been able to face it so it has to go via next day delivery by Thursday.

Thanks for your advice.

Hi LIAM,

I afraid that your G.P. is wrong, I recently read that up to December 2012 ATOS had only sent ESA113's to 27.8% of all claimant's G.P.'s.

I would still leave the request in to contact your G.P.

If they do not send an ESA113 to your G.P. and arrange a F2F, you should contact ATOS ASAP, and your G.P.

You can then call your G.P.'s bluff, and ask them to Fax ATOS with supporting evidence of why you cannot attend a F2F.

It may not come to that, ATOS may simply assess you on the paper evidence alone.

If you are going to use guaranteed next day delivery, ensure that you post it first thing in the morning.

bro58

bro58 wrote:

LifeIsAMess wrote: Thanks bro58

Yes I tried to explain to her that ATOS would not always get in touch with GP's etc before making a decision but she insisted they do. Also I didn't want it to look like I was simply trying to wiggle my way out of going for a face to face assessment which is definitely not the case.

I will do as you suggest and put the reasons why I can't attend on the ESA50 thank you. I had already put in to please contact her before arranging anything but I'll amend that now.

I've left filling in my form to the last minute unfortunately. I just haven't been able to face it so it has to go via next day delivery by Thursday.

Thanks for your advice.

Hi LIAM,

I afraid that your G.P. is wrong, I recently read that up to December 2012 ATOS had only sent ESA113's to 27.8% of all claimant's G.P.'s.

I would still leave the request in to contact your G.P.

If they do not send an ESA113 to your G.P. and arrange a F2F, you should contact ATOS ASAP, and your G.P.

You can then call your G.P.'s bluff, and ask them to Fax ATOS with supporting evidence of why you cannot attend a F2F.

It may not come to that, ATOS may simply assess you on the paper evidence alone.

If you are going to use guaranteed next day delivery, ensure that you post it first thing in the morning.

bro58

Hi LIAM,

Another idea may be to put in a written request to your G.P. reception, for them to contact you if they do receive an ESA113 to fill in.

If ESA113's are sent, this does not occur until after the ESA50 is returned, and generally where they are considering an SG award.

bro58

Hi, I do not know if this is useful info for you.
I recently had a ESA50 renewal and returned the form later than the deadline but I wrote to inform ATOS of this and gave the reason for the delay.

I then found out that ATOS has sent the ESA113 form to my GP on the deadline date but not to the GP I was seeing as they did not have my form which would have informed them of my new GP.

When I asked my GP to write a letter of support, he refused in a nice way as well saying that is what they do now as it becomes too much if everyone asks for one. He also refused even if paid.

Because of this, the GP whom ATOS sent the ESA113 form completed the form and returned the form without much info (nothing bad just not much info) as she does not know me and ATOS called me for medical.

To cut a long story short, I managed to get other people to give me supporting letters and I was given SG without medical.