independent report

I am awaiting my ESA tribunal (no date as yet!) where I have appealed to be placed in the support group.
I feel that my assessment, which was done over a year ago, is not acurate regarding my levels of mobility. I had asked to be re assessed, but was told this was not possible. I would like to get an independent/private assessment of my mobility to present to the tribunal. Could you help me please in saying; where and who would be qualified to do this, that the tribunal would recognise?

zim wrote: I am awaiting my ESA tribunal (no date as yet!) where I have appealed to be placed in the support group.
I feel that my assessment, which was done over a year ago, is not acurate regarding my levels of mobility. I had asked to be re assessed, but was told this was not possible. I would like to get an independent/private assessment of my mobility to present to the tribunal. Could you help me please in saying; where and who would be qualified to do this, that the tribunal would recognise?

hi z,

Looking back on your previous posts, it seems that you live in France, and were placed into the WRAG in February 2013.

You could obtain a private report from an Occupational Therapist (OT), these can cost several hundred pounds.

However, you should take into account that the Tribunal will only look at whether you should have been placed into The SG at the time of the adverse WRAG award, i.e. circa Feb 2013.

Therefore, any fresh evidence obtained now, which is currently 6 months after the adverse WRAG award in Feb 2013, would have to show that your limitations as they are assessed now by any report, were also suffered in Feb 2013.

bro58

My limitations of mobility have been with me for 20 years, some of which were not covered in my assessment. (I thought it was only my legs that were being taken into account, which had been the case with the incapacity benefit assessments, therefore didn't mention other parts of my body that are affected by my injuries.)

Is there a list of OTs who could be contacted to do a report for me?

zim wrote: My limitations of mobility have been with me for 20 years, some of which were not covered in my assessment. (I thought it was only my legs that were being taken into account, which had been the case with the incapacity benefit assessments, therefore didn't mention other parts of my body that are affected by my injuries.)

Is there a list of OTs who could be contacted to do a report for me?

Hi z,

You should of course take into account my previous response, and the advice given by Gordon and MHB in your previous topic, here :

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/forum?view=top...d=10&id=98405#106265

Therefore any report obtained now, that included limitations/medical conditions or disabilities that you were not suffering at the time of the adverse WRAG award, could not be taken into account by The Tribunal.

You would have to prove that you suffered from the same medical conditions/disabilities and resulting limitations at the time of the adverse WRAG award.

Any report that you may obtain, should clearly state how and why you qualify for the relevant Support Group Schedule 3 Descriptors.

Therefore, you should ask your OT to cite any of the Descriptors that you qualify under.

If you originally filled in The ESA50 03/11, it would be these :

”Old” 2011 ESA SG (LCWRA) Schedule 3 Descriptors

If it was The ESA50 01/2013, it would be these :

SG (LCWRA)Schedule 3 Descriptors

As you mention Activity 1, Moving Around (Mobilsing) then you would have to show how and why you could not walk the requisite 50 Metres unaided, nor could you self propel a manual wheelchair unaided, or that it would not be "Reasonable" to expect you to use a manual wheelchair.

See this topic thread :

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/forum?view=top...id=10&id=87202#87202

Information on this is also included in the pertinent : ESA Claims Guides

We don't have a list of qualified OT's but you could search on the internet.

A good start might be to contact :

College of Occupational Therapists
Education Department
106-114 Borough High Street
London
SE1 1LB

Tel: 020 7357 6480
Fax: 020 7450 2299

Website: www.cot.org.uk/

To ensure that you gain the services of a qualified reputable OT.

bro58

Hi Bro58,

Please excuse me if I’m butting in.

In a case where mobility of upper and/or lower limbs is concerned is an independent report from an OT of more value than, say, a review by a consultant in orthopaedic medicine or neurology

MW

MariW wrote: Hi Bro58,

Please excuse me if I’m butting in.

In a case where mobility of upper and/or lower limbs is concerned is an independent report from an OT of more value than, say, a review by a consultant in orthopaedic medicine or neurology

MW

Hi MW,

It may well be the case that a report from a Consultant who specialises in you own particular medical condition may also be beneficial.

However, the report that would hold the most credence would be one that detailed your resulting limitations, and how these limitations qualified you under the relevant functional descriptors.

An OT may be more experienced in writing reports regarding one's functional limitations, whereas a Consultant would be more used to diagnosing and treating any medical conditions.

It is entirely up to the individual on who they use for such a report.

One could use an OT report in conjunction with any letters/reports from a Consultant.

bro58