medical evidence for ESA claim

I am being migrated from long term IB to ESA and am trying to complete form ESA50 01/13. I cannot get any medical evidence from my GP as they are not supplying evidence to patients for this purpose, only to DWP directly if they request it.
My consultant is on long term sick leave and I do not see other health professionals on a regular basis.
Has anyone been successfully migrated to ESA without extra medical evidence being submitted by the claimant and will it jeopardise the outcome?

villagegirl wrote: I am being migrated from long term IB to ESA and am trying to complete form ESA50 01/13. I cannot get any medical evidence from my GP as they are not supplying evidence to patients for this purpose, only to DWP directly if they request it.
My consultant is on long term sick leave and I do not see other health professionals on a regular basis.
Has anyone been successfully migrated to ESA without extra medical evidence being submitted by the claimant and will it jeopardise the outcome?

Hi vg,

Unfortunately ATOS seldom contact claimant's G.P.s' for evidence.

You could request copies of your G.P. records from the practice reception, you may have to sign a form, but they can't refuse to provide them.

They may be in paper form, or placed on a CD ROM, either way there will be a charge.

Another alternative may be to request to view your records, and then ask for copies of any relevant extracts.

Your G.P. records should includes any letters and reports from your Consultant.

Similar applies with Hospital records, you should contact PALS at the relevant Hospital regarding this, again there may be a charge.

You could then include copies of any relevant extracts with The ESA50, and draw reference to them with respect to your limitations and how they qualify you under the ESA descriptors.

Requesting your medical records

Charging for medical records

It is important that even if you haven't acquired this evidence that you ensure that the ESA50 is returned to ATOS by the deadline given.

You could include a covering letter stating that you are awaiting evidence, and that you will forward it to the same ATOS address ASAP.

Have you considered :

Using The PDF Version Of The ESA50 Questionnaire

Whilst referring to the ESA Claims Guides under the heading :

"New ESA50 form"

On this page : ESA Claims Guides

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

You might wish to Favourite/Bookmark this page, so that you can revisit it easily.

You can then pose any further queries, as and when they crop up by replying to the topic.

bro58

I know it is of no help this time round, but it would be worth asking for a copy of any letters sent to your GP by consultants in future. This is a common request and means that you should have an easier time when it comes to reassessment.

Mrs Hurtyback wrote: I know it is of no help this time round, but it would be worth asking for a copy of any letters sent to your GP by consultants in future. This is a common request and means that you should have an easier time when it comes to reassessment.

Yes MHB,

That is a good idea for the future.

The request to copy the patient in on any letters sent by the Consultant to the G.P. as the result of a clinic/consultation should be made to the Consultant at the clinic/consultation.

Their secretary should then copy the patient in on any such letters.

There are no forms to fill in, and it is free of charge.

bro58

Thanks so much, arranging to view my records and will take it from there,

villagegirl

Hi

Just to let you know I migrated from IB to ESA SG last year without an assessment without much in the way of medical evidence, other than a consultant's letter from 2008 which listed my conditions, and basically just confirmed the diagnosis and then told my GP he would not need to see me again. I know my GP also filled in an ESA113 but that was it.

So it is possible to be successful without reams of medical evidence but obviously you will help your case along if you can supply some as long as you also fill in the ESA50 with as much information as you can. In my case I think it was the amount of detail I put on the form that swung it for me, rather than the medical evidence.