I am due to help someone fill in an ESA50 form and would like to know if Maximus will make decisions or challenge claims based on evidence given at an assessment in a previous year. That is to say if a person states their condition limits them from getting around for shopping or activities for example, could Maximus state that there is unclear or contradictory information given in a previous years assessment?
My concern is about a face to face interview where the health assessor asked questions which were answered in a way where the person seemed to suggest they had more independence than they actually have in their everyday activities. I guess assessments are meant to be done separately for each year but I am struggling to see why Maximus won't hold information so they can check previous years interviews to find out more about the claimant in relation to the current ESA50 form. As far as I know there is no rule against this.
Maximus do not retain any claimant information, assessments are done using a file prepared and supplied by the DWP, it would be very unusual for a previous ESA50 or assessment report to be included in the file.
Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
