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How does an HP do a Mental Status Examination?

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7 years 1 month ago #180374 by Hippyginger
I have no idea how this MSE is actually done during a f2f assessment but reading through the HP report of mine, it's mentioned in the section where they have to determine how well/or if at all, you manage your finances. At my assessment my husband told the HP that I do not make any financial decisions or do any budgeting as he does it all with the only thing I still do, (but not for much longer my husband tells me.....because I keep forgetting to do it), is to pay our phone bill on the phone with our debit card and this is something I've been doing for years so it's familiar to me.

So, it's about as clear as fog to me how he can then tick the answer that claims I 'can manage complex budgeting decisions unaided' therefore scoring zero points when in actual fact he should have ticked 'Cannot make any budgeting decisions at all' as per my application AND what my husband reinforced at the assessment! HP goes on to say that although I reported difficulty with this task, the evidence of the MSE showed adequate general memory, (if you call that memory span of a goldfish 'adequate'), concentration and I did not require prompting, (he obviously didn't HEAR my husband urging me to tell the HP the answers then on many occasions?). There is also no evidence of major cognitive impairment or input into this, therefore reasonable to suggest that claimant can manage this task independently for the majority of the time!

HOW can this be sooooo wrong for my actual life? Throughout my assessment, he did not ask me anything that would have tested my cognitive ability, not once, so please, can anybody enlighten me as to how they claim to do this Mental Status Examination please?
He's also put totally the wrong wording down on many more of my sections of the report albeit I have been awarded the required 12 points for enhanced daily living component. Only standard for the mobility component though, so bye, bye car, which is another section that's a complete work of fiction too!

Many thanks in advance.

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7 years 1 month ago #180383 by Gordon
Mary

Have you had a Decision yet?

If you are unhappy with the assessment report then you can make a complaint to the Assessment Provider.

The MSE test is simplistic and Is only intended to give an indication of problem not of diagnosis, both the DWP and the assessors place far too much reliance on the test, especially if there is no diagnosis of a cognitive condition or indications of brain damage. Unfortunately it is what it is and is unlikely to change in the short term.

Gordon

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems

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7 years 1 month ago #180394 by Hippyginger
Replied by Hippyginger on topic How does an HP do a Mental Status Examination?
Hi Gordon,

I have received my decision which spurred us on to request the assessment report, which arrived within 3 days of asking. There are so many things that the HP has omitted to put down that was actually relevant on the day and doesn't even show my husband as being there with me, just says that 'he drove me there'! Now I'm pretty sure he wasn't wearing his Harry Potter cloak of invisibilty that day, so the physio who did the assessment MUST have seen him sitting beside me!

Didn't even put my husband's name and relationship to me in the 2 boxes provided on page 2 of the report where it asks IF anybody has accompanied me. It also looks as though the HP has simply cut and paste almost all of his comments in the boxes beneath each section of his report with the odd addition on some of them. Sadly, it also looks as though this is exactly what the Decision Maker has done too!

Regarding the nutrition about the cooking and preparing of a simple meal, he's put that my husband does this task BUT I've still been awarded zero points for that section because the Decision Maker has classed me as 'being able to prepare and cook a simple meal unaided'! Are they living in cloud cuckoo land or what? It honestly beggars belief.

We're planning our letter requesting a MR and I'm seeing my GP again on Monday for the result of a recent x-ray but also intend to ask for his help as we try to gather evidence to send with the MR letter. Heaven knows my poor GP's all too well aware of my frequent cognitive impairment as he's often witnessed me stumbling over words and saying the totally wrong word, which, by the way happens a lot and can cause embarrassment when talking to strangers :unsure:

I do understand that I could be in danger of losing points that I already have, (12 for daily living, so enhanced rate but only 10 points for mobility thus getting the standard rate), but there are times we all just have to stand up for ourselves, as painful as that may be, lean on our walking stick and family who will support us in our quest for justice.

Which reminds me, on that very last question on the PIP report re the mobility side, the physio has put that he observed me walking at a slow pace with a walking stick, (and invisible husband beside me), for 15m so he's put me as being able to walk 20m but no further than 50m, (shan't bore you with how I'm pretty sure that this was way less than a 15m distance again as I've mentioned that in another of my posts), BUT my question is, isn't this supposed to be the distance a claimant can walk without pain, discomfort or having to stop? Because, every single step I take is painful due to the problems in my feet, knees, hip and back, not to mention the added pain trying to lean on my walking stick wearing hand splints. This should surely mean that I should be in the 12 point answer for this section i.e. can walk 1m - 10m?

Sorry for being long winded and thank you for your time Gordon, I really appreciate all the help and advice this site always has available.

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7 years 1 month ago #180396 by Gordon
Mary

You are not required to complete any activity without pain, however, any pain that limits your ability to complete the activity should be considered and in particular for Moving Around, if you are in severe pain but still able to walk then the distance should be discounted as you should not be considered as walking to a necessary standard.

Gordon

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
The following user(s) said Thank You: Hippyginger

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7 years 1 month ago #180402 by Bertie1958
Replied by Bertie1958 on topic How does an HP do a Mental Status Examination?
evidence of major cognitive impairment would be showing strong signs of dementia minor cognitive impairment would be IMO caused by tias odd small strokes
search memory clinic web sites also here apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/37958/8/9241544228_eng.pdf

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7 years 1 month ago #180579 by Hippyginger
Replied by Hippyginger on topic How does an HP do a Mental Status Examination?
Thank you Gordon for making that much clearer to me, (after having to read it 4 times, pathetic I know lol), and I've made a note of what you said to show my husband when he helps me ask for the MR.

Thanks to you too Bertie for your input, and while I know that the major cognitive impairment shows signs of dementia and minor impairment possibly due to a TIA, (mini-stroke), it's also one of the symptoms of no less than 3 of my conditions! As part of my Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia and Sjogren's disease so I get it on a triple whammy :unsure: It also varies from day to day or hour to hour.

The Fibro causes 'brain fog' which doesn't always allow us clear thinking, (more doesn't than does unfortunately), and the other 2 conditions cause inability to concentrate and find the correct words a lot of the time.

It wasn't only in the meal preparation section the HP stated completely the opposite of what is actually true and part of my daily living problems every day, but it's the other bit in the mobility section where it says about Planning and Following a Journey and he's put me as being able to do this unaided when I honestly cannot! I have family members who accompany me in the car who can confirm this but don't know if a letter from any of them would help or hinder for my MR business.

It's all such a palaver and one minute I think I'm able to get my head around it and am prepared for yet another knock back if I get an MR and even think I'm prepared to go for the appeal process, then the next I'm a quivering wreck once again.

Must try to stay positive and focussed if I'm to have any chance at all of getting my mobility component upgraded even though I know it'll still be too late to be able to keep my car as I don't expect they work very quickly doing the reconsideration, or appeal.

Thanks again though. It's only reading this forum and information available that has me determined to try and get a reconsideration. That's on my better days :unsure:
The following user(s) said Thank You: Gordon

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