PIP Medical consultation - phone or face-to-face?

Hello,
I've received my appointment letter for my medical consultation with Atos. However, in my assessment I talk about my difficulties with getting about and that the morning is the worst time for me in terms of my medical condition. Despite this the appointment has been made for 11am. I'm considering rearranging the appointment. However, I also thought that due to both my physical health problems and my mental problems (anxiety & clinical depression) that I may be able to request a consultation by phone. I'm not sure whether to ask for this or not.
Is it better to go and be seen as a anxious person and for the medical professional to see my physical difficulties or does the fact I'm asking to stay at home (while being supported by a disability professional) to undertake the assessment say more about my medical condition? In the form I've sent I've stated that when I do go out I need to accompanied, not sure how this looks if I do/don't attend a face-to-face assessment. What do you think is the best thing for me to do?

Thank you

Liam Flanagan

Liam Flanagan wrote: Hello,
I've received my appointment letter for my medical consultation with Atos. However, in my assessment I talk about my difficulties with getting about and that the morning is the worst time for me in terms of my medical condition. Despite this the appointment has been made for 11am. I'm considering rearranging the appointment. However, I also thought that due to both my physical health problems and my mental problems (anxiety & clinical depression) that I may be able to request a consultation by phone. I'm not sure whether to ask for this or not.
Is it better to go and be seen as a anxious person and for the medical professional to see my physical difficulties or does the fact I'm asking to stay at home (while being supported by a disability professional) to undertake the assessment say more about my medical condition? In the form I've sent I've stated that when I do go out I need to accompanied, not sure how this looks if I do/don't attend a face-to-face assessment. What do you think is the best thing for me to do?

Thank you

Liam Flanagan

Hi LF,

You don't say whether the F2F (face to face assessment) is for ESA or PIP.

For ESA or PIP you can contact ATOS by e-mail from the direct links to the right of this page :

www.atoshealthcare.com/claimants

Under the heading :

PIP Customer Service: for PIP, or WCA Customer Service: for ESA.

You are allowed to rearrange a F2F once, if you were to do this, you would have to ensure that you attended the rearranged appointment, or your benefit payments may be at risk for "Non Attendance".

If you feel that your limitations preclude you from attending an ATOS Assessment Centre, you could contact them and request a "Home Assessment".

These are hard to come by, and they would probably insist that you obtained a letter supporting a Home Assessment from your G.P.

Such letters generally have to be Faxed over to ATOS by the G.P.

You are correct, in that how you manage the return trip to/from the Assessment Centre, will actually be taken into account in the assessment itself.

If ATOS still insist that you do attend for an assessment, with this appointment or a rearranged one, you have little choice but to attend.

For ESA, have a look at : ESAMedical – What to expect

For PIP, see Page 63 onwards of our : PIP Claims Guide. (2nd Link on page)

I would keep all correspondence by e-mail to create a paper trail.

bro58

Adding to Bro's excellent advice just to say that it is not possible to undertake the assessment over the phone. If it has been decided that a face2face assessment is needed then that is what will happen (unless the claimant can submit further evidence which persuades the assessor that they can make a recommendation without a face2face).

Thanks MHB,

Was just about to add that telephone assessments are not possible.

Just noticed the title of the post also, "PIP Medical consultation - phone or face-to-face?"

Therefore, my comments regarding ESA can be disregarded.

bro58

Hello,

Thanks for your quick response. Why are telephone consultions impossible? I read in your newsletter that ATOS and CAPITA are spring them on people so why wouldn't it be possible to arrange for one?

Also do you think a Home Consultant would be a good idea? on the one hand it says I'm unable to travel to a consultation on the other does it have disadvantages? Would things that aren't looked with a normal consultation at be taken into account? What could those things be?

Thanks again.

Liam