Tribunal and Medical Evidence (PIP) - M.E.

Hi there,

I'm feeling rather helpless and hopeless at the minute and wonder if anyone can provide some guidance please.

I have received DLA since my M.E. diagnosis in 2010 (highest rate mobility, medium rate care) and recently went through the medical assessment for transfer to PIP. I was given no award at all. I appealed without success and today I received notification of the Tribunal date (20th January).

I have already asked Citizens Advice to support me at the Tribunal but the issue I have is with disputing the report written by the DWP health professional. I moved home this year and my local GP practice seems to be full of doctors who are M.E skeptics. They won't provide me with any supporting letters/reports to help me fight my case. They have referred me to the local M.E service but it's looking unlikely that I'll be seen before the Tribunal (I have chased them and tried to get seen quicker but I had no luck).

Basically, I have no chance without medical evidence. What I'm wondering is if anyone knows of any doctors who have good understanding of M.E and will see a patient privately for an assessment and report. Obviously I'd have to pay for that but it'd probably be money well spent if it resulted in the DWP decision being overturned.

Similarly, if anyone has any other advice do feel free to chime in! I appreciate this forum is more to do with the benefit rather than the condition but I'm desperate and hoping maybe some fellow M.E. patients might be able to point me somewhere.

Thanks

Hi

Sorry to hear about your uncaring, useless practice. First thing is can you change surgeries?

You could try Googling for charities. I found this one straight away, there are more.

www.meassociation.org.uk

They should be able to help you with specialists who can diagnose and write a report for you.
The other thing is to make a request to see your medical records at your GPs. You are allowed to request copies of any documents like letters etc. Presumably you had medical support with your claim in 2010 which you can reuse as well.
Other ME sufferers have postd on here and it may help if you looked through the forum for similar claimants and their experiences.

Thanks for your reply Foss.

I have requested my medical records and am in touch with M.E. Association etc. All GP practices within my catchment area were full when I moved here so I had to take the one I was allocated.

Seems there must have been a reason that particular practice was the only one with vacancies??!!

I live at the bottom of Cornwall and things are so lovely down here its hard to relate to big cities or other deprived areas with their problems getting GP appointments etc. My GP is always available the same day if you need one and a pain specialist who organises drug trials. I'm on a new pain medication at the moment.

Hopefully the ME charities will be able to help. I'm sure you won't be the first to suffer the indifference of the ignorant.

Hi Fozzybhoy, I was in a similar position too you when my consultant retired in 2011, so I rang the ME association and was given the number of another Consultant that they recommend. His name is Dr Weir and he see's patients privately from Harley Street, London. 02074678478. Don't know if you are in the London area but I can recommend Dr Weir if you are, he has given me supporting letters for the DWP.
Good luck
Sue