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My Assessment - what a waste of time!
7 years 2 months ago #179999 by FallingApart 
Firstly, apologies to everyone for this lengthy post, but I had to vent my spleen!
Brief history. 64 year old male, slightly overweight, type II diabetic for 15 years and no other problems until June 2016 when I developed severe rheumatoid arthritis (both feet, both knees, both shoulders, both elbows, both wrists and hands – thankfully not all at the same time). Started getting breathless, and in November 2016 I went into respiratory failure and spent 5 days in A&E.
Now at home and I’ve been told I’ve got interstitial lung disease. Constantly breathless, resting blood oxygen level about 84% instead of the normal 95%, constantly fatigued, can only walk about 6 meters before taking a long rest, using a wheelchair 100% of the time and am going to be assessed for ambulatory oxygen. Can’t cook, can’t wash myself, can’t even dress myself properly – my wife does all that for me.
So, applied for PIP, filled in the form and sent it off early December 2016. Within the next month I had seen two specialists (rheumatoid and lung) who provided their diagnosis and treatment plan. My lung function was tested and assessed at 39% of normal. So, I sent in a letter early January 2017 to the PIP people with copies of the consultant’s letters, blood tests, lung function tests etc.
Got a phone call on Tuesday 24th January 2017 from Atos – could I attend the assessment centre 20 miles away on Friday 27th Jan for my assessment? So I did.
What a waste of time. At the start of the assessment when we asked if we could take written notes, we were told categorically it was not allowed. This is wrong as I believe you can take notes; it is only for recording that you need prior permission.
During the examination I referred to the evidence I had submitted with the original form, together with the further evidence submitted separately by post. These were hospital reports, letters from consultants, hospital test results etc. I was totally dismayed when she told me that she didn't want to talk about or refer to them as she hadn't had time to read ANY of the evidence, or even the PIP form prior to the assessment starting. As she was going through my application form and reading out questions it was clear that she was actually reading my PIP form for the very first time.
In no way was I relaxed or put at ease. The assessor said all the words from her opening script but her manner was very adversarial and she appeared to be rushing through the process. Several times she appeared curt with me when I had problems answering the questions in the manner she wanted me to. The assessor appeared to be discounting any answers that didn't fit the "standard" response.
For example when I said I couldn't prepare food and vegetables even when sat down she made it clear that she didn't believe me and I had to forcibly explain that ANY exertion caused me to become breathless and gasping for air. Still, it was clear she didn't believe me. It was only when my wife told the assessor that when my lungs were assessed in hospital they were rated at only 39% efficient that the assessor moved on.
She asked me how far I could walk in a minute - I said I could only walk about 6 meters before resting, about maybe 10 seconds. She then asked me how many times I could walk that 6 meters, and how long it would take me. I said I only walked that amount 3 or 4 times a day to/from the toilet. I felt that she wanted me to suggest that I could walk hundreds of meters, but broken down into 6 meter chunks and taking all day.
I am dismayed. I wasted 40 minutes of my life answering questions from someone who had no prior knowledge of my situation, conditions or evidence, and had not prepared for the assessment by making herself familiar with them.
Sorry, and thank you for reading this. As I said, I needed to vent my spleen.
My Assessment - what a waste of time! was created by FallingApart
Firstly, apologies to everyone for this lengthy post, but I had to vent my spleen!
Brief history. 64 year old male, slightly overweight, type II diabetic for 15 years and no other problems until June 2016 when I developed severe rheumatoid arthritis (both feet, both knees, both shoulders, both elbows, both wrists and hands – thankfully not all at the same time). Started getting breathless, and in November 2016 I went into respiratory failure and spent 5 days in A&E.
Now at home and I’ve been told I’ve got interstitial lung disease. Constantly breathless, resting blood oxygen level about 84% instead of the normal 95%, constantly fatigued, can only walk about 6 meters before taking a long rest, using a wheelchair 100% of the time and am going to be assessed for ambulatory oxygen. Can’t cook, can’t wash myself, can’t even dress myself properly – my wife does all that for me.
So, applied for PIP, filled in the form and sent it off early December 2016. Within the next month I had seen two specialists (rheumatoid and lung) who provided their diagnosis and treatment plan. My lung function was tested and assessed at 39% of normal. So, I sent in a letter early January 2017 to the PIP people with copies of the consultant’s letters, blood tests, lung function tests etc.
Got a phone call on Tuesday 24th January 2017 from Atos – could I attend the assessment centre 20 miles away on Friday 27th Jan for my assessment? So I did.
What a waste of time. At the start of the assessment when we asked if we could take written notes, we were told categorically it was not allowed. This is wrong as I believe you can take notes; it is only for recording that you need prior permission.
During the examination I referred to the evidence I had submitted with the original form, together with the further evidence submitted separately by post. These were hospital reports, letters from consultants, hospital test results etc. I was totally dismayed when she told me that she didn't want to talk about or refer to them as she hadn't had time to read ANY of the evidence, or even the PIP form prior to the assessment starting. As she was going through my application form and reading out questions it was clear that she was actually reading my PIP form for the very first time.
In no way was I relaxed or put at ease. The assessor said all the words from her opening script but her manner was very adversarial and she appeared to be rushing through the process. Several times she appeared curt with me when I had problems answering the questions in the manner she wanted me to. The assessor appeared to be discounting any answers that didn't fit the "standard" response.
For example when I said I couldn't prepare food and vegetables even when sat down she made it clear that she didn't believe me and I had to forcibly explain that ANY exertion caused me to become breathless and gasping for air. Still, it was clear she didn't believe me. It was only when my wife told the assessor that when my lungs were assessed in hospital they were rated at only 39% efficient that the assessor moved on.
She asked me how far I could walk in a minute - I said I could only walk about 6 meters before resting, about maybe 10 seconds. She then asked me how many times I could walk that 6 meters, and how long it would take me. I said I only walked that amount 3 or 4 times a day to/from the toilet. I felt that she wanted me to suggest that I could walk hundreds of meters, but broken down into 6 meter chunks and taking all day.
I am dismayed. I wasted 40 minutes of my life answering questions from someone who had no prior knowledge of my situation, conditions or evidence, and had not prepared for the assessment by making herself familiar with them.
Sorry, and thank you for reading this. As I said, I needed to vent my spleen.
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