F2f medical for review of esa supprt group

Partner has been in Suport group for last 4 years since move from IB. Originally refused but I took to appeal and after many months of stressful comms I went to appeal and appeal judge was appalled he threw DWP desision out within 30 seconds saying evidence clear for support group. Since then health deteriarated though not reviwed till this year. Received a form to complete in May....caused a great deal of stress and symptoms of relapse present. I wrote detailed letter expl why it could not be completed due to mh condition and the stress of process likely to be a catalyst for relapse. Had no reply but received what I now believe to be a standard letter from DWP confirming payment for support group till April 2018. Out of blue received an appt for 2 weeks ago ..On phoning CHDA, they claimed they had not received my letter nor info from GP ( transpired they had written to wrong surgery 2 months earlier). Agreed to see Gp who would send medical evidence to show why medical interview not appropriate. Phoned again following week to be told info not received although I had confirmd it had been faxed. Adviser said would postpone appt for another month despite my expressed anxiety that this would just worsen health. New appt issued. Have now phoned to follow up and it transpires they have refused a home visit, which was not what was being rewuested. When explained this the adviser sympathetic and agrees HV not appropraite..listened to concerns and cancelled forthcoming appt so missing medical info could be obtained but booking in new appt next month. For some reason they are saying they do not have evidence that illness necessitated MH sectioning, first for assessment, then treatment then treatment in community order 2/3 years ago. Health status very fragile and this process is worsening it by day. Now another date for medical interview hanging over. Have given them names of relevent hospitals and diagnosis but as was in a different area and with many changes in NHS not hopeful of them finding info.
Am increasingly concerned about impact of this on partners health and a return pf psychosis meaning risk of harm again.
What can I do to explain this to CDHA and request that medical assessment again would cause harm and likely relapse? Im not sure how much of this either of us can take...we feel improsened by this system ..constant waiting and worrying..this time round since May...can they really keep postponing appts like this?
Sorry for length ...new member...first ever posting. Am in despair at what to do. Thank you in advance.

Hi and Welcome to the forum, you might want to have a look at the following FAQ which explains where everything is

Welcome to Benefits and Work

I'm sorry that you and your partner are going through this

Despite the letter from the GP, the assessor will only make a recommendation to DWP when they believe they have enough information to do so.

I'm afraid it is unlikely that the assessors will contact hospitals/consultants for information. They only contact the GP in around 25% of cases and consultants very rarely (if at all).

If your partner does not have any letters from the hospital, the GP might have something on file. If they are receptive/helpful they might look through the records and give a copy of anything relevant. Otherwise, your partner could ask to see their records and take a copy of things that look helpful. There will probably be a charge for this.

Requesting your medical records

Charging for medical records

Other than that, your partner could try contacting the assessment provider and asking what other information is needed however, our members have not had a lot of success with this

May I suggest that you bookmark/favourite this on your web browser now so that you can find it easily in future? This will allow you to return with further questions or comments about your partner's PIP without having to start a new topic each time. We ask members to keep everything relating to the same claim in one topic as it helps us enormously - and I hope you will find it useful too

Dear Mjg
I've just been through similar!! Lies about reports not received, despite proof of posting. They say things on phone to deliberately mislead & confound you. See Posts under 'despair.'
If you can bear it ask the GP to call in the crisis team, this will stop the hounds & your partner should be put in the support group without further ado.
If not you need a very strongly worded letter from GP with evidence of substantial harm caused by travel to or attending F2F AND EVIDENCE OF substantial risk to self or others if found capable of work related activities. If your partner's health is deteriorating perhaps your GP's records show this. These are easier to get than hospital records which might take 40 days.
OR ask your MP to help: DWP/Maximus are more likely to follow correct procedures if so & use a Mental Health assessor.
Hope this is of help. God help you.

Thank you for the quick response. I worry about saying too much here as I understand it could be seen and therefore could be identified. The CDHA do say they will be obtaining info from respective hospital regarding sectioning and admission but as this was 3 years ago I am not hopeful.

My partner cannot contact any of these people due to the nature of the health condition so I have to make all contact. My argument is that it is the process that is worsening p's health ...ie. The random letters from DWP which are misleading and these constant moving of appts. We are pretty much 'self managing' nowadays having been let down by specialist community services due to lack of resources....I have learnt strategies to reduce stress which would trigger a relapse so each request to go through this again is not only causing stress but forces p to relive the trauma of what is considered cross examination. P has a diagnosis of PDST and a medical when questions will be asked about condition will I am quite sure result in a /reliving trauma severe deterioration of mh. In past this has resulted in violent episodes. The damage is already starting with the process and a medical assessment will put the lid on it. I need the assessors to take my word for it as p has little insight ( formally established by psychiatrist ) and has destroyed evidence we had which may have helped ( though frankly extremely intrusive and embarassing). Asking for copies of previous reports would involve p's consent which clearly is not going to be possible.
The process is already causing further withdrawal and depression and actually undoing any progress we have made ... I am minded to write the impact of what is happening and send to them but even if they admit to receiving the letter and I know where to send it and feel certain they would not accept my word and would ask for medical evidence. I will have to put a stop to the whole thing which, yes would mean the benefit would stop, but p's health and safety ( and mine) comes first. Life is again at a standstill waiting for the next letter/ response/appt. The worry is immense ...we are prisoners ...i had hoped to get p away for chage of scenery to help mood but no plans can be made due to this moving of appts and p is now just so anxious about whole thing that even a holiday would not help. Anyway p has pretty much taken to sleeping all day now so no motivation. As his carer this is effecting my health too.
What can I do bar withdrawing from the whole process?

As an aside will you as an organisation be submitting info to parliamentary review taking place? I would like to but understand one has to give name and address which will prevent it.

Terrified wrote: Dear Mjg
If you can bear it ask the GP to call in the crisis team, this will stop the hounds & your partner should be put in the support group without further ado.
If not you need a very strongly worded letter from GP with evidence of substantial harm caused by travel to or attending F2F AND EVIDENCE OF substantial risk to self or others if found capable of work related activities. If your partner's health is deteriorating perhaps your GP's records show this. These are easier to get than hospital records which might take 40 days.
OR ask your MP to help: DWP/Maximus are more likely to follow correct procedures if so & use a Mental Health assessor.
Hope this is of help. God help you.

This is very helpful. See my reply above. I have advocated in this for some 10 years and have previously involved MP with success and won appeals. The appeal judge threw out DWPs last decision..5 years ago ...when i took it to appeal and awarded supp grp on that basis ...'substantial risk to self or others if found capable of work related activities'. But its taken its toll now on me and the process is now destrying two lives, not one.
Its a good idea about Crisis Team but our GP has already said pointless making a referrel as drastic staff shortages. In any case we dont want a string of badged mh nurses turning up at our home again...this and police involvement was what forced us to feel we had to move away last time. The job of MH services was done ....gave us the skills to manage crisis situations ourselves which we do nowadays on a daily basis. But no one prepared us for this latest attack by the DWP and their assessors. When we see figures saying the numbers of people on ESA have been reduced ( like unemployment figs) we need to shout from the rooftops this has only come about because 'claimants' have given up the fight and dropped out the system. The language says it all really...claimants...evidence...proof....arent these the words used in court cases when someone is tried for an offence?