Mental Health and PIP phone assessment.

Hello. I am due to have a PIP phone assessment and have been diagnosed with Depressive disorder and anxiety. As these phone assessments can take more than an hour I am concerned i will be nentalky overwhelmed.
Does anyone have any advice or been given written documentation from their GP stating it would be detrimental to my mental health to continue with a phone assessment?

Hi Pamela, everything BIS says is right, I'm just adding some experience which may be relevant. If you get notification of an assessment date - for our daughter it was by text but could be other means - whether or not you have yet got the vital doctor's letter, this is what I did. I phoned the helpline and first time got a jobsworth who listened to me explanation and then just said they need to assess her and that was that. I stayed calm and polite and just asked if I could please speak to a manager, he said he would arrange for this within 2 working days. As time was short I simply tried again the same afternoon. The lady I got could not have been more different. She said she would put a note on our daughter's file for them never to phone her again, cancelling the appointment. On the second working day a very helpful manager did call and said they would check to see if they had, or could get, enough info to complete a paper based assessment. I sent in the doctor's letter as soon as I got it. Eventually they notified me they had completed the assessment, I called and requested a copy of the report. They had made brief and unsuccessful attempts to phone two of the consultants as well as writing to the GP. There were lots of inaccuracies and what I call "sneakies" in the report so I swiftly sent in a very unemotionally worded letter pointing out each thing with reference to the NHS website and or all the docs already sent, but [with advice from here] specifying this was not an MR request [though reserving the right to make one later]. In due course she got her Enhanced on both for 3 years, as she had had before. So you will likely need persistence which is tough when you struggle with your mental health, but there is some hope of success as we had. You might want to involve a friend or relative you can hand the phone to after clearing security if it would help if you need to call them. Best wishes, Denby

Thankyou so much for your reply.
I asked a GP over the phone (though not the GP who I've usually dealt with) she said "they don't write any supporting letter just a basic summary report printed off the system" - that you can send off. Did you have any issues asking your GP? I'm not having any psychiatric input - just medication and talk therapy- which is stalled at the moment due to therapist ill health

Hi Pamela, because there was so much else I needed to say in my reply, I left out one factor that I used. When calling the GP to request a letter, I do not [have done this several times] ask to speak to a GP. I ask for the Secretary. When I get to speak to her [it's usually a 'her'] I very very sweetly explain the need for a letter AND that I am extremely happy to pay whatever their charge is for this, 'as I do understand that it takes time to produce one.' Say you have had professional advice [ie B&W] that the letter HAS to say that being phoned will cause you "overwhelming psychological distress" as this is the only thing that the DWP will recognise.
They actually typed OPD in our daughter's report! If they are still resistant you can say, after all, if a phone assessment went ahead you know you would be back bothering the GP as a result of being traumatised. So a letter that might avoid this is better for you the patient and the GP workload.
I know it's annoying and you may well struggle to pay, but if it tips the balance you would be glad you did. last time it cost £35+VAT total £42. But given the result so well worth it, just like the B&W sub really.
I do hope this approach works for you, Denby

Hi. Another possibility is to use the Equality Act 2010. The act is a powerful piece of legislation and if you use it correctly you may find that the DWP change their mind. You need to write to the DWP saying that as you are disabled as defined by the act, You are asking for a reasonable adjustment to help compensate for your disability. The. Explain what adjustment you require.

If you feel ok you could also add that if they refuse to make the adjustment you will write to the attorney general asking for his intervention.

I have used the EA with several people I have helped and the vast majority of the time I have had a positive response. The DWP actually have guidance and instruct their staff that they must comply with the act.

In actual fact the EA puts a duty of anticipation on organisations.....ie if they know you have a disability they are supposed to anticipate your requirements and make reasonable adjustments without being asked.......
Just look the act up and there is some really good articles explaining how to use the act.

This is legislation that has teeth and it needs to be used more. Hope that helps.