- Posts: 3
× Members
Telephone Assessment help
- JoBo68
- Topic Author
- Offline
Less More
1 year 4 months ago #281822 by JoBo68
Telephone Assessment help was created by JoBo68
I submitted PIP application for husband on line - he has generalised dystonia and also had a stroke April 2 2023 which has made managing his dystonia more difficult - he has total body freezes where he cannot move or speak. This is further complicated by his aphasia from the stroke - struggles to find the words he wants to say, say the words in the correct order or understand complex speech from others. On the online form there was no option to request an online assessment or face to face and so he has been sent a telephone appt in 2 weeks.
I'll be there to support him but the letter specifically says that I can't speak for him - as you can imagine this is going to be hugely problematic for him communicating & listening and if he does have a body freeze they can last anywhere between 5-50 mins.
Is there still the ability to request an online assessment - at least if he does freeze they can see it and him and how it affects him. I'm not convinced me telling them he's having a freeze will be believed! And if he does freeze he can't participate in the assessment anyway!
Thanks for any advice
I'll be there to support him but the letter specifically says that I can't speak for him - as you can imagine this is going to be hugely problematic for him communicating & listening and if he does have a body freeze they can last anywhere between 5-50 mins.
Is there still the ability to request an online assessment - at least if he does freeze they can see it and him and how it affects him. I'm not convinced me telling them he's having a freeze will be believed! And if he does freeze he can't participate in the assessment anyway!
Thanks for any advice
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- BIS
- Offline
Less More
- Posts: 8405
1 year 4 months ago #281835 by BIS
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by BIS on topic Telephone Assessment help
Hi JoBo68
You can ask to change the type of assessment. You could ask for a video, paper-based, or face-to-face assessment. They don't have to agree on the change, but you can request and explain your reasoning. Limited video assessments are being carried out, and I know that some people who thought they were having video assessments - find there are technical difficulties, and at the last minute, they have been changed to telephone assessments.
Face-to-face assessments are also limited and will depend on the availability of assessment centres and assessors.
It's not easy to get a paper-based assessment, and you would probably need to provide a doctor's letter confirming your husband's condition and saying a telephone assessment would cause him "Overwhelming Psychological Distress."
If they turn down your choice of assessment, you can appeal a second time.
If, for some reason, your husband has to have a telephone assessment - when it starts, he should immediately tell the assessor that there's a chance he will freeze, and you will have to come on the phone and tell them what happened. You don't want an assessor to stop the assessment because they think your husband isn't taking part.
If you do have to have a telephone assessment, you would be wise to do a covert recording.
BIS
You can ask to change the type of assessment. You could ask for a video, paper-based, or face-to-face assessment. They don't have to agree on the change, but you can request and explain your reasoning. Limited video assessments are being carried out, and I know that some people who thought they were having video assessments - find there are technical difficulties, and at the last minute, they have been changed to telephone assessments.
Face-to-face assessments are also limited and will depend on the availability of assessment centres and assessors.
It's not easy to get a paper-based assessment, and you would probably need to provide a doctor's letter confirming your husband's condition and saying a telephone assessment would cause him "Overwhelming Psychological Distress."
If they turn down your choice of assessment, you can appeal a second time.
If, for some reason, your husband has to have a telephone assessment - when it starts, he should immediately tell the assessor that there's a chance he will freeze, and you will have to come on the phone and tell them what happened. You don't want an assessor to stop the assessment because they think your husband isn't taking part.
If you do have to have a telephone assessment, you would be wise to do a covert recording.
BIS
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- JoBo68
- Topic Author
- Offline
Less More
- Posts: 3
1 year 4 months ago #281865 by JoBo68
Replied by JoBo68 on topic Telephone Assessment help
Thank you so much for this information. I was hoping they would have offered him a face to face / video based on the information I had put in the application. Only goes to show that they really don't read any of that or they wouldn't have booked a telephone assessment.
I shall try to ring them tomorrow to ask for an alternative assessment method
I shall try to ring them tomorrow to ask for an alternative assessment method
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
Moderators: Gordon, Gary, BIS, Catherine, Wendy, Kelly, greekqueen, peter, Katherine, Super User, Chris, David