ESA Medical 19th April

Hi everyone Hope you enjoyed the beautiful Easter weather.

I chased up the DWP as suggested and had to get a copy of the doctors cert. as they had never received it! I then made an appointment to go to my local job centre and they copied all the info to a page/form and emailed this to Basildon. He also added comments that I would really appreciate a call from them confirming they were in receipt of it - they never did this and I had to then chase them up again.

The good news was that I had it back-dated to October which was well worth the battling to get it!

And onto the ATOS medical, my experience is as follows:

The offices in Romford were a travelling distance of 1hr 29mins (very precise!) in the Suggested Journey plan which came with the appointment letter which constituted a 4 min walk, 4 min bus journey, 9 min walk, 27 min train change and then 15 min train finally with a walk for 8 mins to the office block! How anyone ill would be expected to make this is completely beyond me?

A family member drove me to the front door.

I was kept waiting 15 mins and then greeted by the examiner who walked me down a looong corridor to his office which was at the very end! He was very friendly and actually said, 'I am going to ask you some questions, some will be simple yes/no answers but others will be more personal. If you feel that I have not covered anything you would like me to know about, please say so at the end so I can add it in.'

I was quite impressed as the more personal questions gave me a chance to say how I felt, although who knows if this is a hindrance or not? My problems have been both physical and mental. I have suffered with chronic pain in my neck, back, arms and hands for a long time and over the past 18 months it has gotten much worse. This is due to many years of professional illustration and teaching art. Some days I cannot get out of bed when it strikes bad, delivering agonizing migraines and joint pains, sometimes for 3 or 4 days at a time. I was so worried about trying to convey this as on a better day, to anyone who doesn't know my history or symptoms, I would appear to be fine. I took hospital letters and my copies of fit notes and even asked my doctor for a letter explaining that when I am very ill I cannot barely move. My doctor though advised me that any letter from him would be a waste of time and to answer the question from the viewpoint of having my worst day, but this was sometimes very difficult to do as the examiner kept asking me, '...but if you are on a 'good day', could you use public transport?' etc. etc. which was very annoying because lets be honest ANYONE on a good day can do things that they cannot do when they are at their worst!

I have also suffered terribly for the past year with depression and anxiety and when he started to ask me questions about this I got very upset. I have had a really hard time - having been an artist since the age of 7 - to suddenly not be able to do my job which is my life. I have also gone through a divorce as well as losing all my income and I have 3 young children. I used to work from home being very close to my children and I had to come to London for work but it all went wrong very quickly. I couldn't afford to see my children regularly any more and this has been incredibly stressful for me on top of everything else. i informed him that at my lowest point I had even had suicidal thoughts and then realised how very ill and depressed I really was.

Telling a complete stranger this, when you already feel he's not there to help you, is very upsetting and I found it quite difficult. I didn't have anyone with me in the examination either. He asked if I had seen a counsellor but I told him that I am intending to move back nearer to my children as soon as I can afford to and then I want to set up some regular appointments with a referred counsellor as I don't want to get a rapport going and then leave, I think that would just make me feel worse. I have also suffered from some panic attacks and he asked me about this too and how they happen and how often.

He seemed very understanding and when he saw I was getting upset he said, 'lets move on'. I appreciated that. He then said he wanted to examine me? He measured my hands and arm circumference (I was wearing my velcro wrist support) and I asked him, what are you doing? He answered, 'If you can't use this hand as much as the other, we would expect to see some muscle waste.' He then put his hand on my neck and asked me to move my head left to right and asked me to tilt it back. I said no, it hurts when I do that so I am sorry, but I am not happy doing that.

I have no idea what right he had to ask me to do this as I understand he's NOT a doctor? I don't think (from what I understand) that he is qualified to examine my neck and especially putting his hand on my neck as I moved, I was uncomfortable with that, it felt odd. I am more than aware how much pain I am in and so is my doctor.

He also asked me the standard stuff (which I researched here) can I turn a tap and I said no, not with this bad hand. Do I go shopping, watch TV, read books, etc. even what my bathing and daytime cleaning or showering routine was?

And that about concluded it.

He was friendly enough, I think he was S. African and I can't remember his name. apart from the upsetting mental state questions and the so-called, 'examination' of my neck and measuring my hands, I felt quite comfortable with it and feel it went OK but of course, I have no idea what the outcome will be. He said I will be contacted within 4-6 weeks and he made it clear at the beginning that it would not be him making the decision.

I'd like to ask for a copy of the report but not sure who to contact so some advice on that would be appreciated. I will let you know what the outcome is once I hear and then I will take it from there. My biggest issue right now is that the local council have sent me Housing Benefit forms and will need this desperately to be able to get my own little flat. At the mo I am staying with a friend and not paying rent and I am frustrated that I can't get the ball rolling there? The catch 22 situation is of course, that unless I have a flat/address where I am paying rent I can't apply for housing benefit! I'm not sure what to do there and of course, I will now have the issue of the typical 'No children, pets, smokers or DSS' from most of the letting agents when trying to find somewhere to live. That really annoys me. My brother (bless him) has said he will be my guarantor but still, I am worried about the next step and don't want to lose out on any benefit. I'd also rather not use my brother for a guarantor if possible just in case something goes wrong.

Sorry for the long post but really needed to let you know how it went and also, could do with a little advice now. I do feel better and I at least have some money which I will be using for my own place hopefully.

Thank you for listening

Aragorn

Thanks Gordon.

Confused this afternoon though: Just received my post and I have been sent a second copy of the ESA50 (but next to ESA50 number it says 03/11). Is this the new form? I haven't read thru it yet but it looks the same as the one I already filled in?? The letter is dated 21st April (my medical was 19th) and asks for it to be returned no later than 7th June 2011?

What would the reason be for receiving a second form? The letter looks standard like the first and says;

We need some information

a)What to do now
b)If you want help filling in the form
c)What happens next (and then here states depending on level of illness etc you may be asked to come to a medical?)

Seems odd...

Thanks

A.

Gordon wrote:

Aragorn

Given that you are still awaiting the result of a medical, there would not normally be any reason for you to have received another ESA50.

I would contact your local DWP office and ask why it has been sent given your situation.

Gordon

Received a telephone call about 2 hrs after writing this . . . I was told I only scored 6 points and so will not be getting ESA She said it was up to me now wether I wanted to go on JSA and I replied, 'Or wether I want to appeal!'
Oh yes, she replied, you can do that if you want to.

I asked her to send me a copy of the report which she said she would send with the accompanying letter. Really peeved about that . . .

So, what do I do now then?

Oh, and by the way, I asked her why I had received another form then today - she had no idea. Amazing..

Aragorn.