When exactly do ATOS/DWP contact your GP?

Is it ATOS or DWP that contacts your GP? Does anyone know when ATOS/DWP contact your GP? Is it before they sent out the form, during the reassessment period or after they receive the completed form form you? When i first received the ESA50 03/11 I asked my GP to write me a letter of support but she refused she said that is was practice policy not to because it would just be duplication as ATOS will contact her anyway. A week ago I sent my completed form back to ATOS and on the same day I sent a letter to my GP telling her I had sent the form back and that when they get in touch with her I'd be obliged if she would fill the form in. And I also took the opportunity to tell her how my illness affects my functioning etc and I even pointed out some descriptors and explained to her why I thought I fitted these. I posted both the letter to the GP and the ATOS form 1st class on the same day. My GP got the letter the next day and ATOS got the form the day after that. But now i've received a letter from my GP saying she couldn't do as I asked because the patient is the best person to relate this and because 'we' (whose we?) have already provided a medical report directly to ATOS/The Benefits Agency. So when did ATOS (or DWP) contact her? I would have thought they would have had to have waited for my completed form from me in order to get my GPs details? Or did they get it from last years form? How did they know I hadn't changed GPs since then? Also, is it a 'standard' form that GPs fill in? thanks guys

Hi mumsgirl

For IB the IB113 form would be sent to the GP before an IB50 was issued to the claimant.

I believe this has changed for ESA and the ESA113 can be sent to the GP before or after the ESA50 is issued.

NHS doctors have a statutory obligation to complete these forms when required; it's only private doctors who would seek a claimant's permission (if only I had one). You can see a copy of the ESA113 form from the link below.

www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/esa113-interactive.pdf

Regards

Derek

mumsgirl wrote:

Is it ATOS or DWP that contacts your GP? Does anyone know when ATOS/DWP contact your GP? Is it before they sent out the form, during the reassessment period or after they receive the completed form form you? When i first received the ESA50 03/11 I asked my GP to write me a letter of support but she refused she said that is was practice policy not to because it would just be duplication as ATOS will contact her anyway. A week ago I sent my completed form back to ATOS and on the same day I sent a letter to my GP telling her I had sent the form back and that when they get in touch with her I'd be obliged if she would fill the form in. And I also took the opportunity to tell her how my illness affects my functioning etc and I even pointed out some descriptors and explained to her why I thought I fitted these. I posted both the letter to the GP and the ATOS form 1st class on the same day. My GP got the letter the next day and ATOS got the form the day after that. But now i've received a letter from my GP saying she couldn't do as I asked because the patient is the best person to relate this and because 'we' (whose we?) have already provided a medical report directly to ATOS/The Benefits Agency. So when did ATOS (or DWP) contact her? I would have thought they would have had to have waited for my completed form from me in order to get my GPs details? Or did they get it from last years form? How did they know I hadn't changed GPs since then? Also, is it a 'standard' form that GPs fill in? thanks guys

MG,

ATOS would normally send your G.P. form ESA113, which having looked at it is a pretty brief questionnaire, along the same lines as your ESA50, it also asks whether the claimant is o.k. to attend an ATOS centre for assessment.

They could also ask for a Report as to a claimants conditions.

A G.P. is contracted to provide such reports to DWP/ATOS, however the G.P. is under no obligation to provide letters of support, or reports for a patient.

He does not have to disclose the content of any ESA113 or Report, to the patient,(some G.P.'s will) however you can ask that they inform you if they have had such a request for information from DWP/ATOS.

You can then request to see copy of said ESA113 or Report from DWP/ATOS, under Data Protection.

If you put ESA113 into the search engine here or put it into google, you may get to have a look at one, I've got copy of one but can't remember where I got it.

In your case it would seem that DWP/ATOS, have requested info from your G.P. before receiving your ESA50, or maybe it was just a recent normal review.

It would seem that your G.P. is not the most supportive in these matters.

I changed G.P. 3 times in 2 months due to similar problems a few years ago.

cheers

bro58

Derek4 wrote:

Hi mumsgirl

For IB the IB113 form would be sent to the GP before an IB50 was issued to the claimant.

I believe this has changed for ESA and the ESA113 can be sent to the GP before or after the ESA50 is issued.

NHS doctors have a statutory obligation to complete these forms when required; it's only private doctors who would seek a claimant's permission (if only I had one). You can see a copy of the ESA113 form from the link below.

www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/esa113-interactive.pdf

Regards

Derek

As you said earlier today Derek,"you must have read my mind".

Your just quicker on the draw than me!

bro58

I should add that if your GP sent an ESA113 it should be in your medical records, which you can ask to look at and find out what date it was sent.

New ESA claimants will have provided their GP details in their initial application for ESA before an ESA50 is issued but for an existing claimant, as you have pointed out, I can't see how they could know who your present GP is before receiving the ESA50.

bro58 wrote:

He does not have to disclose the content of any ESA113 or Report, to the patient,(some G.P.'s will) however you can ask that they inform you if they have had such a request for information from DWP/ATOS.

Hi Bro58

I may be wrong but I thought that all GP surgeries allow patients to look at and copy their records, sometimes for a fee. Or is it just mine?

Derek