Attending medical with no questionnaire

I am on IB but have recently been sent an ESA50 form. I couldn't return it within the deadline so I called the DWP and requested an extension which was granted. However, it turns out that the DWP phone number on my letter transferred the call to a JobCentre it shouldn't have, and I spoke to a person who now doesn't exist and the extension is not on record!

So, while I am still working on the form thinking I have an extension, out of the blue I have just received a medical assessment appointment for 2 weeks time!

Today I called the DWP number again and now I got a call centre who says my migration from IB to ESA is handled by Glasgow! and that I cannot ring them or email them myself. They said they would email Glasgow and get someone to ring me back. The first email didn't work so I tried again today and someone rang me.

I was told that I have to take the matter up with ATOS as the DWP can't cancel ATOS appointments! And the letter from ATOS says that I have to address any questions regarding the form and the assessment to the DWP!

I was told today by the DWP that I would just have to turn up for the Medical Assessment with my questionnaire in hand!

The worst of it is - that 2 years ago I received the appointment for a Medical Assessment out of the blue with no quetionnaire to fill in first. I was forced to attend the Assessment and had to walk into the Medical Assessment where the doctor had an empty file on his desk. I had to go over my whole medical history and know it wasn't listened to due to time constraints. The doctor even stopped me when I listed my medications as he said he didn't have enough time to enter all of them on the system!

I can't believe I am going through this again and wonder if anyone else has been in this situation.

My experiences have been different from yours, but a few years ago I was forced to attend an IB medical after I had been exempt from the process.

I eventually took my complex complaint to the Independent Case Examiner and then the Parliamentary Health Ombudsman and received compensation for the distress i had been caused.

It is clear that the communication between Jobcentre Plus and Atos Healthcare is unacceptably poor.

I have a real problem with Atos Heathcare instructing people not to include any supportive medical evidence with the form, especially as JCP decision-makers have been simply rubberstamping their advice.


Best wishes

If appointments are booked by computer in advance of questionnaires being returned that means that nobody actually reads the questionnaires to decide whether a Medical Assessment is even necessary.

As some groups are automatically exempt, does that mean that many people are going to Medical Assessments that might not have had to?

I had a 3 week extension that goes to the middle of next week and the Medical Assessment is the week after. As there is no note on the system giving my extension at all I might as well buy myself some additional time there to make sure the questionnaire is really complete.

I would like to send a copy to my local JobCentre but nobody seems to know where it is now. I live in Surrey. The last letter in May saying my benefit was changing came from Newcastle, the one prior to that earlier this year came from Crawley (who were my local JobCentre for the last few years) and everybody I spoke to over the last few days said that IB for my area is being handled by Glasgow. To make it worse, they cannot give me a phone number or email for them. I am waiting for additional letters of support to come through, which will still take a few weeks, but won't know where to send them after I have sent off my questionnaire to ATOS.

I have spoken to so many miserable, unmotivated confused DWP staff over the last few days and I only feel the same. They are being so sidelined by ATOS now.

Their are certain reasons for not replying ESA50 within limits.From what you have said said I suggest a one to one with CAB or a Welfare Benefits worker