ESA assessment - cancelled!

Hello - and what a very helpful site this is. This is my first post, and just wanted to know how it is, Maximus cancelled my assessment by phone call - running late, she said, you'll have a long wait. I'd already paid my friend to drive me there, and was already at the hospital they use for assessments. She said she'd rebook me. But I had all that effort and in chronic pain to get there - I took my friedns time up. Paid her £40 for her time off work to do me a favour. I can hardly walk, you see, and can not do public transport. To call me, at 1.50, for my assessment time of 3.15, I think is disgusting. I was in tears in Anna s car at the hospital car park. But told - you'll have a long wait. Oh already here are you? She gave me a choice to rebook. I accepted that, since as I told her, I couldn't talk to her any longer, since have urinary incontinence, but I am annoyed, wiih these people, I made all that effort, paid Anna to take time off work to drive me what is a long distance. How do I repay her, I asked this girl? Oh, well, we could probably pay your petrol. I tried to explain, it wasn't my car, that I can no longer drive anymore... reliant on a friend to take me there.

Patronising attitude - well, you can get home again before the traffic, she said. She did however offer to 'authorise' a taxi to pick me up, for the assessment. I said, that's funny, since I asked for a taxi in the first place, that I had called ( and on a mobile - long waits) and after finally getting through to right number - told , no, we can't authoroise a taxi.

Anyway, one booked now and paid for by them. I hope! Still waiting to get my new assessment date. Meanwhile, arranging hospital appointments. Sorry, feeling a bit sorry for myself here... but Anna took time off work to drive me there, and to get a call at 1.50 for my Assessment at 3..15, after all my efforts in chronic pain, and expenditure, to get there, I think is disgusting.

Moreover, when re-booking my appointment - tthis girl seemed to have no knowledge that I wanted assessment recorded! It was on my form! I said to her, just as well, you had to cancel me then. Did you tell us you wanted it recorded, well, yes I did.... So, if I'd have been able to have my assessment at the time allotted, it wouldn't have been recorded anyway! Didn't even have it down on her notes, nor that I had requested a female 'assessor'.
What do I do? Complain to DWP, or to whoever this shoddy body is - never had anything with Maximus on it from them, but apparently that is who does these 'assessments' They don't even tell you who is calling.

Sorry, gone on a bit there, but I reckon I ought to complain about cancelling my assessment without much noitice, causing me expenditure and discomfort. Any helpful comments would be very much appreciated as to what to do next? Thanks, and a great site, btw.

Hi and Welcome to the forum, you might want to have a look at the following FAQ which explain where everything is

Welcome to Benefits and Work

I'm sorry you went through such an ordeal, although I'm afraid it is not uncommon for appointments to be cancelled like this!

You might like to consider the advice in this link
benefitsandwork.co.uk/forum?view=topic&catid=10&id=107189

You can certainly complain to Maximus (they also call themselves HAAS)
www.chdauk.co.uk/contact-us

and to DWP (although they are likely to deny responsibility)
Complaining to the DWP

You might also want to let your MP know how you have been treated
Contacting your MP

May I suggest that you bookmark/favourite this on your web browser now so that you can find it easily in future? This will allow you to return with further questions or comments about your ESA without having to start a new topic each time. We ask members to keep everything relating to the same claim in one topic as it helps us enormously - and I hope you will find it useful too