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PIP Medical Bipolar 1 Disorder - Advice Please

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6 years 5 months ago #198797 by maverick_spirit
PIP Medical Bipolar 1 Disorder - Advice Please was created by maverick_spirit
Hello Everyone
I've today received notification to attend a PIP medical a week on Monday after completing the initial claim and PIP2 "How Your Disability Affects You" processes (previous to this, I've been on low rate care & mobility DLA for 5 years as a result of difficulties with daily living due to Bipolar 1 Disorder and anxiety).

Both my GP and CPN provided supporting evidence letters for my PIP claim and both stated that from past experience I am especially vulnerable to the unmanageable stress that F2F situations can cause me to experience, that these can cause my mental health to worsen and, in their opinion, these should be avoided unless absolutely necessary. Both also noted that I'm currently experiencing depressive symptoms that such situations can worsen.

I know for a fact that ATOS have spoken to my CPN by telephone between them receiving my PIP2 and sending me this invite to a medical letter (the CPN again supported my claim in the call).

Yet, despite all this, I've been called in for a F2F medical. I already know that this process to date has led to a deterioration in my symptoms and this further adds to this.

In short, I'm perplexed by this decision, as it seems to fly in the face of all the medical evidence and my own evidence provided to them in good faith.

Does anyone have any experiences or thoughts to share about this?

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6 years 5 months ago #198801 by Gordon
maverick_spirit

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

We see this quite often, I'm afraid it is likely to the result of your letters, I'm going by your post but you say "can cause", "should be avoided" and "unless absolutely necessary", I'm afraid these phrases imply that you might be affected, not that you will be effected.

If they have spoken to your CPN then I would start by contacting them to see what they were asked and said.

If you can "toughen" up the statements to remove any uncertainty about the effects that a F2F would have on you then they may opt for a Paper Based Review.

You can also try involving your MP, if the decision is marginal then they have sufficient influence to push it to a PBR.

Contacting your MP

Gordon

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems

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6 years 5 months ago #198802 by Gordon
maverick_spirit

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

We see this quite often, I'm afraid it is likely to the result of your letters, I'm going by your post but you say "can cause", "should be avoided" and "unless absolutely necessary", I'm afraid these phrases imply that you might be affected, not that you will be effected.

If they have spoken to your CPN then I would start by contacting them to see what they were asked and said.

If you can "toughen" up the statements to remove any uncertainty about the effects that a F2F would have on you then they may opt for a Paper Based Review.

You can also try involving your MP, if the decision is marginal then they have sufficient influence to push it to a PBR.

Contacting your MP

Gordon

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.

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6 years 5 months ago #198817 by maverick_spirit
Replied by maverick_spirit on topic PIP Medical Bipolar 1 Disorder - Advice Please
Many thanks for your quick replay Gordon - that's really helpful information. I see what you mean about the ambiguity of those kind of phrases.

You mentioned my MP (or MSP here too) might have sufficient influence to push it to a "PBR". What's a PBR?

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6 years 5 months ago #198820 by Gordon

maverick_spirit wrote: What's a PBR?


Paper Based Review

Gordon

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems

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6 years 5 months ago #198821 by maverick_spirit
Replied by maverick_spirit on topic PIP Medical Bipolar 1 Disorder - Advice Please
Thanks Gordon - I've only really got a week to be getting MP/MSP involved, so I think I'm just going to have to steel myself for this and hopefully my CPN will let me know early next week that they'll be able to accompany me.
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