- Posts: 19
× Members
Face to face next week. Help!
- Paul58
- Topic Author
- Offline
Less More
5 years 8 months ago #216015 by Paul58
Face to face next week. Help! was created by Paul58
Hi to all.
I'm writing on behalf of my sister, and I'm fuming!
Today she's received a letter for a face to face next Tuesday.
She's absolutely in bits.
She's had MS for 15 years.
She also has anxiety/panic attack issues.
I filled her PIP form in, typing 19 full pages explaining her many problems.
It included a mountain of reports from hospitals and specialists over the last few years.
One of the many ways her MS affects her is through stress. MS doesn't like stress.
Any stress renders her incapable of speaking within minutes. This can last for several days.
Which is where she is now.
She spends a lot of time collapsing through the MS and stressful situations, and a face to face would ensure she was taken to hospital after the first few minutes.
The letter says there will be not one but two questioning her. She's no chance of surviving that.
My other sister also has MS, but is housebound. She has the same voice problem.
Below is an extract from the answer I gave on the PIP form at the last question.
...the prospect of having a face to face, being questioned by someone I don't know, would be overwhelming for me. I've explained how anxiety, stress, etc affects me and my MS. The mere thought of being there makes me ill now. I know now that I would not be capable of answering questions, because the stress would cause my MS to take my voice away. The whole experience would be ideal conditions to bring on a seizure or collapse. I would not be able to last anywhere near an hour in an interview. I'm telling you this because I am very afraid of what could happen to me.
She's got 7 days, is there anything I can do to help her in this short space of time.
Thank you.
Paul
I'm writing on behalf of my sister, and I'm fuming!
Today she's received a letter for a face to face next Tuesday.
She's absolutely in bits.
She's had MS for 15 years.
She also has anxiety/panic attack issues.
I filled her PIP form in, typing 19 full pages explaining her many problems.
It included a mountain of reports from hospitals and specialists over the last few years.
One of the many ways her MS affects her is through stress. MS doesn't like stress.
Any stress renders her incapable of speaking within minutes. This can last for several days.
Which is where she is now.
She spends a lot of time collapsing through the MS and stressful situations, and a face to face would ensure she was taken to hospital after the first few minutes.
The letter says there will be not one but two questioning her. She's no chance of surviving that.
My other sister also has MS, but is housebound. She has the same voice problem.
Below is an extract from the answer I gave on the PIP form at the last question.
...the prospect of having a face to face, being questioned by someone I don't know, would be overwhelming for me. I've explained how anxiety, stress, etc affects me and my MS. The mere thought of being there makes me ill now. I know now that I would not be capable of answering questions, because the stress would cause my MS to take my voice away. The whole experience would be ideal conditions to bring on a seizure or collapse. I would not be able to last anywhere near an hour in an interview. I'm telling you this because I am very afraid of what could happen to me.
She's got 7 days, is there anything I can do to help her in this short space of time.
Thank you.
Paul
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- Gordon
- Offline
Less More
- Posts: 51053
5 years 8 months ago #216018 by Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by Gordon on topic Face to face next week. Help!
Paul
I'm afraid a Paper Based Review will only be done if there is sufficient relevant, up to date information for a recommendation to be made and to a lesser extent, if a face to face assessment would result in physical or mental harm to the claimant.
If a face to face has been booked then you have almost certainly failed to meet the first requirement, most likely because your evidence is not current, I would contact your sister's GP or other medical contacts to see whether they can provide more evidence to bridge the gap from where you are to where you need to be for a PBR.
Gordon
I'm afraid a Paper Based Review will only be done if there is sufficient relevant, up to date information for a recommendation to be made and to a lesser extent, if a face to face assessment would result in physical or mental harm to the claimant.
If a face to face has been booked then you have almost certainly failed to meet the first requirement, most likely because your evidence is not current, I would contact your sister's GP or other medical contacts to see whether they can provide more evidence to bridge the gap from where you are to where you need to be for a PBR.
Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
The following user(s) said Thank You: TheMerlin486
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- Paul58
- Topic Author
- Offline
Less More
- Posts: 19
5 years 8 months ago #216022 by Paul58
Replied by Paul58 on topic Face to face next week. Help!
Thanks Gordon.
I don't know how current they need it. She was in hospital for 3 months from last Xmas to February because of her MS, hospital and specialist reports were included.
However, how do we get a stay of execution for a PBR? It'll take time to get these reports from her GP and others.
And as I said, it would definitely result in physical/mental harm going to a F2F.
Thanks again.
Paul
I don't know how current they need it. She was in hospital for 3 months from last Xmas to February because of her MS, hospital and specialist reports were included.
However, how do we get a stay of execution for a PBR? It'll take time to get these reports from her GP and others.
And as I said, it would definitely result in physical/mental harm going to a F2F.
Thanks again.
Paul
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- Gordon
- Offline
Less More
- Posts: 51053
5 years 8 months ago #216024 by Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by Gordon on topic Face to face next week. Help!
Paul
You are going to need current evidence to support a risk of harm.
You can gain more time by cancelling the current appointment, you can only do this once and she will have to attend the new one unless a PBR is offered or a home assessment. If you go down this route then don't contact them until a day or two before the date. If you are restricted on dates you can be available, I assume you intend to attend with her, then book the new date while on the phone.
The hospital stay may help but you need to find a way to present it in context to the PIP activities for it to have any real effect.
Gordon
You are going to need current evidence to support a risk of harm.
You can gain more time by cancelling the current appointment, you can only do this once and she will have to attend the new one unless a PBR is offered or a home assessment. If you go down this route then don't contact them until a day or two before the date. If you are restricted on dates you can be available, I assume you intend to attend with her, then book the new date while on the phone.
The hospital stay may help but you need to find a way to present it in context to the PIP activities for it to have any real effect.
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.
- Rebecca
- Offline
Less More
- Posts: 17
5 years 8 months ago #216050 by Rebecca
Replied by Rebecca on topic Face to face next week. Help!
May I just add that I don't quite understand this and ask Gordon if it is related to who you may be assessed by and/or where you live? I have anxiety and panic attacks and agoraphobia and my evidence from my doctor was not even this year. And I automatically got given a home assessment that is to take place tomorrow due to being virtually housebound.
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- Gordon
- Offline
Less More
- Posts: 51053
5 years 8 months ago #216058 by Gordon
There are lots of factors, undoubtedly the assessor makes a difference, it's possible that certain offices are more or less likely to do a PBR but if this is the case then I don't see any pattern. The conditions will make a difference an also what is being asked for, your asked for a home assessment the OP is asking for a PBR which is always going to be viewed more strictly.
Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by Gordon on topic Face to face next week. Help!
Rebecca wrote: May I just add that I don't quite understand this and ask Gordon if it is related to who you may be assessed by and/or where you live? I have anxiety and panic attacks and agoraphobia and my evidence from my doctor was not even this year. And I automatically got given a home assessment that is to take place tomorrow due to being virtually housebound.
There are lots of factors, undoubtedly the assessor makes a difference, it's possible that certain offices are more or less likely to do a PBR but if this is the case then I don't see any pattern. The conditions will make a difference an also what is being asked for, your asked for a home assessment the OP is asking for a PBR which is always going to be viewed more strictly.
Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
The following user(s) said Thank You: Paul58
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
Moderators: Gordon, Gary, BIS, Catherine, Wendy, Kelly, greekqueen, peter, Katherine, Super User, jimmck, Chris