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Attending medical with no questionnaire

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12 years 8 months ago #64607 by Gordon
Replied by Gordon on topic Re:Attending medical with no questionnaire
marcali

The way the process "works" is that once the ESA50 is received it will be reviewed to see if the claimant can be exempted from the medical, if that is the case, then a cancellation letter is sent for the medical.

At the risk of worrying you further, it is really important that you confirm with ATOS that your return date for the ESA50 has been extended. We had a case last week where the claim was closed under similar circumstances for a failure to return the form, and are still waiting to hear if the member has been able to get their claim re-instated.

You should have received a letter from the DWP at the start of the transfer, notifying you that you were being moved, this should have the necessary contact information.

Gordon

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

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  • Catherine
12 years 8 months ago #64610 by Catherine
Replied by Catherine on topic Re:Attending medical with no questionnaire
Thanks Gordon - i am really glad things have changed on that front.

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  • bro58
12 years 8 months ago #64611 by bro58
Replied by bro58 on topic Re:Attending medical with no questionnaire
marcali wrote:

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.


Hi M,

Your comment in the first paragraph above is quite relevant, and it would not be unreasonable to challenge a medical assessment being arranged before a claimants ESA50 has even been received.

There are no exemptions anymore for the ESA WCA process, as there was with IB,(PCA Exempt), everyone has to go through this process, whether they have a face to face or not.

I sympathise with your problems in obtaining the correct address for your Benefit Delivery Office, have you thought of complaining to your M.P., or the Chief Exec of the DWP?.

Good luck

bro58

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12 years 8 months ago #64613 by marcali
Replied by marcali on topic Re:Attending medical with no questionnaire
The reason I didn't send ESA50 back on time was that the CAB worker who was helping me went on holiday for 2 weeks before we could complete form. She is not back till next week.

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12 years 8 months ago #64617 by marcali
Replied by marcali on topic Re:Attending medical with no questionnaire
Gordon wrote:

At the risk of worrying you further, it is really important that you confirm with ATOS that your return date for the ESA50 has been extended. We had a case last week where the claim was closed under similar circumstances for a failure to return the form, and are still waiting to hear if the member has been able to get their claim re-instated.

You should have received a letter from the DWP at the start of the transfer, notifying you that you were being moved, this should have the necessary contact information.


Thanks, Gordon.

I shall call ATOS in the morning and hope they believe me since I seem to have talked to a fictional person in a fictional office with no record of it at the DWP.

As for an address for the DWP - the transfer letter came from Newcastle in May, but on the phone today I was put through to Glasgow and they told me it was their office that would receive the ATOS report for their decision maker after the Medical Assessment.

It doesn't bode well when I have become so confused and stressed at such an early assessment stage! :S

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12 years 8 months ago #64636 by carruthers
Replied by carruthers on topic Re:Attending medical with no questionnaire
Gordon wrote:

marcali

The medical assessments are booked by computer automatically, often in advance of the ESA50 being returned, even when it is on time, so you should not read too much into one being arranged.

I think I read recently that the booking system at ATOS (like the ones for airlines) usually overbook, on the assumption that quite a few people won't turn up - for whatever reason.

When the claimants are inconsiderate enough to turn up as they are booked, then you end up with long waiting times and very rushed assessments.

Shambles seems too kind a word, but then it's no skin off ATOS's nose.

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