Really odd ESA Medical

I had my medical today and although medicals may well be different for different people, I thought I’d give a run through of my experience to let people know what to expect, or at least show what happens.

We arrived as per instructed 10 minutes before our appointment. Sitting very uncomfortable on the plastic chairs, so after 15 minutes I got up to stretch my legs, as having a bad back, I can’t sit that long so walked as best I could to the back of the room then after 5 minutes, back down to where we were sat. Sat again for a further 10 minutes and thought to go up and ask how much longer as my back was beginning to really hurt and the medical hadn’t even started. We walked up to the reception area and I propped myself against the wall while my carer was to ask the receptionist, when my name was called out…

The Doctor, asked us to follow him, but he lost us. He sped off along a corridor and disappeared into a room somewhere at the end. Walking at my own speed, some minutes later we arrived at the end of the corridor to which he popped his head out of a room and said, in here. He could see I was in pain with my back as he asked, your backs not too bad is it ? I said I’ll be in a lot of pain tonight as I don’t usually walk as far, I said around 50 mtrs is my limit !

Sitting down he said you’ll have to excuse me as I have to enter everything into this computer as we go along. I was a bit surprised when most of the questions he asked were about my living conditions and how I managed with stairs and bathing ? When he asked about being able to prepare and cook a meal for myself, I asked what has all this to do with my ability to work or not ? He replied he was following the questions on the computer. I said as this is a ESA medical and not a DLA ! He then said, they are all linked now, but regardless, you have applied for DLA too.

I said, I was rejected for DLA, but Appealing the decision !

After standing in front of him, doing a slow bend forward and sideways, lying on the bed and trying to lift my legs, it was all done. The whole process took 35 minutes. He said he’s fill in the rest and it would be sent away then a decision maker will make a decision on it and I’d be informed of the out-come. Opening the door, he said goodbye ! I hadn’t even got ready so left the room with my carer helping me with my Coat.

I will say, there were no questions about the “point scoring descriptor” I like everyone I guess, have done their own check to see if they qualify for such descriptors and was waiting for such questions as there are a few that apply to me. As said, this was more like a DLA Medical than a ESA ?
I’m somewhat confused at the whole process after this medical. I also didn’t think the Doctor knew what he was quite doing, as he kept looking into a book !

Hope this helps some who have sleepless nights waiting for this ordeal to take place ...

Does anyone think I had both medicals, or just the one after 35 minutes ?


A Further point… I have an Appeal coming up for DLA yet have not had a medical for it. Have I read somewhere that the chairman of the Appeal needs such a DLA Medical done before the Appeal proceed ? thus, can the ESA Medical be used ?

Hi William,

That sounds as I would expect for an ESA assessment. The answers to the questions are extrapolated to apply to the descriptors. A full 'medical examination' does not take place. Did you have a look at this before you went?

ESA Medical – What to expect

The DLA tribunal can direct that a face-to-face assessment is carried out if they wish, but they do not always do so. The criteria for ESA and DLA are very different and only overlap in a couple of places. Nevertheless, they might use your ESA assessment to help make their decision.

Please may I ask that you keep your posts shorter in future? Many of our members, not to mention us mod's, find it difficult to concentrate on long posts.

You said that your assessor used a computer which is odd because Mark Hoban (DWP Minister) was asked this question in Parliament.

"how many claimants who underwent a computerised assessment conducted by Atos and were declared fit for work died within six months of their assessment?"

Hoban's answer was

"Atos do not undertake computerised assessments."

I thought Atos used a computer programme called LiMA to carry out the WCA!

Is Hoban confused??

Gareth are you saying I'm going to die in 6 months ?

"how many claimants who underwent a computerised assessment conducted by Atos and were declared fit for work died within six months of their assessment?"

Gareth wrote: You said that your assessor used a computer which is odd because Mark Hoban (DWP Minister) was asked this question in Parliament.

"how many claimants who underwent a computerised assessment conducted by Atos and were declared fit for work died within six months of their assessment?"

Hoban's answer was

"Atos do not undertake computerised assessments."

I thought Atos used a computer programme called LiMA to carry out the WCA!

Is Hoban confused??

Hi G,

All F2F assessments use the LiMA Software Programme, which in turn generates the ESA85 Medical Report.

It is even used to some extent to generate the ESA85A Medical Report with paper scrutiny.

It is not used with an ESA Home Assessment.

Yet another example of a Government Minister not knowing his xxxx from his elbow !!!!!

bro58

They allways use the computer ptogramme as it has only one output no matter what the answer to atos questions are and that is fit for work !