Hi all,

My husband has esa medical today but not with lima computer questions and not with dr completing multiple choice questionaire.

He said the dr completed a very short form, just a lot of writing. Only took 25 mins, and the dr said that he would be contacting our GP right away about my husbands blood pressure and advised him to go asap to gp.

I wasnt in with my husband, but from what he explained to me, it appears that the old type incapacity test is what was carried out today in his case.

Would they be still doing things the old way still in some cases?.

Kathy

Hi Kathy,

Both ESA and incapacity benefit medicals can still be done using a paper form rather than a computer. The only time they would normally do this is if it was a home visit or if the computer system was down at the time.

But this would make no difference to which type of test was used - it will always be the work capability assessment for ESA and the personal capability assessment for incapacity benefit.

Good luck with the result,

Steve

My husband passed the esa medical and his ongoing investigations still continue with consultants. Last week, his surgery sent for him because of a letter they got from medical services re his blood pressure.

He had an ECG on friday and it has showen blockage at the left hand side of his heart. His blood pressure remains sky high 190/90 and has now been referred to a heart specialist.

He has a scan appointment today about another health issue, which was arranged by a consultant othepedic. Depending on the outcome of this it is very likely that he will have to have an operation by yet another consultant he is under at present (urology).

My husbands dr today took his bp again and rang the hospital where he is to have his scan to make sure they were aware about how critical his condition is, and made him promise to go straight to the casualty dept immediatly after his scan'

And do u know what, he has a work forcussed interview on friday..........NOT.

I contacted them and told them he would not be attending, and to stop putting a man, who has worked for the last 35 years and never claimed a benefit in his life under pressure. They have agreed to defer his work foccused interview until 1st week in Jan, this is a disgrace, what would anyone advise me to do. I am at my wits end.

Thanks

Kathy

Hi Kathy,

Unfortunately there is no facility for having Pathways interviews waived, they can only be deferred.

A claimant can ask for the interviews to be deferred repeatedly or ask for them to be deferred for a longer period.

The only way to stop them altogether is to be put into the support group.

If claimant's condition worsened to the point where there would be a serious risk to his health if he were obliged to take part in work-related activities - such as Pathways interviews - then that would be grounds for being put in the support group. But asking for a claim to be looked at again to establish this could involve a further medical plus all the stress - and the risk of even losing the original ESA award - that goes with the process.

I'm sorry I can't offer more helpful information.

Steve

thanks steve, didnt really think anything else could be done., What an utter load of rubbish this system is.

Kathy

Hi All,

Today my husband received a letter from medical services. He has been asked to attend, (highlighted not a medical examination) but for one of their Dr's to assess and discuss medical considererations, and to understand his views re and moving into any work focused health related interventions that will support him. They say it will last about 30 mins.

I have suggested to him to visit his GP on monday, and while she would already know the reasons why he is under pressure and unfit for work from his conditions, I have told him to leave a letter with her so that everything is in writing and included in his medical records. His illnesses, his ongoing investigations, his pressure from the Social Security Agency. I have also suggested he ask the Dr to complete a questionaire which he will have prepared showing relevent points relating to his problems and ask the GP to complete it just by ticking agree or disagree signing it and he can take this with him to the discussion appointment.

And so his stress continues.

Kathy x