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Should there be a courtesy call one day before an assessment
- BIS
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2 years 4 months ago #273134 by BIS
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Should there be a courtesy call one day before an assessment was created by BIS
Hi CNReading
I'm sorry that this happened to you. Thank you for sharing your recording and obvious distress. The assessors do sometimes contact claimants the day before, but I have not heard it called a courtesy call before. It's a poor name if that's the official name for it. Sometimes there is a good reason for them to contact people - but going through security information is not one of them (in my view). I hope you do put in an official complaint because, as you rightly said, there is enough for claimants to cope with without having an extra call. Please do emphasise your autism diagnosis because although the assessor stayed calm when talking to you, she had not idea how to react to your distress. If she had read your notes beforehand, she should have known that the phone call should never have been made.
I hope that you get a satisfactory response and that the assessment itself was better than you anticipated.
BIS
I'm sorry that this happened to you. Thank you for sharing your recording and obvious distress. The assessors do sometimes contact claimants the day before, but I have not heard it called a courtesy call before. It's a poor name if that's the official name for it. Sometimes there is a good reason for them to contact people - but going through security information is not one of them (in my view). I hope you do put in an official complaint because, as you rightly said, there is enough for claimants to cope with without having an extra call. Please do emphasise your autism diagnosis because although the assessor stayed calm when talking to you, she had not idea how to react to your distress. If she had read your notes beforehand, she should have known that the phone call should never have been made.
I hope that you get a satisfactory response and that the assessment itself was better than you anticipated.
BIS
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2 years 4 months ago #273193 by CNReading
Replied by CNReading on topic Should there be a courtesy call one day before an assessment
The consultation lasted 3 hours and 9 minutes. I am not sure how well that went - but I fee that I missed some tuff out even though the assessor frequently was trying to assure me that she had a working knowledge of ADHD and autism.
She told me not to worry about it which isn't very helpful for someone who is affected by intrusive thoughts and perseveration and attention dysregulation. We can't just stop things from occupying our attention and we are too often told not to worry etc or be self absorbed or whatever - although it is symptomatic of the condition so it made me wonder how much a paramedic actually knew about the realities of my condition.
Yet I do worry that the essence was she was trying to dissuade me from providing all the information and facts I have been forced to collect over the last 6+months since notified about the award review.
I hope because I found it exhausting and what happened the previous day that I may not have given enough information about the insomnia, chronic fatigue/burnout affecting mobility component 2 in terms of reliably or repeatedly travelling because of tiredness. 3 hours is a long time for a call and easy to think that I wasn't working up to the assessment. the assessor also said she had knowledge of the event of the call that took place the day before - the courtesy call but not much was stated or committed to.
She told me not to worry about it which isn't very helpful for someone who is affected by intrusive thoughts and perseveration and attention dysregulation. We can't just stop things from occupying our attention and we are too often told not to worry etc or be self absorbed or whatever - although it is symptomatic of the condition so it made me wonder how much a paramedic actually knew about the realities of my condition.
Yet I do worry that the essence was she was trying to dissuade me from providing all the information and facts I have been forced to collect over the last 6+months since notified about the award review.
I hope because I found it exhausting and what happened the previous day that I may not have given enough information about the insomnia, chronic fatigue/burnout affecting mobility component 2 in terms of reliably or repeatedly travelling because of tiredness. 3 hours is a long time for a call and easy to think that I wasn't working up to the assessment. the assessor also said she had knowledge of the event of the call that took place the day before - the courtesy call but not much was stated or committed to.
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2 years 4 months ago #273199 by Gary
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Replied by Gary on topic Should there be a courtesy call one day before an assessment
Hi CNReading
From looking at your previous post I assume the assessment was for PIP, in which case after 48 hours I would contact DWP and ask for a copy of the assessors report called a PA4.
Don't be put off from asking for the report, quite often members are told that they cannot have a copy until a decision has been made, this is not true for PIP.
There is a small window for you to write to the Decision Maker but you will need to be quick, if there are any glaring errors.
When you have the assessment report you will have a better understanding of how the DWP Decision Maker may come to their conclusions and you will now be able to argue against them.
I usually use a highlighter to highlight any inaccuracies, once you have gone through the report you then set out why you are applying for a MR and go through each descriptor one at a time why you disagree with the assessor and try and match it with any supporting documents you may have sent in.
Understand that the assessor is offering an opinion when they say 'in my opinion' you can do the PIP activities, tackling these head-on is unlikely to be successful, you need to show that the basis of that opinion is founded on incorrect information, so try and refer to your evidence to undermine what they have said., remember they are just an opinion which is not based on fact.
Also, try and stick to issues that lead to your scoring points, I often hear members referring to the assessors spelling, as an example, whilst it may show a lack of professionalism, raising it as an issue isn't going to help you get an award.
Your primary task is to show that you meet the criteria, there are many reasons you may have failed, you need to address each of these but don't get bogged down in criticising the assessment report unless you can clearly show that it is incorrect, it is a lot easier to argue the facts of the situation;
Lastly, make sure that you understand the criteria that you are being assessed against you can put the best case forward that is possible but you won't score points if you do not meet the PIP Descriptors.
Gary
From looking at your previous post I assume the assessment was for PIP, in which case after 48 hours I would contact DWP and ask for a copy of the assessors report called a PA4.
Don't be put off from asking for the report, quite often members are told that they cannot have a copy until a decision has been made, this is not true for PIP.
There is a small window for you to write to the Decision Maker but you will need to be quick, if there are any glaring errors.
When you have the assessment report you will have a better understanding of how the DWP Decision Maker may come to their conclusions and you will now be able to argue against them.
I usually use a highlighter to highlight any inaccuracies, once you have gone through the report you then set out why you are applying for a MR and go through each descriptor one at a time why you disagree with the assessor and try and match it with any supporting documents you may have sent in.
Understand that the assessor is offering an opinion when they say 'in my opinion' you can do the PIP activities, tackling these head-on is unlikely to be successful, you need to show that the basis of that opinion is founded on incorrect information, so try and refer to your evidence to undermine what they have said., remember they are just an opinion which is not based on fact.
Also, try and stick to issues that lead to your scoring points, I often hear members referring to the assessors spelling, as an example, whilst it may show a lack of professionalism, raising it as an issue isn't going to help you get an award.
Your primary task is to show that you meet the criteria, there are many reasons you may have failed, you need to address each of these but don't get bogged down in criticising the assessment report unless you can clearly show that it is incorrect, it is a lot easier to argue the facts of the situation;
Lastly, make sure that you understand the criteria that you are being assessed against you can put the best case forward that is possible but you won't score points if you do not meet the PIP Descriptors.
Gary
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2 years 4 months ago #273377 by CNReading
Replied by CNReading on topic Should there be a courtesy call one day before an assessment
I got a call from the DWP yesterday - Weds and I only asked on Monday for the assessor report like you said.
So I have been conditioned to be pessimistic and be untrusting of the truth and feel uneasy and yet the DWP person initialled JB - was decision maker asking me if I would be anxious about the backdated payment they are going to send me - because they have upped my award for 7 years to enhanced mobility and care -
I felt quite strange because I misheard and thought that they were calling about my complaint and it is easy to confuse pip claim with complaint - I had to listen to the recording of the call I made over and over again because it made me feel very anxious afterwards because I wasn't focussed on the good news they gave me but more on the pain and suffering I Felt cause to complain about that unbalanced me last week when they called me the day before the assessment when I was unexacting that and not in any state to want to speak to them.
I was definitely sure I hadn't misheard them and that they were calling me about my complaint about what atos did in their courtesy call and I was spending much of the afternoon and evening and didn't get to bed until 3-4am because I was stressed that they were upping my award and pretending my complaint was not on their system and I did mention it and was sure that they said they were calling about "my complaint" rather than "pip claim" even my carer thought he heard it said that way - I had to listen to the recording several times and even in slow motion to be sure that some sort of bribery wasn't going on here - I had to listen carefully because it was worrying me and I need to know if there was a "t: pronounced in that recording or not and that there was no effort to cover up or divert me from what happened to distress me last week.
So the award is good news that I am waiting to have in writing before I believe it because I have trouble with accepting the truth and that there are no tricks and manipulations going on. I will have to thank you for taking the effort and time to apply yourself to my questions and queries. It would be nicer to have a longer award than 7 years and I told that to the decision maker because I find a six month award review process I have just been through very draining, disruptive and distracting from my other activities and into the management I need to focus on dealing with my conditions - and I needed the Decision Maker to understand that I am on a waiting list for ADHD and that could co-incide with an award review and how that could really seriously disrupt my situation and the attention and carefulness I need to bring to looking after myself if I have to follow a treatment regime for ADHD around that time - I need to watch myself and be very vigilant and careful especially since being on medication for HIV and hyperlipideamia has has significant impact on my lungs and rhabdomyolysis which was not followed properly by professionals that breached their own guidelines and duty of care - this means I have to work harder and with communication deficits against which it is difficult to communicate and understand and perceive with autism the effects of treatment that could be injurious as my sensory overload can in itself conceal the experience of reality and make it difficult to discern in the range of experiences what is happening.
I got to thank you for your time and I extend my thanks to Benefits and Work for providing the updates and information that it does for people like me as it does help to have a reassuring resource and to feel that someone empathises and understands our conditions and looks to uphold our rights against brutal uncompromising intolerance and attitudes against the very cost and existence of sick and disabled which is a cruelty too far and too inhumane, unkind.
So I have been conditioned to be pessimistic and be untrusting of the truth and feel uneasy and yet the DWP person initialled JB - was decision maker asking me if I would be anxious about the backdated payment they are going to send me - because they have upped my award for 7 years to enhanced mobility and care -
I felt quite strange because I misheard and thought that they were calling about my complaint and it is easy to confuse pip claim with complaint - I had to listen to the recording of the call I made over and over again because it made me feel very anxious afterwards because I wasn't focussed on the good news they gave me but more on the pain and suffering I Felt cause to complain about that unbalanced me last week when they called me the day before the assessment when I was unexacting that and not in any state to want to speak to them.
I was definitely sure I hadn't misheard them and that they were calling me about my complaint about what atos did in their courtesy call and I was spending much of the afternoon and evening and didn't get to bed until 3-4am because I was stressed that they were upping my award and pretending my complaint was not on their system and I did mention it and was sure that they said they were calling about "my complaint" rather than "pip claim" even my carer thought he heard it said that way - I had to listen to the recording several times and even in slow motion to be sure that some sort of bribery wasn't going on here - I had to listen carefully because it was worrying me and I need to know if there was a "t: pronounced in that recording or not and that there was no effort to cover up or divert me from what happened to distress me last week.
So the award is good news that I am waiting to have in writing before I believe it because I have trouble with accepting the truth and that there are no tricks and manipulations going on. I will have to thank you for taking the effort and time to apply yourself to my questions and queries. It would be nicer to have a longer award than 7 years and I told that to the decision maker because I find a six month award review process I have just been through very draining, disruptive and distracting from my other activities and into the management I need to focus on dealing with my conditions - and I needed the Decision Maker to understand that I am on a waiting list for ADHD and that could co-incide with an award review and how that could really seriously disrupt my situation and the attention and carefulness I need to bring to looking after myself if I have to follow a treatment regime for ADHD around that time - I need to watch myself and be very vigilant and careful especially since being on medication for HIV and hyperlipideamia has has significant impact on my lungs and rhabdomyolysis which was not followed properly by professionals that breached their own guidelines and duty of care - this means I have to work harder and with communication deficits against which it is difficult to communicate and understand and perceive with autism the effects of treatment that could be injurious as my sensory overload can in itself conceal the experience of reality and make it difficult to discern in the range of experiences what is happening.
I got to thank you for your time and I extend my thanks to Benefits and Work for providing the updates and information that it does for people like me as it does help to have a reassuring resource and to feel that someone empathises and understands our conditions and looks to uphold our rights against brutal uncompromising intolerance and attitudes against the very cost and existence of sick and disabled which is a cruelty too far and too inhumane, unkind.
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2 years 4 months ago #273385 by BIS
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Replied by BIS on topic Should there be a courtesy call one day before an assessment
Hi CNReading
I won't say congratulations on your award because I know you want it in writing, and I understand that, but I congratulate you for getting through the process after what happened. That was a very long assessment - but it seems the assessor gave you a lot of time to explain your difficulties. Hope you soon get the letter,
BIS
I won't say congratulations on your award because I know you want it in writing, and I understand that, but I congratulate you for getting through the process after what happened. That was a very long assessment - but it seems the assessor gave you a lot of time to explain your difficulties. Hope you soon get the letter,
BIS
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