FORM ESA 113 for the GP To Fill In.......

What happens if you have not seen your GP for a while as there is nothing more anyone can do to help you get better.

Hi all.

Well I looked at it this way, my GP seems to be a hard worker but not very good on understanding the mental illness side of incapacity, so I thought it best if I send him a list of what I consider to be day to day problems i face.

That way surely im covered if it has to go to appeal.

If somethings overlooked Ive got a copy and the same sheet is going to my psychiatrist and my psychlogist.

[sentence edited]

So it would seem I tend to disagree with a few here.

Perhaphs you have more experience and can enlighten me further?.

regards A.

Hi Article, I really hope that your GP writes a realistic ESA113 for you!

Best wishes,
Rachel

Hi Article

This is what Atos think of GPs (from page 35 of the WCA handbook).

2.7.2 The Role of the Atos Healthcare HCP

The Atos healthcare HCP will provide advice to the Decision Maker using all their skills as a Disability Analyst. They will review all the evidence on file and provide advice on likely functional implications of any medical evidence provided. The HCP must take into account that the primary role of the GP or hospital doctor is to diagnose and treat any medical conditions that the patient/claimant presents to them. Any information or medical report that the doctor provides to the Department for Work and Pensions in relation to disability benefits is a purely secondary activity to his therapeutic role. A clinician does not routinely consider the functional restrictions or disabling effects of the medical conditions that they treat. They must take into consideration that the clinician may have no specific training in assessing disabilities in their medical education, and may have considerable difficulty in giving an accurate assessment or forming an opinion in relation to the functional restrictions experienced by their patient. In addition clinicians usually have, at best, very limited knowledge of entitlement criteria to ESA through the WCA.

Atos Healthcare practitioners are specifically trained in the assessment of disability. By evaluating the clinical history, the physical examination and informal observations in the light of the claimant's daily activities, the medical disability analyst is able to provide an accurate and consistent assessment of the functional restrictions. This assessment is based on the HCP’s medical training and expertise, and a body of established medical knowledge and opinion. The HCP is able to advise the DM on restrictions arising from the disabling condition(s).

In addition clinicians usually have, at best, very limited knowledge of entitlement criteria to ESA through the WCA.

It doesn't help them when you give one page of guidance, advising to 'fill in the form in the usual way'!!!

Fortunately they don't say what they think of claimants, although you can probably guess.

Regards

Derek

Hi Derek, reading that makes me want to either laugh hysterically or punch the wall....not sure which!

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Hi Derek just read - The Role of the [edit] Healthcare HCP...
I think we should all send a copy of that to our local MP and ask for a public enquiry into how they achevied that standard [edit] and ask who is this invisable body of established medical knowledge and opinion that are higher rank than our own GP`s and consultants AND WHO ARE THE REGULATORS TO THIS BODY OF EXPERTS. I know i for one will be writing to my MP.