Medical Assessment Anxiety

[Quiet-Lift]

Hi everyone

I'm worried. I've been asked to contact a company called Medical Services in order to arrange an appointment for a medical assessment in relation to my claim for Incapacity Benefit.

I completed an Incapacity For Work Questionaire about 6 months ago and thought nothing more of it.

I claim Incapacity Benefit for Mental Health reasons (Depression/Anxiety/Agoraphobia) and am naturally concerned that any decision made on the basis of this assessment would not go in my favour, and I would lose some or all of my benefit.

I had a previous assessment about 5 years ago. My consultant arranged for it to be held in my home. I remember feeling very stressed at the time and foolishly took a small cocktail of prescribed meds which left me feeling extremely ill.
The Doctor who came to see me was OK and the assessment obviously went well because no changes were made to my level of benefits.
However , I have a new consultant now and don't know if he would be willing to make a similar arrangement. I've only seen him once.

Has anyone had any dealings with Medical Services? I would welcome any constructive feedback or advice.

Best wishes

[Rachel424]

Hi there,

I had to have a medical assessment by Medical Services a couple of years ago and I got extremely anxious about it, but it was absolutely fine. All you need to do is explain how your anxiety makes it impossible for you to work right now. Try and explain in as must detail your symptoms, and show the doctor the medication that you are on - you need to actually take along the boxes with the prescription lables. Also you can have a friend or relative with you to help speak on your behalf if your are too anxious. I know it is very stressful, but it is just a bureaucratic procedure, and all the doctor will do is fill in a simple assessment form, and probably say you need to come back again in a few years. Good luck!

[Keeway]

I've recently been for a medical assessment for Employers support allowance (ESA), which is the new benefit instead of incapacity benefit. I suggest that you have a look at the following website - I wish I'd have found it before I had the assessment, as I am having to appeal now!

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk

There's a lot of free information on there and the is a forum just like this one. I became a member for £18.55, as the information for an appeal for ESA was in the members only section. I feel that it was worth the money.

It's got a lot of good information on there, especially what the DWP appear to be looking for at assessments.

Good luck

Teresa x

[Quiet-Lift]

Hi Rachel And Teresa

Thankyou for replying.

Rachel, I don't have any suitable friends or relatives who would speak on my behalf, but I do appreciate your advice about Medication and explaining symptoms in more detail.

I may be able to get some help from a team member at my local CMHT who can contact my previous Consultant. He may be willing to liase with Medical Services on my behalf.

Teresa - I already have the information about the Benefits and Work website but thanks for posting it anyway.
Sorry you have to go through the wretched appeals process but I hope it helps you with this. Good luck anyway.

I have to say I am a bit sceptical about websites like these which ask for money. There's no guarantee that the information they offer will provide a successful outcome. I can't help wondering if such sites are simply cashing in on claimant's fears and the harsher requirements which new claimant's may face.
Maybe I'm being a bit naive, but I'd like to believe that a genuinely honest and open approach about one's symptoms and difficulties is better than trying to second guess what the DWP might be looking for. I'm not implying that you or anyone else is being dishonest of course ( no more than I might be perceived as being by a Doctor), and I know how difficult it can be to communicate unpleasant feelings like depression and anxiety in purely verbal terms within an 'assessment' setting.

Any other views on this? I'm not sure what to believe.

Best wishes to you both

[Keeway]

Hi Quiet Lift

It's not about being dishonest it's more about saying what you aren't specifically asked, and hidden meanings to the assessment questions e.g someone who has a problem sitting for a long time, the assessor is likely to ask if they watch television. If they say yes the assessor will go onto what type of thing they watch like films. If they say they watch films and don't say any more they will score 0 points because the assessor deems that a film lasts on average 90 minutes, which in their mind the person they're assessing can sit for 90 minutes without moving.

They don't try to 2nd guess the DWP, they have aquired information under the Freedom of information act (I think that's what it's called). My hubby works for the DWP on the state pension side, but he came across the forms used and filled one in from what he knows of me, by using the options available to the DWP, and my score has gone from 0 points to 27. I told the truth but it seems that I didn't ad lib enough.

Good luck with your assesment. Let us know how you get on. I'm pretty sure they'll have to arrange something at your home if you can't get out.

Teresa xx

[sheena]

I filled in the IB 50 form. I also asked, and got, a letter from my GP stating that as I had agoraphobia I would be unable to attend for a medical.

This letter helped as I got a letter back saying that I did not have to attend a medical and would continue to received my benefit.

Would your doctor write a letter for you? It is worth asking him.

[Quiet-Lift]

Hi Teresa and Sheena

Teresa - Thanks for replying to my response about the Medical Assessment hanging over my head.

They don't try to 2nd guess the DWP, they have aquired information under the Freedom of information act (I think that's what it's called).

I'm a bit confused about this. Could you clarify if possible?

Do you mean that it's Medical Services who don't try to second guess the DWP?
Do you know what kind of information they can aquire and where they get it from?
I'd always believed that the Freedom Of Information act was for the benefit of ordinary citizens who wanted to find out about information held on them by Government Agencies and not the other way around.

Maybe I'm just being naive again. Hope you can excuse this. I've become a bit more paranoid than usual after receiving the initial letter from Medical Services.

It must be helpful having a husband who works on the 'inside!' Lucky you.

Sheena - I have managed to get in touch with someone at my local CMHT who is in contact with my previous Consultant. He has agreed to write a letter on my behalf. I don't know if this will grant me the kind of reprieve which you got, but I remain hopeful.

Sorry for my delay in replying to your posts.

Best wishes

[mandie]

Hi

I went for one of these medicals about 4 weeks ago. It was because i am on esa.

I have since had to appeal because they wrote and told me i didnt get enough points so failed the medical

The dr saw me for about 15 mins, has never met me before, knows nothing about my condition, and the failed me :(

Now i got the stress of appealing.

mandie x

[Keeway]

Hi Quiet-Lift

Sorry I'm unable to answer your questions. If you look at the website I gave and get onto their forum perhaps they may be able to answer you. I think it's a good website and has helped me so fare with the appeal

Mandie

I'm in the same situation as you and have appealed. I got my MP involved too & she's now going to look a bit more into the numbers failing etc

Teresa x

[bcr]

I've not been through anything with Medical Services of this but just wanted to say good luck with it all.

I find it really difficult with any kind of assessment for mental health conditions, I once had a doctor who wrote in notes to be passed to my Occupational Health at my old job that I had mild anxiety and low moods, after two suicide attempts. It has taken me eight years to be recognised as having depression and look at options for the care I might be entitled to and need from the Mental Health Team.

It's hard to get the balance between being assertive and telling them what's going on exactly so you get treated appropriately, or being perceived to be so assertive and able to speak about what's happening that you can't be as ill as you say you are.

In the job I'd been in for just over 6 months I had an Occupational Health appointment around 5 months where I was basically told I shouldn't take time off for a few months otherwise my job might be in jeopardy (bearing in mind that I haven't ONCE taken time off for my depression/anxiety since I started but have been unfortunate enough to have an accident at work and a nasty viral infection that lasted about a month but I only took 8 days off work for)

I am very cynical of anyone who hasn't experienced mental health issues and is given a job of assessing them as I don't believe most understand or comprehend the realities of it. Also I don't trust any government department as far as I could throw them. There is so much pressure to meet targets and cover your own back that decisions are often not made on common sense.

I really do hope it goes ok. Assert yourself and tell them exactly why you can't work. It should all be fine, however if it isn't ok then fight the decision. Don't think that the problem is *you* or that you aren't entitled. The problem is the bureaucratic government department charged with making these decisions.