Today's telephone assessment as an appointee

Well I am completely drained, it took two and a half hours and I am only the appointee with no needs myself.
A tricky start as they were insistent that they needed to speak to d to confirm that I could speak for her. I pointed out that they have a report detailing situational mutism so they are aware d isn't able to speak on the phone. Then they wanted to be able to confirm that she was here for safeguarding purposes. I asked her to detail what safeguarding concerns she had about D and how knowing she was in the same room as me would alleviate them. Obviously couldn't answer that so I said if you have safeguarding concerns then you must inform social care and I don't have a problem with that.
I explained how d was hiding in her room because she knows about the assessment and me speaking on the phone is equally as difficult for her as if a stranger was in the same room. Detailed again how DWP and CHADA haven't needed to hear or see d for anything and were satisfied that I was her appointee. She said I need to check with my supervisor that I can go ahead. I said no problem knowing full well she was at home because the receptionist told me Monday. She didn't even go to the pretence of asking a supervisor and the assessment started.
It was pretty much as expected as per the PIP guides.She seemed to have read the evidence at least. She was a mental health nurse but didn't seem to understand the state of MH services in the UK as she wanted to know why adult mental health services didn't take over after CAMHS with a psychiatrist visiting D at home fortnightly as they did. Explained about lockdown and and MH services here and that I had had to go to Tribunal to get education to fund the SALT and OT purely because the NHS don't have the services available. Likewise Education fund the PA which is a social care provision because services in social care are so stretched and I could use Tribunal to force education to make provision but I can't force the NHS or Social Care.
Will wait the 48 hours and ask for the report. No idea whether to be optimistic or not though.

Well done Donna, keeping everything crossed for you and your daughter, I sincerely hope that you have a successful outcome x

Hi Donna
After a shaky start it seems that it wasn't too bad an experience, and I'm glad she had read the evidence - I was utterly convinced from the off that our assessor had not read our evidence at all.
Everything crossed for you for a successful outcome...keep us updated!

Thank you for posting. I hope you get a good outcome. Please let us know. It simply is not good enough that a MH nurse feigns not to know about the state of available services and the changes from child to adult MH.

I have a very similar situation here with my daughter. I have been waiting many months to hear back from them since I submitted her PIP review form. As her Appointee I feel very apprehensive about the liklihood of a phone assessment. Phone is preferable to attending face to face though. It is the length that worries me because I have my own difficulties with concentration and memory recall when put on the spot. I feel I will let her down. In the past when I did not have these issues I felt confident advocating for her and did it well. I can only do my best. Telling us about your responses to their questions really helps and I have made a note of them in case they do they same to me.

I will tell them about my issues so that it is on the record, then if I do a bad job I can raise it at the mandatory reconsideration. Would they stop me being an Appointee because of this? Surely not, because in day to day life I do my duties as Appointee.