ESA Medical Assessment

On Monday I had to attend my ESA medical assessment. I suffer from ME/CFS, Fibromalgia, Epilespy, a heart condition, severe depression and have anxiety and panic attacks. My husband came with me. First of all we had to wait over half an hour for our appointment in a hot waiting room. I was already exhausted when we went there but listening to a drunken customer swearing in a hot room didn't help me. We went in to see the 'registered nurse' who I found to be quite rude. She asked questions but never let me finish or explain properly before she was speaking over me with her next question. She repeatedly asked me 'why was I in pain' when I told her I couldn't do certain things. She said that my answers on the 'mental issues' (I had ticked several boxes, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, cannot cope with stress, get upset easily, which are all true and I am receiving medication from my GP for them) made me sound like a vegetable and I obviously wasn't. She said that I had ticked so many boxes she expected to find me in a coma! I ticked the boxes that were true and I was really upset by her comment. When my husband tried to help me, as by this time I was upset, exhausted and a nervous wreck) she told him basically to 'butt out'. She didn't ask me anything about my heart condition, she kept on trying to put words in my mouth. She asked me to get on this really high couch. My husband had to ask her to get me a step as there was no way I could get on it. She asked why. She kept on asking me to do things that I couldn't do and when I said I couldn't because it was too painful she kept on saying 'why' and asked me to try harder!! When we first went into her office she told us they were running late and we were the last appointment of the day and it wouldn't take long and it didn't. All the relevant things she didn't seem to ask. They don't even seem to realise that due to having been kept waiting over half an hour that in itself left me exhausted. All the things she asked me to do plus the interrogation has an impact the day after. My joints were painful, my back was painful and I was so exhausted I slept all day. Don't they realise we don't want to be ill? I had a fabulous job which I loved until it came to a point where my employers (who had been brilliant) couldn't make any more adjustments for time off and illness etc and we left on a mutual agreement. I would love to work but can't guarantee from one hour to the next how I will be. A good day for me is another person's worst day and I'm sure there are many others like that. I joined your site after I had already filled my form in. I wish I had seen it before but as I'm almost sure I will have to appeal you will be a tremendous help. Sorry to go on but I am just so upset by the whole thing.

You could always make a formal complaint to Atos about the conduct of the medical assessment, but it may be beneficial to await the outcome of the assessment before you decide to take any further action, if required?

Thank you for your reply. I will await the outcome but depending on that will put a complaint in. Just to be treated decent surely isn't asking too much.

Hi marie, I would wait the outcome then make a complaint. The way things are going and the number of people they want off Incap Ben /ESA, and DLA, we could be getting examined in the streets outside the medical centres soon. Best Wishes

That sounds disgraceful, marie, I'm sorry to hear that you had to go through that. While I agree that it might be better to wait for the outcome before submitting it, you might like to write your complaint now. If/when you get the right decision from the DWP, it can be difficult to find the energy to start making a complaint, as you tend to want to just forget about the whole thing.

I kind of regret not making a complaint last year, but when I'd got my award I just wanted to move on with my life as quickly as possible and couldn't face it. If I'm screwed over again this year I think I'll channel the impotent rage I feel at the time to get it done, then send it as soon as seems appropriate.

Depending on how you feel, you might find it cathartic.

I hope you're recovering a little now.

It's really appalling that people are humiliated in this way, especially when the amounts of money per average benefit are paltry in comparison to, say, an MP's expenses.