ib medical

kathleen wrote:

Hi,
just wondering if anyone has heard that medicals for ib have been suspended for now because of the change over to esa is it different depending on where you live, Im from N. Ireland.

my gp wrote unable to work indefinately on my med 4 could this excuse me from being sent for a medical

I am not aware of any IB medicals actually being suspended. In certain areas there is a huge backlog as both ATOS and the DWP try to cope with hitting the time limits for ESA medicals which has a knock on effect with IB medicals (The Personal Capability Assessment - PCA).

Unless you are exempt the PCA (details below), your GP writing on the Med 4 would probably make no difference.

People who are exempt from the Personal Capability Assessment

The following are exempt:

* people receiving Disability Living Allowance - higher rate care
* people who are terminally ill with a progressive disease
* people who are registered blind
* people with a Disablement Benefit of 80 per cent or more
* pregnant women within six weeks of confinement
* pregnant women where there is a serious risk to her or her child
* people receiving in-patient treatment in hospital
* welfare to work beneficiaries
* exemption on "specified medical condition"

The only way to find out the current 'status' of your claim is to contact the BDC dealing with your claim, although as I have previously said, some claimants are quite happy with the current 'status quo' and as they are continuing to receive IB/IS they will await ATOS/DWP contacting them.

Pete

Hi,
Just very anxious waiting everyday for the letter.
I had been for a medical in February as I was on esa failed the medical getting just 6 points appealed then got a letter to tell me I should not be on esa should be claiming incapacity benefit so I changed have filled in forms with my doctor plus a PCA and forwarded a med4 as well. The medical was unpleasent the doctor said some things on the report that were untrue . Dreading going through it all again

Hi Kathleen.

I really feel for you. It is dreadful that people with all sorts of health conditions are being made to live in fear of the assessment process.

Feeling constantly threatened can only worsen our health and sense of wellbeing - we really should be allowed to be ill in peace.

The government should have concentrated their resources on introducing more support and flexible range of opportunities open to people with disabilities in accessing employment, whilst maintaining existing benefits without the threat of conditions and sanctions. Their whole approach is totally counter-productive, particularly at a time when there is so much competition for jobs.

The system does seem to be in a state of chaos so I would try and switch off from worrying about your next review as much as you can, but would make sure your GP understands how badly the uncertainty and delays are effecting you.

Your local Citizens Advice Bureau should have a good idea of what is happening with reviews at a local level and may be able to offer you some support, whilst feeding your concerns into their policy work on welfare reform issues.