Esa medicle on friday

Hello

i have an esa medicle on friday, i had one 2 years ago, and i wasnt happy with how it went although i scored enough points to qualify.

My main worry is being examined, climbing up onto the table/bed thing is very difficult and causes me alot of pain.

I feel within my right to kindly refuse doing this, but im worried if i do refuse this will be used against me. last time i went ahead and got onto the table, which caused me alot of pain and left me feeling fatigued for sometime afterwards.

You can refuse to climb up onto the couch, but if you do so, I recommend that you explain clearly why you are doing so. I think that you should consider whether it may harm you if you climb up onto the couch. Is there any risk that the extreme pain could cause you to lose your balance? Getting through the medical is important, but so is your health and safety.

hi Jox,

I had mine last week (and like you previously), I got on the couch with much difficulty and pain. May I suggest you say you are not able to get on
un-assisted & ask for Dr's help to get on if he/she insists. I would not cause myself unnecessary harm just to comply again. Good luck for Friday.
Chills

Hi, when I am sent for my medical and asked to get on the couch/bed I am going to ask if it can be lowered and if the answer is no I will then say I cannot get on it and take it from there, I am actually under 5ft tall so without my health problems that is a disability in itself! In your position I would say sorry but I cannot do it because of the pain I suffer in that way you are not refusing to do it as such.

If they are unable to lower the couch I would ask for a set of low-rise steps - any such workplace should have them, to comply with equality laws - my doctors have them in their surgery, which are suitable and so should Atos, two or three steps up make things a lot easier. I would not want the Atos doctor lifting me on in case he/she hurt me or did some damage.
I am only 5 ft tall and have degenerative spinal arthritic problems (plus several other health issues)which impact on arms and legs and today I could not get up on the bed in the operating theatre for a steroid injections procedure at my local hospital. One nurse was going to rush off and get some safe steps, but the consultant let me have it done sitting forward in a chair after all. They were most helpful and I guess we can't expect that at Atos, but my feeling is, Atos make us struggle to get up there, as they know we are scared of them noting 'refused to comply' and if we do manage it, albeit with pain, they feel justified in ticking the box to say we can do it OK (I just can't do it as something in my waist and lower back just lock, my left leg goes weird and I am then stuck like this for about three weeks afterwards!)
I feel for you,stick to your guns, but stress why you can't do it for health reasons and fear of further damage.... and the best of luck to you

Isn't one of the questions about being able to go up two steps? They could be using that to check if you can use steps. Just a thought, I may be being paranoid, but it wouldn't surprise me if they didn't use this as a way of checking without seeming to.