ESA I'm so fed up

woodbon

Hello,
I've just had another letter from the Pathways to Work people, they wanted me to go for appointment on 3rd November to discuss returning to work. I had only been last week and they offered me the choice of going to a local town for future appointments, as its 40 mile round trip to their offices and I can't drive that far.

They found my records and discovered that I had been before. I got cross and upset and said that the last time I went I had been ill afterwards with my neck and back, and in so much pain, I told them they could keep their money, if I had to go there, my husband teaches and can't get time off just like that in term time. In the end, as I have'nt had a medical yet they agreed it was unfair and they would defer it for 2 months. I feel so fed up with the system, it seems that the medical staff who look after me, my GP, the spinal physio and pain clinic doc the Rheumotologist, their opinions count for nothing, its the office staff at the dwp who know better what I can do.

I know I'm lucky, because I am able to do a lot more than a some of the people here and I know of the bad experiences some of you have had.

Today until I opened the letter, was a good day, I felt happy and had hovered the foors and been to the little town and bought myself a TENS machine on offer at half price. Now I feel worthless and weepy - I just feel so fed up. Why should ill people be made to feel like cheats and liers. What has happened to compassion and care for sick people. I'm sorry to moan on but I feel so alone I'll stop now because I can't see the screen. Love Sue

dachshund

Hi Sue.
Would your doc write to them and tell them you are not ready to work yet as you are still in pain. i hope it can be worked out for you.
joan xx

frogmorton

Oh Sue
Please don't be upset
I hope you can see the screen now.
Once you have had your medical they will see what you can and can't do.
Unfair for you as today you had been happy.
Well done for the hoovering and getting your bargain tens. I hope it helps and that you've given it a try today.
You mustn't let them make yoyu feel like a scrounger - that is just not true and really it's because they ARE non-experts that they make such gaffs.
You take care and look after yourself.
Hope the weekend is good for you
Love
Toni xx

woodbon

Hello
Thanks for the replies, I do feel better now, it was a shock, not that I had to go and see them again, but they had totally disregarded all the things they said they would do, the lack of records and until I discribed the room they wroked in, down the the colour of the advisors hair and her approx. age. When I said I was signed off and having treatment, they said that it wasn't up to the doctors, 5 departments in all that I see, but their rules, I felt that the world had gone mad!

Oh well, I stuck to my position and they had to agree that as I havn't had their medical yet or filled any forms, (which I have to have before they will be able to decide) it was silly to see me. I know I have to jump through the same hoops as everone, but please get the information right! Sorry for the long moan!!! :oops:
Love Sue

noeltone

Hi sue expose them for the incompetent peeps that they are and get your story in the local press and point out that they this dept know better then the medical experts the whole thing is crazy and so ill organised aske to take someone with you my sister is???

woodbon

Hi, nice to hear from you! Yes, I'll take someone with me if possible, hopefully my husband, but its not that easy for him. I'd like to show them up, but I don't think I have the bottle! :shock:

What really gets me is what a shocking waste of money - especially if I'd taken them up on the offer of a paid taxi! Its such a long way, to be honest, even when I was well I don't think I would have found the place as its on a complicated one-way system with quite a bit of city centre traffic. The other side of the city to us as well! Take care, Love Sue

tkachev

This is the rubbish that quite a few on this forum are having to deal with.The world has indeed gone mad.

Take care Tkachev

haagan

Hi Sue
Sorry you too are having problems with ESA even before you have your medical. I'm currently taking them to tribunal, just awaiting a date. I have been to Pathways to work interviews twice now once at jobcentre and then with agency at both of those they said there was no way I was fit for work shame ESA think otherwise. they were both ten minute bus ride away so I don't understand why when there is one a lot closer to home that you weren't sent there. Whole system is bonkers. Stand your ground your health is more important than petty rules and poor admin. Fay

joyful164

Hi Sue

But, of course these ESA personnel are the experts, surely you have to understand that, their word is law and **** the doctors what do they know
It's the same as for DLA. They don't want to be made to change their minds, it's more or less being undermined in their opinion.
They seem to treat everyone as m-r-n-s. shirkers etc.
Not you though. Most times we like to have our OH with us, because for me, mine is my carer and he likes to know what's what.
In your situation, with your OH in teaching it's understandable why he can't take time off and the ESA staff should know that but no, they obviously think they are GOD.
Anyway, I've only reiterated your moan and a jolly good one.
I do hope you hve managed to de-stress abit by now and it is all sorting itself out. We are always having these things thrown at us when we don't need them. I always believe that a moan to your MP never fails.
Have a good weekend
joy

skezier

Hi Sue,

Sorry you are having all this grief and hope you are feeling a bit better about if all today? I think you do have to fight it through though I also understand why you told them to forget it. I know how hard a low income is ad don't like others to have it. Its wrong you have to fight but I really think you must if that's what they make you do. Good luck and all this before the medical :shock: Don't let it get to you I think that's part of how they get people to go away. Luv Cris x

Good luck to you Fay, I really hope they will change the present system one day.

woodbon

Hi I'm feeling a lot better now, thank you. Who wouldn't with all the support I've had from so many people. Its something I expected to happen, afterall I applied for benefit in June, so its taken them long enough!

I think the shock was partly due to feeling we'd sorted everything out, where the interview would take place and I thought it was all written down, but they claim no record on the computer.

I will be firm, but it does make something that should be just a matter of checking medical records and explaining what help is available, into a stressful confruntaion. I'm sure they think everyone but people in wheel-chairs and obviously very ill, are fraudulant. Sorry to go on, I am better, really and will stop moaning! :roll: Have a good week-end, love Sue

skezier

Hi Sue,

I am glad your feeling a bit better today, hope you have some sun up there? I find it always helps with me Your right it should be down to your medical history, in the old days hey used to send me for medicals but thy didn't make so much grief about it all and that was bad enough. I really hope they do what is right by you this time. A ((( ))) and thank you from a coward who wont even apply for going through all this. It sort of gives me the guts to at least think about it. Luv Cris x

woodbon

Hi Chris, You'r no coward! We've no sun yet, its promised for latter.
Love Sue

sharmaine

Hi
I had the opposite experience from you. The pathways people were quite good - not pushy. I made sure I told them that I had been signed off by my GP and their medical examiner for a year. I went through all the hoops and job related interviews but they could clearly see that I can hardly walk. I think you have to be really assertive with them. I had to go for about 5-6 interviews. I always take my paper work and ensure they take copies. I've now had all my interviews and to be honest I haven't got a clue what happens after I have my first TKR. They just said that was it they didn't need to see me anymore.

I wondered if we would have to go through another medical after the year was up? Both my knees need replacing (one will be done this year , I hope and the next one later on.

It is frustrating when people don't listen or read your notes.

Sharmaine

kathbee

HI Sue

So sorry to hear about the problems you are having
with these beaurocratic twerps.

Same with DLA,
my view is they keep messing up,
turning claimants down etc. just so that they can keep
these decision makers in jobs.

Wouldnt wish OA and RA on anyone but would just like
to see some of them cope the way we do.

How would they like to try to go around each day with
cement boots and a tonne sack of spuds on their backs.

You really had your day spoilt, hope they are happy
with what grief they put vulnerable people through.


Hope you are feeling much better and a little stonger now.

Love Kath

tkachev

pixie
John (Handsy)had a six month note signing him off work too.They seem to think they are better trained to assess you for work than the GP who has spent 7 years in training.
I think we are going down the route of everybody is able to do something even if they have pain doing it and even if they are suffering at the time which, in a so called civilised society, is worrying!
The autistic societies are complaining about it all too for various reasons.Mostly because the staff wont talk to their carers direct and the whole process can be frightening and overwhelming for many on the autistic spectrum,with vast communication difficulties.
Tkachev

woodbon

Hi, I've read through the rules and they are supposed to give you a medical within the first 13 weeks - I claimed on the 18th of June. I fully expected to be sent the forms and given a date for the medical, even if I had to wait, but they did nothing. They are not medically trained, and will have no idea about conditions and what a person is supposed to do. I have a six month sick note. My GP wanted to make it ongoing, but I said I wanted to go to work and making it indeffinate has a physcological effet. She agreed, but said any work would best be voluntory so I could choose when I'd go in and how long I'd stay, and have bad days off.

I am feeling better and more positive now. I think it was caused by being able to do things and getting out of the house, then coming home to a letter totally ignoring what had been decided on a few weeks ago. :roll:
Thanks for all the support and good wishes, love Sue

Hi Pixi
It must be a very hard time for autistic people, or anyone who has a similar problem. Understanding, with autistic people is a more literal basis than most people. My husband tells my stories (with no names at all) about experieces at school, as a simple slip of the tonge or the use of a simple phrase in taking, can mean an autistic person will go away with a mixed up version of what they are supposed to do! They do have support staff in school who explain things and help them understand, which is good and takes pressurbut when it comes to these work related forms I do hope they have Support Workers to help them, although
thats something thats being cut back, in our area anyway.
e of teachers, especially in the lab with Chemistry lessons! :roll: :shock: Lots of love Sue

tkachev

Whoops sorry Sue!
It is me with the autistic children and Iwas just talking to Pixie about the way she is being treated at the ESR and it is the same with autistic people.My children are too young to have to deal with all this at the moment but I know people who have children who never go out alone and they are being told to turn up at interveiws and talk to the advisors alone.Absolute madness.
Take care Sue.
Tkachev

woodbon

hi Tkachev & Pixie,
Sorry for the mistake, but it is hard for any perents, especially those whos children need help which is not part of the normal run of the mill childhood problems. I have a close friend, whos daughter sadly has ceribal palsy, which is just about as bad as could be. When she was a school aged child, the educaton system managed to give her a degree help and assist her Mum so that she could have 1 day a week to do things with her other daughter and rest etc. Now her daughter is 19 and no longer comes under the school umbrella, social services don't seem to have any thing at all to offer her and if it wasn't for her old school breaking the rules, she would be at home 24/7. At least one brave head teacher is willing to help by having her for 1 day a week.

So, I hope that everyone who needs help with an ill child should have as much assitance as possible. For everyone's sake. Son anyone who is dealing with a disabled child, I hope you get as much help as possible. Love Sue

ritwren

I'm just catching up on posts now and so sorry to hear you've been having such a frustrating time with the ESA. I simply cannot understand why they can't take the word of GP's and Consultants and other Doctors. It's crazy and I know what you mean and crying with the frustration of it all. I do hope it all works out for you and at least you know folk here care about you and wish you all the best.
rita