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[Politics] Centre for health & disability assessment



HOFNSKIN

Active member
Feb 12, 2012
222
CENTRE FOR HEALTH & DISABILITY ASSESSMENT, MEDWYN HOUSE, MOUNTFIELD ROAD, LEWES , BN72XR.

Have any members ever had any dealings with this organisation, and what was the outcome?.
 


atomised

Well-known member
Mar 21, 2013
5,107
Had to take my partner there last year. Battled through the assessment somehow and eventually got a positive decision that for once was based on common sense.
 


Nitram

Well-known member
Jul 16, 2013
2,178
Yes had to support someone twice. First time about three years ago reasonably straight forward second time absolute nightmare as they obviously have instructions to fail as many as possible. Go prepared, have a letter from your GP in support of condition, which you may have to pay for. Be ready to challenge, and be prepared to appeal. Possability People in Montague House are a good source of information. The last time the assessor just ignored the GP's letter! It was approved but was a very unsettling and undignified process.
 


atomised

Well-known member
Mar 21, 2013
5,107
Yes had to support someone twice. First time about three years ago reasonably straight forward second time absolute nightmare as they obviously have instructions to fail as many as possible. Go prepared, have a letter from your GP in support of condition, which you may have to pay for. Be ready to challenge, and be prepared to appeal. Possability People in Montague House are a good source of information. The last time the assessor just ignored the GP's letter! It was approved but was a very unsettling and undignified process.

That has it in a nutshell. The assessors seem to be trained to trip you up constantly. It can be a humiliating experience as it was the previous time my partner was assessed in Brighton by ATOS. Second time around last year in Lewes she benefitted from sitting in the waiting room and the assessment itself having almost constant seizures. It still made it feel like a cruel process to put someone through suffering
 


Nitram

Well-known member
Jul 16, 2013
2,178
That has it in a nutshell. The assessors seem to be trained to trip you up constantly. It can be a humiliating experience as it was the previous time my partner was assessed in Brighton by ATOS. Second time around last year in Lewes she benefitted from sitting in the waiting room and the assessment itself having almost constant seizures. It still made it feel like a cruel process to put someone through suffering
I've had twenty years working with vulnerable adults, now retired, and was shocked by the process. Not once was consideration made to principles of dignity and respect, the person being assessed was treated as a liar who had to prove their condition. No allowance was made for the person's illness or mental capacity to answer the questions which are often quick fire and meant to confuse. A competent advocate is definitely a must in these situations. It's very intimidating.
 








Nitram

Well-known member
Jul 16, 2013
2,178
The other important thing to remember is the principle of always taking the worst day scenario not the best. Don't get soft soaped into playing the situation down. The worst scenario is also the basis for their assessments, not that they will tell you this.
 






Nitram

Well-known member
Jul 16, 2013
2,178
Christ, it sounds like something the Nazis dreamt up in the 1930s.

Quite, as said before I've worked in the area of vulnerable adults for twenty years and never come across such a horrible degrading system. It's also interesting that nearly all the assessments that go to appeal are usually successful. There is quite a lot of political pressure on the way these assessments are being carried out so hopefully things will get better in the future. But your Nazi description is not far from the truth.
 


ManOfSussex

We wunt be druv
Apr 11, 2016
14,729
Rape of Hastings, Sussex
CENTRE FOR HEALTH & DISABILITY ASSESSMENT, MEDWYN HOUSE, MOUNTFIELD ROAD, LEWES , BN72XR.

Have any members ever had any dealings with this organisation, and what was the outcome?.

Bear in mind that you, or whoever you're inquiring for in regards to this assessment are being clocked the moment you walk in there. You may well be asked how you/they got there today - arriving on your own unaccompanied will count against you no matter what the condition is.

Whatever the condition is you/they are being assessed for - make sure you're having a bad day with it when you're assessed, as you'll need to state you do every day with it and include all elements related to it when being assessed as has been suggested.

Bear in mind too that if the worst happens, the majority of appeals to tribunals are successful though.

If you're in the Lewes area, these people will be able to help - http://www.lewesdistrictcab.org.uk/

Good luck.
 
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Bear in mind that you, or whoever, you're inquiring for in regards to this assessment are being clocked the moment you walk in there. You may well be asked how you/they got there today - arriving on your own unaccompanied will count against you too no matter what the condition is.

Whatever the condition is you/they are being assessed for - make sure you're having a bad day with it when you're assessed, as you'll need to state you do every day with it and include all elements related to it when being assessed as has been suggested.

Bear in mind too that if the worst happens, the majority of appeals to tribunals are successful though.

If you're in the Lewes area, these people will be able to help - http://www.lewesdistrictcab.org.uk/

Good luck.
It's exactly this. As ManOfSussex said get in touch with the CAB as soon as possible. They helped me no end with my case and subsequent appeal.
Before my case went to a tribunal, I was sent all the evidence from DWP. According to them I had made a particular statement about my disability. When their evidence arrived, I was able to prove that they had lied about this statement completely.
 
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WilburySeagull

New member
Sep 2, 2017
495
Hove
Take a trained advocate with you. Possability people have them I know because my wife used to be one. Be very careful to prepare and as already said answer worst case not best. Good luck. If you end up appealing the comfort is around 80% of appeals succeed.
 


Jackthelad

Well-known member
Mar 31, 2010
778
Horrible experience, the guy was not interested in what I had to say he kept cutting me off and saying "a simple Yes or No is all I need", and then he lied constantly on the form when I got it back but about my answers but I appealed and won. Your often dealing with people that act like robots they are so switched off to what you are saying it's unreal. When I was in the waiting room some poor man who needed help to walk was in such a state he looked so ill and scared by it all another who was clearly has severe learning difficulties. It's a vile system it really is.
 




Is it PotG?

Thrifty non-licker
Feb 20, 2017
23,094
Sussex by the Sea
Attended with a wheelchair bound mate last year. After an obvious and compelling case was slowly and clearly presented, an attempt was made to remove benefits.
 




spence

British and Proud
Oct 15, 2014
9,811
Crawley
Christ, it sounds like something the Nazis dreamt up in the 1930s.

People who have never been through the process will never understand how humiliating and worrying it is. I cannot think of anything worse then going for an assessment or even signing on just so you can have a bit of money.

It really is a cat and mouse game with these people but lives are a stake.
 


perseus

Broad Blue & White stripe
Jul 5, 2003
23,454
Sūþseaxna
Collaboration Alternative.

Alternative; you don't have to fight them all the way: play their game and don't worry about the result. Get a Doctor's note and present it to the DHSS official of the work you can and cannot do and present it separately to the DHSS at interview. Personal Doctor will be reluctant to say you can do work that will impair your health. Jobs for the capacity reduced are few and far between. This way works with minimal grief.

Assessment Doctor is just third party advice.

https://fitforwork.org/blog/talking-to-your-employer-about-your-health/
 
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Dick Swiveller

Well-known member
Sep 9, 2011
9,142
It stories like me that mean the whole "Taking back control" mantra espoused by many doesn't overly fill me with confidence. Our government of whatever colour is equally capable of being as unpleasant/unfair as the EU.
 


Durlston

"Garlic bread!?"
NSC Patreon
Jul 15, 2009
9,762
Haywards Heath
Horrible experience, the guy was not interested in what I had to say he kept cutting me off and saying "a simple Yes or No is all I need", and then he lied constantly on the form when I got it back but about my answers but I appealed and won. Your often dealing with people that act like robots they are so switched off to what you are saying it's unreal. When I was in the waiting room some poor man who needed help to walk was in such a state he looked so ill and scared by it all another who was clearly has severe learning difficulties. It's a vile system it really is.

Fortunately my medical letters proved that I was telling the truth and they had no case for me lying. All I said was "Well, I've got two extremely long, powerful, detailed letters here. I had an accident at work - I don't want to sue them because they did nothing wrong and they're lovely people but I'm a danger to myself at the moment. While I'm having hospital tests for serious illnesses I have no source of income."
 



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