I'm sure this subject has been discussed to death, for that I can only apologise.
For a couple of years now, doing a little research on my own, I think that I may have what a Work Psychologist I saw 01/2012 called a neuro diverse condition. I thought it might be Aspergers, it might be ADD possibly Dyspraxia. I'm by no means an expert nor a diagonistician. I could be completely wrong and, as i suspect my GP thinks (but doesn't say), lazy!
When I first saw the Work Psychologist (a dwp person, i don't know much about the specific role as I'd never heard of them before) I was on JSA. Since then I started on the Work Programme which I am still on. She claimed she could test for Aspergers but relented to saying she could do some kind of test to see if I might have ADD. I realise that makes no sense, but it involved answering a load of puzzles like remembering number sequences backwards and spotting patterns and stuff. From what I could understand she said it was highly likely. I have yet to get an official diagnosis as such facilities are not local to me and I find travelling around cities rather scary. There is now a chance the local CMHT might do one.
However the Work Programme treated me badly. They ignored the information regarding my mental health (even though no formal diagnosis) and refused to accept even the possibility of such problems - of any kind. I was told that without a support worker present they wouldn't countenance any such possibility. I made a complaint and have since changed advisers. Though the replacement is better they still admit they can't do anything. Basically the WP is rubbish. I was told that the main problem was because I was on JSA and that I should claim ESA.
To cut a long and predictable story short that's what I did, six months later I have, unsurprisingly, failed the WCA. I've sent the GL24 form back to lodge an appeal. I'm not sure how that will work but I'm told that doing so reinstates my benefit until such time as they decide whether to change their mind (I doubt it, let's be honest). In the meantime I have to persuade my GP I need help.
I suppose my point in posting is just to hear what other people think. I haven't found my GP to be terribly helpful or sympathetic and the system certainly isn't. ESA should be employment support, but it seems to work on the basis that, in order to get into the WRAG (my stated goal, i don't claim to be deserving of the support group) you need to also qualify for the support group. This doesn't make much sense to me. As a result I feel guilty as if I'm swinging the lead. But on the other hand, I just can't cope with the DWP. I find life difficult and I find dealing with society at times very hard. All the stuff you've heard before no doubt.
I can't say for certain I'm an aspie/add/whatever, so I could be wrong. But just trying to get support and be taken seriously is horrendous. It's enough to make you ill even if you aren't. If anyone has any advice I'd be grateful, thanks.
I had a telephone appointment with my GP yesterday after the CAB wrote to me with what the GP had actually sent, most of which misses the point entirely.
I don't understand how someone in such a learned position can so readily miss the point. I tried to explain why the CAB are so specific, but she just brushes it off. I can understand that a GP might not feel it's appropriate for them to write a letter in support. My GP tells me she can't herself verify the specifics I gave to the CAB (as per the WCA descriptors), but when I asked her how I would ever be able to get those things verified she had no answer. These sorts of conditions just fall through the cracks.
She agreed that, if I got a diagnosis for aspergers/add/whatever she'd rethink her position more positively and gave me the number for the mental health partnership involved to chase up the appointment (she made 2 months ago). Unfortunately there seems to be a huge waiting list for about a year. No tribunal is going to wait a year and she doesn't realise that's going to be how long I have to wait.
In her own, not particularly helpful way, she is trying to be supportive, but the problem is the ignorance that doctors seem almost willing to have about this process. They just don't get it and don't seem to want to know either. I tried explaining that (before contacting the mental heatlh ppl) that I could get to tribunal before I'm seen for a diagnosis and that if I fail the tribunal then that's it. No more ESA. But she was adamant that, as a GP, she could somehow overturn this and told me not to worry. However even if that's true surely it would be easier for her to just write the letter the CAB want rather than wait for a failed tribunal and then act - which i suspect will be too late. There are no higher levels of appeal. That's it.
It is ironic that, in seekign help and support via ESA, you are brushed off and ignored by the people who then complain about it but offer nothing. They seem to want to remain ignorant even at the expense of the patient.
I had a telephone appointment with my GP yesterday after the CAB wrote to me with what the GP had actually sent, most of which misses the point entirely.
I don't understand how someone in such a learned position can so readily miss the point. I tried to explain why the CAB are so specific, but she just brushes it off. I can understand that a GP might not feel it's appropriate for them to write a letter in support. My GP tells me she can't herself verify the specifics I gave to the CAB (as per the WCA descriptors), but when I asked her how I would ever be able to get those things verified she had no answer. These sorts of conditions just fall through the cracks.
She agreed that, if I got a diagnosis for aspergers/add/whatever she'd rethink her position more positively and gave me the number for the mental health partnership involved to chase up the appointment (she made 2 months ago). Unfortunately there seems to be a huge waiting list for about a year. No tribunal is going to wait a year and she doesn't realise that's going to be how long I have to wait.
In her own, not particularly helpful way, she is trying to be supportive, but the problem is the ignorance that doctors seem almost willing to have about this process. They just don't get it and don't seem to want to know either. I tried explaining that (before contacting the mental heatlh ppl) that I could get to tribunal before I'm seen for a diagnosis and that if I fail the tribunal then that's it. No more ESA. But she was adamant that, as a GP, she could somehow overturn this and told me not to worry. However even if that's true surely it would be easier for her to just write the letter the CAB want rather than wait for a failed tribunal and then act - which i suspect will be too late. There are no higher levels of appeal. That's it.
It is ironic that, in seekign help and support via ESA, you are brushed off and ignored by the people who then complain about it but offer nothing. They seem to want to remain ignorant even at the expense of the patient.
