ASD "Sicknote"

A gp cannot do anything about it. I spoke to mine, I explained the situation. Everyone knows you cannot have a sick not if you are not sick and are capable of working ‘some’ jobs. That’s why they ask, because they know you cannot provide. Terrible place.

Catlover said:

treat us just the same as everyone else because we look the same on the surface

Don't make the mistake of thinking they treat the physically disabled any better. They don't discriminate - they are horribly mean to everyone!

Nothing has got any better, it just keeps getting worse. I have been physically disabled for 30 years and when I was talking to my OT about the DLA application last century and said what do they take as proof of a disability not going to get any better, does someone have to have their leg cut off?! And she told me of a case where someone who was getting DLA because of a very painful foot and had it amputated then lost her DLA on the grounds her foot didn't hurt any more!!!!!! It makes me feel so angry and helpless.

I could be wrong, but it sounds to me like your son's Universal Credit work coach feels it would be in your son's interests to have a Work Capability Assessment, hence why he's been asked to provide a sick / fit note.

Is it possible that a conversation can be had with your son's GP to explain why his UC work coach has requested a sick / fit note? 

To my mind, the fact that your son is willing to work proves that he doesn't consider himself to be unfit to work. It's just my opinion, but it strikes me as odd that his work coach has requested he obtain a sick / fit note. 

Hmmmm... that's a tough one for both you and your GP.  He can't write a "sick note" because being autistic isn't an illness.  You son isn't sick.

It is, however, a disability, the GP could instead write a letter stating he has an ASC diagnosis and detailing the sort of jobs he can and can't do as a result.  That might stop them pushing him into stuff that isn't suitable for him.  Perhaps the GP could also outline why and in what ways the monthly meeting are hard for him.

OK, good to know, let's see what happens when I offer those optons at his next meeting.

Thank you. That makes sense, and is very helpful.

The service is severely flawed. I am thinking you might have to get your GP to write a letter confirming the diagnosis, and some choice words to catch all issues your son has.

I had a similar experience when I popped up as just meeting the threshold for UC just before I had a pay rise. They demanded I come in, or they would stop my money. I wasn’t receiving any lol. There was simply an open case from the past when my youngest was still at home and studying.

I was asked to provide a sick note, as I said attending would cause me too much stress, and I was told that ‘he can call  me in everyday if he wants’…

I asked my surgery, they said they cannot provide a sick note (obviously, as I am not sick). Instead I had a printout detailing my diagnosis and current health (depression, anxiety etc) and they refused it. I gave them a copy if the final page of my diagnosis, detailing my worst issues etc and this wasn’t good enough either. I simply closed the old unopened case and haven’t heard from them since. 
They do not unstitched issues we face, and treat us just the same as everyone else because we look the same on the surface. Maybe you can also look down the PIP rate (which is very hard to get, but beneficial if you can).

Thank you. That makes sense, and is very helpful.

"Sick note" may be an unhelpful term here, really any letter from the GP, explaining the impact of ASC on how your son experiences the neurotypical world and why he would benefit from having adjustments to how he attends the meetings should be sufficient. Your GP may charge an admin fee for this though as it's slightly outside of their usual scope of care.