Published on 12, July, 2020
Hello, I'm new here and looking for some advice please.
Last week I took my pip award to travel centre, which showed I had 12 on mobility, along with ID and such to apply for a free travel pass. To cut a long story short the woman asked me could I prove I had autism and how it affected me. I said I didn't have proof I had autism and by having 12 points on my mobility it had already been decided and declared I am entitled to 12 points by a health professional. Unbelievably she asked me to bring my diagnostic report to her so she could flick through it to pick out relevant details. Aghast, angry, embarrassed, agitated I left and am still obsessing over the situation. I will now have to ring my gp which I hate and ask can I have some form of letter that says I have autism .
I looked and found a letter that doctors can use as a template, but there was no link to it. Has anyone any advice or experience with this. I'm 54, diagnosed 5 years ago, and I think I may be allergic to 'normal typical 'people.
With regard to your assessment you would normally be given a report or your GP would have been sent one, which could then be copied for you.
What isn't quite clear is whether you have/had a diagnostic report as if you do, will the letter you speak of be necessary and in fact, will it be enough, as the person you spoke to wants details I believe of how the autism affects you.
Just a copy of the report that was sent to yourself and/or your GP should be enough hopefully.
All the best with this.
When I was diagnosed 5 years ago, the psycholo gist sent me a copy of my diagnostic report. That is the only proof I have that I have autism. So the woman at the travel centre wants to flick through my report to see proove I have autism and how it effects me regarding travel. My question I have messaged to merseytravel is, do they employ a policy giving their staff the right to ask for and flick through such personal documents. I rang up and they suggested I post my diagnostic report. I am absolutely appaled, that report contains 49 years of such very personal, confidential and sensitive information. As much I it is easier for me to ring doctors for proof, I completely totally think it is injust for anyone to have access to such documents. How has this been allowed to be ?
Surely the 12 points awarded for mobility is proof that it has already been decided by health professionals how my disability affects me, what does miss merseytravel herself think, that she herself doesn't agree with them.
At present I'm on a waiting list for cptsd, another disability in itself, some of the traumas leading to this are mentioned in my diagnostic report. I can't express how in a million years I would never allow anyone to 'flick through '
This incident has so far cost me 3 days of poor sleep, absolute vigilance of keeping control over my inner rage, resisting the release of head banging, trying to find breath in self soothing, has brought so much emotion back at going through what's in that report with the psychologist, going through them pip forms, in itself an ordeal.
I dont believe anyone but ourselves and a health professional should have the right to 'flick ' through anyone's medical records.