Anyone Any Experience Of Capita Assessments?

[Postdog]

I have an assessment for PIP soon...at least I hope I do. They have had two clear months to contact me and rang me up today expecting me to attend tomorrow. I said we couldn't (we being my other half as carer) as plans had already been made. Now concerned they may deem that a refusal, which it wasn't.

Anyway it is with Capita who I know nothing about. The dreaded ATOS, yes, but this lot no.

Slightly concerned because I have an invisible disability and in the main look OK. However mine is a brain tumour which causes various problems like headaches, dizziness, balance issues, weakness, and serious vision issues. All of these are documented problems associated with a tumour, and any one of them can prevent "normality", but at the end of the day is my word is the only thing that they can judge me on...they either accept that and what is said in documentation or they don't.

Are they as bad as ATOS?

[Prudie]

Hi Postdog, I haven't had any personal experience of them but we do use Capita at work (Civil Service) for all our health referrals so would hope them to be reasonably trustworthy. Good luck whatever happens.

[slaney]

No personal experience but this suggests Capita might be a bit better..
"Capita also told DBC that it would try to find assessors with expertise to match claimants’ impairments or conditions"
http://disabilitynewsservice.com/2013/04/atos-looks-second-best-to-capita-as-pip-assessments-loom/

[EDDIE51]

surely in your case they can have no option but to accept your doctors diagnosis? They can't say you don't have the tumour, only you, your carer and your doctors can say how it effects you. It is not something they can measure.

[EDDIE51]

Let us know how you get on my wife will need to be assesed soon as well.

[anneasquith]

this is the state david Cameron's government are in, anything to reduce the benefit budget. someone has a brain tumour and are being assessed. ye gods :(

[furrypusscat]

Capita are doing most assessments in your own home. I wouldn't have thought they would take what you said as a refusal as I understand they have to give so many days notice, not sure if it is about 7 days.

[furrypusscat]

Just to confirm you should receive at least 7 days notice for the assessment date unless you have agreed to accept one at short notice. I understand that Capita are the better of the two companies allocated to carry out the medicals.

[Postdog]

Ta for the answers so far. TBH, I don't think they should assess me at all. They already have for DLA a few years back and nothing has changed for the better, if anything for the worse. The tumour is still there, it will be for the rest of my life and has affected me since 2009 when I had to give up work because of passing out. I pass out quicker now IF I exert myself, so I don't. I am not physically damaged in any way so up to a point I can do their party tricks, but after a few minutes my neurological problems kick in. Just seems stupid that the word and experience of various neurologists and neurosurgeons over these past few years count for nothing when a two minute box ticking dictates it all.

[furrypusscat]

Did you send in any medical reports with your PIP application, if not try and get whatever you can from your specialist and GP so you have them ready for your assessment. As PIP is a new test you need to treat it as if they haven't got any previous knowledge or medical reports that you may have sent when you applied for DLA.

[Postdog]

Just an update. Have since recieved a letter advising that until a PIP assessment can be made, my DLA will continue as it has.

A few days after my other half got a letter to say her carers allowance will stop because mine had. I told her to contact DWP and say mine had been extended after all.

Turns out letters had been crossed and they knew, and it had been extended until October, BY WHICH TIME I SHOULD HEAR OF MY ASSESSMENT.


What a joke!