well well well the maximus investigation team has looked into my claim and here is what they wrote to me........
dear sir although the HCP told the DWP you have a gtn spray but you dont use it, although we can hear on the audio tape you telling her that you do use it ,this could be a typing error by the HCP. it gets better although the HCP told the DWP the fall clinic gave you crutches but he doesnt use them
and although we can hear you clearly say you do use them on the audio cd
later on you said you walk round the block you did not mention your crutches so it could be interpreted that you dont use them...and although you said on the audio disk my daughter does my washing for me,...you said just before it aye my daughter does my washing the HCP could have mistakenly thought you said aye.it goes on and on lie after lie what a cover up she told them she took my blood pressure ,wich is a pure lie
the audio cd ended after 46 minutes 48 seconds in wich you hear her well ive all the information i need and i have concluded my assesment
nothing on the cd is mentioned about blood pressure ,the letter from the investigating officer said the HCP stated she took your blood pressure after the the audio recording was switched of,what a lying little git she should be sacked.that is totally unethical she should be ashemed of herself,also they agreed that although the HCP told the DWP you were observed bending to the floor and standing up again and we can hear you tell her on the audio cd you have to sit to put your shoes back on she may have observed you doing this you also said on the cd you where uncomfortable raising your arms above you head (there was nothing uncomfortable about it i told her it was extremely painful which is clear on the audio cd) she told the DWP all upper arms was fluid and pain free.what a joke when i was talking to the HCP a little girl of about twenty or so i thought she was so nice the bloody devil in disguise so im now talking my complaint to an independant source... OH iforgot to mention the HCP name is ashley brown and she works in cadoggan st glasgow
if you go for an assesment for esa always get it recorded just give them a few days notice and they will do it for you
billy
william04400
My latest shambles with the Dwp concerns Salisbury Assessment. Centre.Having been told I was not fit to get there by my GP and needed a home visit they sent a taxi over for an uncomfortable two hour journey due to post shoulder surgery and Fibromyalgia. First off the taxi driver who came from Bournemouth over 80 miles away,the bill for the taxpayer £70, was sent to the wrong address which meant I nearly turned up too late. I got there on time to then wait 40 minutes to be seen by a nurse who says within 5 minutes you need to see a doctor but we do not have one on site so we will have to cancel your assessmemt. You will be getting a letter in the post. Two hours juggling around in the taxi for nothing. I am furious to be treated so badly. I had to arrange childcare as well!!
William, how awful for you to have your interview misinterpreted and changed to your detriment. I am glad you are chellenging it, this is so bad when you really do have a problem and it is made to look as if you are trying to fiddle the sytem. Good luck on your claim and don't give up.
Disgusting. I have Fibromyalgia and people think I am making it all up as it is an 'invisble' illness. Your treatment was so lacking in care for the customer !! No tonly the waste of tax payers money but the inconvenience and extra pain you have had to endure is disgraceful in this day and age.
So what is the procedure for such an investigation? Do they need to reassess you?
This is most unfortunate.
The best that an audio recording can do is to record sounds.
This was also a problem for the police over the years - there was no actual recording of what went on at the interview.
What the assessor should have done when making an observation was to say ' for the recording, I have just witnessed ********* bend down to the floor to put his/her shoes back on and then return to an upright standing position'.
This could well cause problems at the assessment as an argument may then develop. As is the case now for all recorded police interviews it is recorded orally AND by video feed. Using these there would be a complete record of what was said and what was witnessed by the assessor.
I doubt very much that anybody from Maximus would agree to be video recorded in an assessment.
At the end of the day under the current circumstances, what is said to have been witnessed/observed by the assessor may or may not have happened. There is no evidence to prove it either way - it is your word against that of the assessor. It's all a question of who is more likley to be telling the truth.
No mate the truth is on the audio cd that is why she has been caught out lying, and that is the reason I had it recorded
Hello Billy,
thank goodness your assessment was recorded. What is it with these so called assessors, they obviously get a kick out of lying about someone!! I was very lucky with mine, but I have read some horrific stories about others, such as yours.
What is the procedure now? another assessment with someone else trying to discredit you. I wish you well Billy, don't give up.
I would take this to Tribunal if you Dail the mandatory decision. It is do unfair that we have to wait for Md before getting to the truth. I would have thought that you will be able to submit the audio recording as well. I have just won my case against Pips through a tribunal and had to win my case against Esa through my MP, SURGEON,GP,OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST And PHYSIOTHERAPIST
only what is said in the assessment will be recorded. Any observation made will not be.
They did the same with me for an ESA assessment - but in a more subtle way. The assessor wrote an independent report which was attached to the normal report and was for the eyes of the DWP only.
The assessor made this 'additional' report to tell the DWP what he actually thought of me from a personal point of view - (arrogant, deceitful, argumentative, awkward etc ). If it had appeared in the public record it would have discredited the whole report.
You would have had to sign a certificate that the recording should not be used other than for your own personal purposes. It should not be broadcast nor used at any appeal hearing.
Good luck today I'm glad you won some people on this site say all sorts rubbish on here I just had a reply about my discussion on it he says yes you might have recorded itbut its still her word against yours
That is. a ridiculous rule because that is the one reason we have to have audiio recordings to prove they are lying. I won because I proved from my accessor's written report the decision maker had swayed the descriptor points and I had already been awarded a year and a half with 16 points. But they lowered my award to 9 points, 2 more than before. From enhanced rate to standard living. I am so stressed out at the moment waiting for the DWP to decide if I am to be put into WRAG, SUPPORT Or JSA????? Where we live it is very difficult to find work as well as I am a single mother with no support.
No, I did not say that! What I said was that any audio recording will only pick up sounds - what is being said.
Any actions, observations etc cannot be picked up on the recording. The assessor would include in the report that - I saw the claimant........
Those notes cannot be backed up with the audio recording and as such at the end of the day it comes down to who can be believed.
The only thing that you can prove with an audio recording is actually what was said.
Why is it ridiculous. If it was to become the norm that the recordings were listened to by the Tribunal - the first hour or so would be wasted. Additionally you have to consider the fact that justice has to be seen to be done and if recordings were allowed into evidence you would have a two tier justice system - one for those that can prove via the recording that the assessor lied and another for those that can't prove a thing as no recording was made. That's getting very close to the argument that people with unlimited funds will get a better outcome (decision) as they can afford expensive support from professionals - what about those that don't have access to that level of funding - should they get a lessor award?
At a Tribunal everyone has their bit of a level playing field and so should that continue.
Hi I have had 3 assessments on the past none of them were recorded and when I received the points after the assessment I read what the assessor had said and twice there were so many lies like saying I can touch my toes I can't. I hate change I told them that and they had said I don't mind change. I just wanted to write this to let you know you're not alone on this so many of us are here for you who have been through it ourselves. I no longer get esa as I moved in with my partner who works full time and I phoned esa when we had received a letter to say we could move in the property and that my partner works full time and they stopped my esa straight away but yet I am told that I still have to attend assessments as my ni contribution is still being paid.
I have had 16 face to face assessments (ESA, DLA, IIDB) 2 were carried out by doctors and both reports were spot on. Another was carried out by a doctor who knew nothing about mental issues including trauma and suggested that he had never heard of the drugs I was on that had been prescribed by my psychiatrist being used for mental haelth matters.
The other 13 were all fairy tales. None were recorded, yet in all 13 appeals I was eventually awarded what I considered to be the right award.
It really doesn't matter what the assessor says or writes - if you present your evidence that absolutely blows the report out of the water and proves that you are entitled to what you claim to be entitled - you will win.
All of this from the DWP's point of view is to find a way - any way that they can use to deny you the award. Your job is to do the opposite - prove that you are entitled to the award. Don't get hung up on how they play the game.
Hi William,
So sorry to hear you're having such problems especially as I'm sure you imagined by having your assessment recorded any discrepencies with the report would easily be put to rest and in any other capacity would have been a slam dunk straight away for you.
Unfortunately, it has been well talked about that the so-called professional companies and their HCPs are paid bonuses for assessing claimants as fit for work/not needing the care they say. I would also imagine as well that these companies get financially penanlised in some way if a claimant found fit for work later gets benefit after tribunal.
It is in their interest to continue lying and trying to justify HCPs incompetencies so that they can continue to shaft the claimant and get paid even when there is evidence to the contrary.
Les is right about HCPs should need to explain what they witnessed as it's happening, otherwise it does come down to your word against theirs and as mentioned, it's a money spinning business for them so we all know whose side they will take..
I think that ALL assessments should be recorded but they know all too well that the lies would have to stop and so would the failure bonuses
Good luck with getting the right decision. It may take it out of you but don't give up fighting.