I have read on benefits forum that ESA( employment support allowence)and the DWP are threating cancer patience with terminal illness who are undergoing chemo and radiotheraphy with loss of benefits. Basically the research from Mcmillan charity highlighted that patients who should be exempt from ATOS medicals are being called for fit for work medicals and threatened with loss of benefits.As if we dont have enough to deal with, some are terminally ill and having to go through this is so cruel, my application to ESA was supported and filled by mc millan CAB worker and they do a good job. Has anyone else been called for a medical where they should have been exempt? and Please get support when filling in DLA forms, its your right, and lot of benefits are underclaimed because people do not think they have a disability.
I was dx 5 years ago…so was in reciept of Incapacity Benefit as it was then.
I had undergone, surgery, chemothrapy, radiotherapy and was taking Tamoxifen…since dx I had…and still am…taking anti-depressents, Diazepam [was on Tamazepam] and sleeping tablets.
My dx had a profound effect on me physically and mentally…[my GP’s words].
I had been in reciept of Incapacity Benfefit for about 6 wks when I was called for a medical…I was asked…what in my opinion were completely irrevelent questions.
At the end of the assessment the Doctor said to me …''so its just the cancer thats the problem ‘’ !!!..3 days later I got a letter stating my benefit was being stopped.
I was forced to return to work…in my opinion sooner than I was ready…due to financial reasons caused by benefit being stopped.
Now when I read through my medical assessment report I wish I had appealed as there are many contadictory statements.
I did complain about the Doctors statement…but recieved no reply.
I fail to understand how the set questions,which are what they appear to be, irrelevent of condition being assessed…can determine a true understanding of a Cancer paitent…they do not take into account the physical and phsycological effect of Cancer dx or treatments.
I would also urge everyone to get advice/support when filling out forms and attending medicals.
I have never experienced “cruelty” and doubt if many people have.
I am very firmly against anyone handing over their applications for benefits to a Macmillan Nurse to fill out for them. They are your applications with your signature at the bottom. Get advice from a Macmillan Nurse by all means, but don’t let them take over.
I always filled out everything myself and the only benefit where I had to appeal was the Mobility component of the DLA after I had secondaries in my bones, causing walking difficulties. I was originally told I’d get nothing. I said their questionnaire didn’t bring out the nature of my problems,described them in practical terms and said I would exercise my right to appear before a tribunal to convince them. Next letter gave me full rate of Mobility component backdated.This in turn gave me an automatic right to a Blue Badge.
I really don’t think a Macmillan Nurse or anyone else. would have done any better than I did myself. I was also happy that I had always been 100% truthful and had no fears of anyone disputing anything I’d said.
We have breast cancer, not brain damage. I accept that some people need more support than me with form filling but you should be involved as much as you can.
I went through a medical after my primary treatment and found the doctor very sympathetic and reasonable. I told him I had organised myself a new job with a large firm who had previously employed me a few years back, but it wasn’t due to start for 6 or 7 weeks. I said I wanted to work, because Incapacity Benefit or Job Seekers Allowance wasn’t enough to support my usual lifestyle (which included an independent school for my daughter)and I was a lone parent since by husband had left us. I said wasn’t keen on being bullied into taking a different job a little earlier by the Job Centre. The doctor said that sounded very reasonable to him and he’d take his time returning the papers which would give me the delay I needed. The same doctor had been very tough with the person in before me. who was claiming to have a bad back.Maybe I was better treated because I didn’t lose my temper and calmly answered every question?
My view is that there are lots of people in the benefits system who will help you if they believe you are genuine. However, they have to get tough with anyone they suspect is workshy. It is their job to get people back to work or off benefits if they feel they are not making reasonable efforts to find work.
While going through primary treatment. someone in the Job Centre told me how to maximise the time for which I received benefits as I could only claim on a Contributions basis. She told me to claim Job Seekers Allowance to begin with, while going through primary cancer chemotherapy treatment and then switch to Incapacity Benefit when going into hospital for surgery.
I’ve had no other requests to attend medicals other than the one after my primary cancer treatment ended. I don’t think that it was unreasonable to call me in for a medical. I was capable of working and did take up the job I described.
As I’m now terminal, so asking me to attend a medical would be inappropriate, but it won’t happen.
Sorry if this is not what you want to hear.
Thank you for posting your experience, I was reporting this from a an article posted on youreable, a disability forum,the article was on mirror on line headed the above( Cruelty to cancer patients) it was reported in a newspaper that it is cruel to call cancer patients terminally ill for a ATOS medical, this was confirmed by Mc millan benefit advisers that ATOS doctors were getting exemptions wrong and calling cancer patients in for medicals or lose your benefit. Can you imagine being called for a medical when you have not long live?that to me is cruel. I have read many cases where patients who are genuine cases are found fit for work, a cancer patient turned up for a medical at atos with drains attached to her because she was threated with loss of her benefit.
The form was filled in for me by the mcmillan worker because i had just had lymph nodes removed, I think that referring to breast cancer as its"just the breast cancer is insensitive" I do not think ESA benefit is genuinely designed to get disabled people back to work.
I was turned down for Incapacity Benefit and advised by the DWP to apply for DLA after I underwent 2 lots of surgery. I didn’t get it because the DWP contacted my GP and he said I wasn’t sick enough. Needless to say I no longer see that GP as other things relating to my appointments with him happened - letters from Consultants being sent to my file marked "no action"when they had told him what to prescribe, being told as I had nearly finished treatment I just needed to “get on with it” etc. He also refused to sanction counselling and had to be overruled by my oncologist.My OH was all for making an appointment with him as he wanted to tear him off a strip.
Have to agree what karen has said on post 2 my work ssp ended i have applyed for esp as i still have a job but not ready to return.I was called for medical can i walk/stand/sit/talk/hear/see/eat/etc you have get 15 points from them. nothng to do with have you cancer are you copying hows treatment made you feel etc ahhhh so my money has been stoped after 2 months so yes ive appealed awaiting to see if i can claim there must be many cancer people being treated like this has to stop and help should be given to who need it and whowork most of our lifes ahhhh Jane
There seems to be a lot of discrepancies with ESA, I was diagnosed in Oct 08, had chemo til June 09, radi til Aug 09, now on herceptin, my sick pay ran out in May and I claimed ESA, after 13 weeks I was put in the support group, have never been for medical at all, according to another forum, people undergoing intravenous or radiotherapy should automatically go into the support group. I would certainly have appealed. I’m still off work, mainly due to mental issues. Good luck to all applying.
Alison