To laugh or not to laugh - that really shouldn't be the question.

[guardpig]

As many of you know son has finished his Uni course and now neds to "sign on".  Unfortunately this means ESA rather than jobseekers.

So we ring, we explain, we go through the claim process. and cannot put the medical condition which most affects his life on the form.  Why, you may ask? - because it isn't in the system. Nice one IDS!  Thought the Whizzy one might appreciate t!

Mind you have been humming and hahing about going this route.  Went down the Docs to request the required sick note and saw a regular locum with no back history with son who looked at his records and asked "how long?".  She was rather amused at it not being on the system!

Ah well.  Wonder if the Atos assessment will be any better.  Should be fun.  Only one question is in any way relevant to the way son's conditions affect him but hey, ho off we go - maybe

[bitsnknots]

Hope that you get on well with this but I've no doubt that ATOS will find him fit for work.  They always do. :_|

[guardpig]

Books  even Atos are going to struggle with that.

The questions are black and white.  Either you can or you can't and on the day there will be no way he can.  Condition 1's symptoms are caused/made worse by stress.  Condition 2 means that in a strange place dealing with strange people he is completely stressed out making condition 1 effects worse.  Condition 3 will be badly affected by all the stress causing even more stress and a beautiful feedback loop. It's scary, uncontrollable and very, very real.

The odd thing is both he and I agree with face to face assessments.  Proper ones carried out by independent, knowledgeable health professionals covering the ifs, ands and buts as well as the abilities and inabilities. Much fairer.

That said not even having one of his condition listed in their system is unacceptable to me.  He's got me and OH to get through the paperwork, somebody else may be trying to cope with the idiocy alone.

[stroppy*cow]

You have my sympathy, I have been waiting 3 months just for a form from ATOS for eldest son - he still isn't on their system.

[guardpig]

Thought you would appreciate the humour Stroppy.  His main condition is now down as vertigo - not exactly demonstrative of his issues. IDS I am a-coming!!!!!!!!

[guardpig]

Episode 2: Think screaming is closer than laughing today.

Received a form last week asking for info and doctors note to be sent off.  Fair enough.  Son hasn't been sat on long enough to get info off his mac, put on stick, transfer to different computer and print but ..................

Today we get the FORM for checking.  

In one paragraph it says to check details, provide xyz, do not return form and documentation but ring when you have everything to hand.  

In the next paragraph it says to provide wxy and send to them in the envelope provided.

Found it on my desk when I got home.  Son said he couldn't work out what he had to do which means he wouldn't do anything.  When you think there's people out there like son with nobody to help them ....................................

Arrghhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Back to work.