The ESA medical for people with anxiety and depression

A question about : The ESA medical for people with anxiety and depression

Has anyone who has been claiming Employment Support Allowance, actually successfully passed the medical assessment on the grounds of suffering from anxiety and or depression.

I have an ongoing thread in relation to my situation. But i am keen to know if anyone has gotten through this awful ordeal ok and had the benefit left intact? Are they seriously failing all people who suffer from this mental illness. Yes we may look physically ok, but inside we are far from ok.

When i eventually recover from my issues, which i so hope i do. I am seriously thinking about putting this issue to the government, local MP's etc. The system needs to understand mental health issues alot better than they currently do.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Best answers:

• Hi i was on esa for depression when i went for first medical they turned me down .
  But i appealed against it and tribunal went in my favour I dont think they reconised depression as illness coz so many try to say they are depressed when they arent
  Which when you do get a genuine case they dont believe you so you have to go through all the tribunal stress to prove you are genuine
  I now am back to normal now thank god .
• Thank you cozza, what makes me mad about this whole process is the fact that they dont view your GPs report or really look into your medical history. If they did with mine they would see that i am not pulling the wool over anyones eyes, since i was a child i have had ongoing issues. Perhaps if they spoke to my GP or Shrink, these people would be able to pick out who is telling the truth and who isnt. I am glad you are better now!
• ty gem they just see you are ok on the outside but never mind wots going on inside ya head when i had my first medical at atso i was crying all trough my medical as i just was so depressed and he didnt give a toss .
  I went for an update medical on sat just gone and the atso doc was saying they feel sorry for people with depression as its the goverment that set critiara ? and its ya own doctor who know wether you are fit or not to work
• The bar is raised to far too high a level to qualify for this benefit IMHO.The criteria appears far too strict.
  I dont think it will be too long before the system grinds to a hault with peoples appeals.Subsequently I believe the government at some point in the near future will be forced to relax the criteria for qualification
• sunnyone i am merely trying to say that if someone has a physical disability then the evidence is there, in perhaps a clearer way. Whereas if someone is mentally ill, the picture is not so clear. In any case i do not understand why anyones GP etc is not contacted? This would help all people involved surely.
  I realise a vast amount are failing the medical whatever there circumstances.
  It seems from what i have been told from people with similar issues as myself the medical questions being asked during the assessment are not aimed at someone with mental health issues. I have no problems picking a pen up or bending or whatever, so if questions are aimed at someone for the wrong condition then of course you will pass the assessment.
  I agree the system is not fit for purpose sunnyone. Something has to change and soon.
• geministar2008, you have not actually had your medical yet. Could I suggest that you approach it with an open mind? Though people have reported problems with the ESA medicals, many people have gone through the system with no problems at all.
• Yes i suffer from depression and BPD and passed first time (support group).
  I too was worried because of all the horror stries i'd heard but in reality it wasn't nearly as bad as I imagined it would be.
• thanks messed up we have communicated before. How long ago did you go through this? Are you any better now? Are you still in the ESA support group? One day when i am recovered in in recovery mode i would love to perhaps help within a mental health organisation, there needs to far more support and understanding to this disease.
• i am sorry to hear of your husbands issues sunnyone. Sounds like MP backing is the way to go.
• dmg24, not not yet just a lot of rescheduling, they cancelled the last one which made my health issues work, my friend who supports me greatly and had taken the day of work may not be able to make the next one they have made me. All just adds to my issues which makes me worry more. I will try the open minded approach, but its hard as thats part of my condition, if i'm making sense? Thanks for the tip though dmg24.
• thank you again dmg24 anything positive helps. :-)
• I also had a medical assessment for the same reason,the doctor did'nt ask questions relevant to my condition,alas I failed, I was advised by someone to appeal against the decision and write the reasons why, after 3wks I have received a letter to advise me that they have received my appeal.
  It is worth appealing against, my dad had a kidney transplant yrs ago and has severe medical problems as a result he appealed and won with an extra 10 points. its ridiculous that you have to go through all this messing about when you genuinely are incapacitated but hopefully it'll be worth it in the end. good luck.
• I failed a medical assessment for esa in December my doctor said she could'nt prescribe a sick note because of this. Now I have been told by the ESA I need sick notes from December to now to cover me and they will pay me form December while my appeal is going through, could anyone advise me if a doctor can backdate a sicknote that far and was she correct in not being able to issue me a sick note