Pip assessment

[Tucan]

Hi

I got a face to face pip assessment. I have had the letter through the post. I have never had a face to face assessment before.

[Tucan]

It is in a week's time and I am starting to get really anxious about it! I am scared they will take it off me.

[Vermilion]

  :hug

It helps to have someone with you for the assessment, could your CPN or PAs go with you? It's a good idea to record the assessment too, it just ensures that they don't get up to any dirty tricks or ask inappropriate questions. Other than that I'd say that you need to take plenty of medical evidence in; letters from your GP/CPN/PA's and a print out of a summary of your medical records too (You can get this from your GP surgery). Also, when you answer questions answer as though it's your worst day.

I'm afraid that's all the advice I have though my assessment with Crapita didn't go too well. I think you should be OK though because you have a lot of help from your PAs and you have professional support and clear diagnoses which I haven't got so don't be scared by my experience. If I think of anything else I'll let you know. I hope it goes OK. 

[Tucan]

One of my pas is going with me. It's in a city I have never been to before so that has made me anxious from the get go. My pa has offered to drive me even though she isn't supposed to. Bless her. I haven't read the letter they sent me apart from the time and date on it. I really should read it. I sent off medical evidence with the forms. Do I have to provide that again?

[Vermilion]

I'm glad that you have someone to go with you, I would never have coped with the assessment alone  .

Personally I would take copies of medical evidence already provided so that you can refer to it and just in case they have 'lost' it. Is there any further evidence that you haven't sent yet that might help? If so take that to the assessment.
Thought of a few more things;

Try and write some answers down too, chances are you'll be quite stressed and might forget certain things that you need to say.

Are there any adjustments you need? I didn't realise that you could ask for a different less claustrophobic room which would have helped loads.

I'd also say be suspicious of everything they ask, even chatty questions. An example from my assessment was that I was asked if I like to read and when I said yes she said that I can obviously concentrate then so I had to explain that I cannot do so on my worst days. They'll also ask how you got to the assessment, make sure that they know how stressful it was and how anxious you've been in the run up, this was used towards my 'Planning and following journeys' points.
You won't have to go through a physical examination if it's for MH and remember that you don't have to show them SH scars so try not to worry about that side of things. Have you been through the questions with your PA to prepare for the assessment? It might help to think about why you need PIP- consider things like needing a PA to help motivate you and people to help you go to strange placesetc. Or when you're high and you might spend too much and need someone to help you that sort of thing.

[Tucan]

It's tomorrow morning now. The cpn said I should tell them.that they can contact her at any time. She said I shouldn't have a problem.

[terrified heart]

Good luck for today Tucan. I hope it goes ok and isn’t too stressful. 

[Skye]

Good luck 

[Tucan]

I have been now. It was long and horrible. I did my best and had to ask her to clarify some questions and kept getting confused what condition she was talking about. She asked about my school grades, not sure what that has to do with my current mental health! I should hear something in 4 weeks. Now it's an anxious wait.

[Tucan]

I asked why it was 22 miles away from my home when there were closer venues to me. She told me I could have been sent anywhere within a 90 miles radius of my flat!