ME Association Monthly poll: Does your doctor (GP or specialist) provide medical evidence for benefit, work, education or social care purposes?

Poll can be found on their homepage, https://www.meassociation.org.uk/, middle column, towards the bottom of the page.

 

When I applied for ESA in 2014 my GP was happy to do a report for me listing my illnesses. It was really good because I had been afraid to raise the topic with him in case of what I found he was thinking! I was charged £20 which was practise policy though he was embarrassed about it.

Unfortunately, he retired last years and my new GP while agreeing with his list of illnesses and accepting the limitations I told her I had wouldn't give me a report. She asked the practice benefits adviser and he said it was not necessary when applying for PIP after DLA. The problem may have been his, rather than hers. She said if I had to go to appeal she would do one but luckily I got the PIP anyway.

 

When I was at college I got no diagnosis and no help what so ever with my illness. As a result I failed and was blamed.

Later when I developed moderate to severe ME my GP refused to help me with my housing application which would have prevented me getting permanently worse. The house I was living in was very unsuited to my needs. It was noisy, dusty (I have a severe dust allergy), mouldy, had a steep flight of stairs (I live in a bungalow now), two big steps to the bathroom, and parents who believed there was nothing wrong with me, and even refused to let carers in to help me. That place crippled me. My doctor even refused to talk to my parents to tell them I was seriously ill, and he refused a home visit when I was mostly bed bound with bad abdominal pain and blood on my poo. Social services said they couldn't help without a doctor's note.

 

How appalling, @DigitalDrifter.