IB Re-Assessment

The request was successful.

Dear Department for Social Development (Northern Ireland),

I would like to make the following FOI request.

Is a Face-to-face assessment necessary for claimant/customer with a recognised Severe Mental Health Condition who being reassessed from Incapacity Benefit to Employment Support Allowance who was previously exempt under the Personal Capability Assessment (PCA) regulations and they have an Appointee who completes form ESA50 and the Appointee provides/includes on that form Verifiable Medical Information (VMI) as well as Independent Medical Evidence (IME) from the claimants General Practitioner that states "the claimant is Potentially Violent and may harm themselves, the HCP or both during any Face-to-face assessment solely because of their Mental Illness and altered state or awareness".

Yours faithfully,

B Black

Dear Department for Social Development (Northern Ireland),

You still have not acknowledged the following FOI request,

Is a Face-to-face assessment necessary for claimant/customer with a
recognised Severe Mental Health Condition who being reassessed from
Incapacity Benefit to Employment Support Allowance who was
previously exempt under the Personal Capability Assessment (PCA)
regulations and they have an Appointee who completes form ESA50 and
the Appointee provides/includes on that form Verifiable Medical
Information (VMI) as well as Independent Medical Evidence (IME)
from the claimants General Practitioner that states "the claimant
is Potentially Violent and may harm themselves, the HCP or both
during any Face-to-face assessment solely because of their Mental
Illness and altered state or awareness".

Yours faithfully,

B Black

Dear Department for Social Development (Northern Ireland),

You must respond to my FOI request no later than 24 September 2013 and so far you have not acknowledged my FOI request.

Unless I here from you by the above date I will ask for an internal review.

Yours faithfully,

B Black

Neeson Brendan NISSA,

Mr Black,
 
I am writing to inform you that your request does not fall under the
Freedom of Information remit. Your query however has been passed to our
Customer Services Team who will provide you with a response to your
enquiry about the reassessment process.
 
 
Brendan Neeson
FOI
IDSU
Castle Court
Tel: 028 9037 4035 
 
 
 

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IDSU-CUSTOMER-SERVICE,

Dear Mr Black

I am replying to your e-mail of 27 August (see below).  I can confirm that
all claimants undergoing reassessment of their Incapacity Benefit are
subject to a Work Capability Assessment to determine whether or not they
have limited capability for work. The Work Capability Assessment involves
a number of steps, which may include a face-to-face assessment.

However, if it is clear from the medical evidence the Social Security
Agency holds that an individual is unlikely to be capable of work, they
will not be required to attend a face-to-face assessment and the
Healthcare Professional will complete a report based on the evidence held.

Should your e-mail refer to a specific customer's case, please feel free
to forward their details and we will investigate any concerns and respond
directly to them regarding their query.

 

 

 Dear Department for Social Development (Northern Ireland),

 

I would like to make the following FOI request.

 

Is a Face-to-face assessment necessary for claimant/customer with a
recognised Severe Mental Health Condition who being reassessed from
Incapacity Benefit to Employment Support Allowance who was previously
exempt under the Personal Capability Assessment (PCA) regulations and they
have an Appointee who completes form ESA50 and the Appointee
provides/includes on that form Verifiable Medical Information (VMI) as
well as Independent Medical Evidence (IME) from the claimants General
Practitioner that states "the claimant is Potentially Violent and may harm
themselves, the HCP or both during any Face-to-face assessment solely
because of their Mental Illness and altered state or awareness".

 

Yours faithfully,

 

B Black

 

 

      Yours sincerely    

 

 

Eileen Hill

Customer Services Team (CST)

Room 304

Castle Court

Tel: 02890374034

Ext: 4034

Dial to IP: 123 8041 4034

IP to IP: 7 8041 4034

 

e-mail: [email address]

Fax: 02890490259

 

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Dear IDSU-CUSTOMER-SERVICE,

I would like to request an internal review as I believe my FOI request is a valid one and is covered by the appropriate legislation. My I also remind you that the I.C.O states "Almost anything in writing which asks for information will count as a request under the Act".

Yours sincerely,

B Black

B Black left an annotation ()

Almost anything in writing which asks for information will count as a request under the Act.

Under the Act, if you have information in your records that answers the question you should provide it.

Mccullough Paula NISSA IIB,

Mr Black

Your original email asked a question surrounding Incapacity Benefit Reassessment and when face-to-face assessments are appropriate. The information you requested concerned a process rather than recorded information and this information was already within the public domain. The reply email from Customer Services Team addressed your original query explaining when it may not be necessary to conduct a face-to-face interview as part of the Work Capability Assessment. Your original request was dealt with as a normal business enquiry however if you are not content with our response please let us know what part of your original query did we not address? If you feel an internal review is required please indicate what should form part of that review?

The department does not have to treat every enquiry formally as a request under the Act. It will often be most sensible and provide better customer service to deal with it as a normal customer enquiry under usual customer service procedures.

Thanks
Paula McCullough
Customer Service Team IDSU
DD 02890374033
IP to IP 780414033
DIAL to IP 12380414033
EXT 4033

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Dear Mccullough Paula NISSA IIB,

Let me then rephrase my Foi request,

From your records how many people/customers who applied or were reassessed for E.S.A from April 2012 to April 2013 did not require a face-to-face assessment following IME (Independent Medical Evidence) by way of ESA113, letter, fax or telephone by a persons/customers Registered General Practitioner to yourself or ATOS stating that the applicant/customer of ESA was medically unfit because of their mental health to have a face-to-face assessment carried out at a medical centre or at their home for the purposes of receiving this benefit.

Yours sincerely,

B Black

Mccullough Paula NISSA IIB,

Mr Black

Thank you for the speedy response.

Could you please confirm if your request is solely Employment and Support Allowance figures or Incapacity Reassessment figures or both?

Thanks

Paula McCullough
Customer Service Team IDSU
DD 02890374033
IP to IP 780414033
DIAL to IP 12380414033
EXT 4033

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Dear Mccullough Paula NISSA IIB,

May I have the figures for Employment Support Allowance only please.

Yours sincerely,

B Black

Thanking you once again

Dear Mccullough Paula NISSA IIB,

In my FOI request I refer to "people/customers", "persons/customers" and "applicant/customer".

Could I please delete the above terms in "" and replace and insert the word "claimant(s)" as this is what you refer to them as.

Therefore my question to you should read;

From your records how many CLAIMANTS who applied or were
reassessed for E.S.A from April 2012 to April 2013 did not require
a face-to-face assessment following IME (Independent Medical
Evidence) by way of ESA113, letter, fax or telephone by a
CLAIMANTS Registered General Practitioner to yourself or
ATOS stating that the CLAIMANT of ESA was medically unfit
because of their mental health to have a face-to-face assessment
carried out at a medical centre or at their home for the purposes
of receiving this benefit.

Thanking you again

Yours sincerely,

B Black

Mccullough Paula NISSA IIB,

Mr Black

Yes, this amendment has been forwarded to Freedom of Information officer in Employment and Support Allowance who will be dealing with your FOI request.

Thanks

Paula McCullough
Customer Service Team IDSU
DD 02890374033
IP to IP 780414033
DIAL to IP 12380414033
EXT 4033

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NISSA BELFAST JAMES HOUSE ESA FOI/DP,

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Morren Colm NISSA BELFAST JAMES HOUSE,

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