Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
PIP. SHAMELESS
Can’t move, can’t talk, can’t see, needing 24-hour care for past seven years and still put through the anguish of having to PROVE he’s entitled to It’s...
THE father of one of “the most disabled people in Northern Ireland” has slammed the controversial PIP benefit.
John Mcmullan, 50, said he was “astounded” by a an interview for Declan, 26, who is “unable to move, talk, see or eat”.
He said he feared what other disabled people might face for assessments for the benefit which is replacing Disability Living Allowance.
Declan, from Crossgar, Co Down, has locked-in syndrome, a neurological condition that means he is unable to control his movements despite being fully aware.
He requires 24-hour care for the condition, which was triggered when his brain was starved from oxygen during an eight-minute cardiac arrest when he was 19.
When John recently received a letter informing him Declan must be reassessed for the new payment, he expected the change would be made without question.
He explained: “The form was very easy to fill in because Declan can’t do anything other than blink. He is unable to move, talk, see or eat.
“Doctors told us to imagine being buried alive – that is what locked-in syndrome is.
“Three weeks later, I received a call from an assessor to ask questions.”
John claimed the official, who wanted to see Declan face-to-face, displayed a “total ignorance” of his condition.
He said: “I supplied ample evidence of his disability but I doubt they actually understood what is on that paper.”
Declan achieved the full payment but John said he was shocked to see that he did not achieve full points for his daily living needs.
He added: “Declan cannot eat and is PEG fed yet the assessor only gave him six points out of 10 for assistance required with eating and drinking.
“He cannot move at all, only blink, yet the assessor gave him just two out of eight points on if he needs supervision or assistance managing his therapies.
“He got 2/8 for needing assistance making budgeting decisions and just 4/8 for needing support in social situations.
“How can a PIP assessor be properly qualified to override doctors? Declan’s team include occupational therapists, social workers, nurses, doctors, physiotherapists and psychiatrists. A PIP assessor can’t be all of that.
“I knew Declan was never going to be turned down for PIP. It was just the stupidity of the process and the fact even he did not get full points.
“He is probably one of the most disabled people in Northern Ireland. How disabled do you have to be?”
John said he was convinced the assessors aimed to get as many people off disability benefit as possible and believed a bonus system made them “sales people in reverse”.
“How many times do severely disabled people need to be assessed?
“If professional people are providing professional evidence is that not good enough?
“When you are disabled, you don’t need to prove you are this disabled.”
A Department for Communities spokesman said: “We expect the highest standards from Capita, who deliver the PIP Assessment Service and they have to conform to a rigorous set of quality standards.
“Each assessor must have a minimum of two years’ post registration experience which must be fulfilled within an approved health profession and also receive extensive training
“Capita is committed to delivering a high quality and empathetic service for people applying for PIP.
“Its disability assessors are healthcare professionals with the required skills and knowledge to carry out PIP assessments across Northern Ireland.
“A robust complaint process is in place for customers who are unhappy with the service provided by Capita which includes the opportunity to escalate a complaint to the Department if they feel it has not been satisfactorily resolved.
“The terms and conditions of the contracts of employment for disability assessors are a matter for Capita and are not set by the Department.
“However, we understand that an annual quality incentive of £3,000 is wholly based on the disability assessor producing consistent high-quality reports on a timely basis and is not related in any way to decisions on entitlement to PIP.
“Decisions on individuals’ entitlement to PIP are made by us.
“Every claim is considered on an individual basis and decisions are made based on the available evidence.
“More people are being awarded PIP at the highest rate of benefit than under DLA.”
Imagine being buried alive – that’s what locked in syndrome is like DECLAN MCMULLAN CO DOWN YESTERDAY