Who the hell asseses benefits?

[hannah1992]

My friend went to an appointment yesterday at the job centre to asses her esa and her medical conditions. Firstly the person that "assessed" her wasn't medically trained he was just an advisor, but in his "professional" opinion she can get any job.
My friend is young (27) but had suffered with arthritis since she was little. Diagnosed officially when she was 8. She has good days and bad days sometimes weeks. So for instance she can have a good day and go about daily life pretty much ok and then others she will wake up not being able to move. Sometimes she can have a few days of being fine and then some days not.
My question is who is going to employ somebody that may need to take more time off work than is actually at work?
I also don't understand how somebody who isn't medically trained can assess a medical condition.
She's tried working from home things like Avon and the likes but never made a lot of money from it.
She's now getting anxious that they will stop her income and she will go to work then be sacked for taking too much time off and then it will be a vicious circle.

[abbsisspartacus]

They won't stop her income they will move her to the working group where it will become obvious she can't work and hopefully she will be bounced back

[KathArtic]

Did she all the correct medical paperwork with her? I assume the advisor can only make decisions on what she presents with.

[LakieLady]

This sounds like it was a work-focussed interview, rather than a medical assessment. They can't stop your benefits unless you fail to attend or fail to undertake work-related activity (usually some poncey course or similar).

The medical assessment is a much more formal thing and is always undertaken by a "healthcare professional" ie doctor, nurse or trained paramedic.

[ilovesooty]

WF interview I think. Assessments aren't carried out at job centres.

[Blondephantom]

I have a similar condition and work. I do have reasonable adjustments to allow me to do so. My employer is aware I may need more sick leave due to my condition and there is an extra amount of sick days allowed for the condition before it counts towards disciplinary procedures. I have a 40 weeks per year contract so I can have breaks from work to recover.

People with conditions like this can work. They may not feel able to for many reasons. They may not be ready to or need more help to find work. Sometimes a bad flare up can mean a set back and a delay in being able to work. For some people with these conditions the bad days will outweigh the good and work may become impossible.

As PPs have said, it isn’t a medical. Those are held at assessment centres by people who are medically qualified.