Is anyone a disability assessor?

[MINEareCRAFTy]

Absolutely sick of working in NHS mental health. Considering doing this but the job advert makes it sound great and obviously it isn't. What are the downsides? I'm wondering if it's really stressful with harsh deadlines.

Posted the above in 'work' but got no reply.

I couldn't do it in all consciousness. The whole thing seems to be in total conflict with my code of ethics (HCP)

But yes ridiculous workload and deadlines. I think any reports have to be written a certain way. I am guessing as they are continually advertising that no one sticks around for long.

Is there any other areas you could look to rather than just the NHS? For example a local HA to me have set up a mental health support team.

Yes I thought as much. Back to the drawing board...

Judging by the amount of outright lies their reports contain, you have to be either destitute or a complete psychopath in order to want to do this vile job. I'm an RN and I'd rather give up nursing than torment the sick, dying and disabled.

Errr ok. I'm not either of those things. I would like a job where my own mental health isn't as adversely effected as it is currently though.

If that is why you are wanting out, this really isn't the way to jump - 'out of the frying pan and into the fire' springs to mind. I think a combination of the deadlines, lack of autonomy and the political climate of these assessments would take a toll in a different way.

What kind of setting are you in at the moment? In-patient? Community? Would a change there help? Or is it just the feeling of having to do so much with so little?

Would a total change of setting work? Care home, or as I said before a Housing Association. It was Home Group who were recently advertising near me and that have this job in a different part of the country so maybe it is a role that comes up every now and again.

homegroup.taleo.net/careersection/ex/jobdetail.ftl?job=19986&tz=GMT%2B01%3A00&tzname=Europe%2FLondon

Good luck in whatever you decide I'm sure the right role is out there for you.

Thank you @TeamUnicorn

I work in attachment. It's quite emotionally hard.

I know what you mean about frying pan/fire though.

Sometimes wonder if I need a complete change...

@MINEareCRAFTy I know this is an old post but I'm just wondering if you ever took the leap and applied for a job as a disability assessor? I'm also a mental health nurse and considering this.

@mlou32 no I'm still in my job and funnily enough have been thinking loads about this recently!

I applied for a role at the council yesterday working in homelessness but I have no experience in housing so don't think I'll get it.

What area are you in?

@MINEareCRAFTy I'm in acute admissions. What about yourself?

I've been looking at other jobs, anything really but I'm not sure what else I'm qualified to do. I thought about doing maybe health visiting, NHS Scotland funds places but I've not seen vacancies for trainees come up for a while. I wish I had gone into general, I would have more doors open to me at least.

I’m not an assessor (I’m assuming your mean PIP assessment) but I know some people doing that.

The time pressure are huge and so are the ‘sticking to the rules’ (eg you are 10 mins late therefore we can’t see you and you will be marked as ‘DNA’). I’ve seen many of them working overtime to be able to compete all the docs.
I’ve also seen them changing their attitude as they settle in the role, from assuming people are kind and truthful to assuming everyone is lying and trying it on. I know their training insist a lot of all the ‘tricks’ people are up to For exam0le which encourage a certain ‘culture’.
To be fair, some people are difficult as in, the assessor needs protection and they have a security guard at hand for some of them in the waiting room. One assessor told me how she got verbally abused, hit, brick sent trough the window because the report wasn’t what was ‘expected’ etc...

And yes there is a very turnover which says it all.....

The NMC have been forced to take complaints against registered nurses much more seriously since their own ombudsman criticised them for routinely fobbing off complaints arising from PIP and WCA assessments being packs of lies. Rightly so in my opinion. This decision depends on how much you are prepared to sell yourself out.

www.disabilitynewsservice.com/nursing-body-failed-to-deal-fairly-with-pip-assessment-complaints-says-regulator/

It’s a job for sadists you’re paid to basically lie to say the person isn’t entitled to benefits I think those that do this job are evil

I thought about it briefly but don’t think I could do it. Putting ethical issues aside I think your registration is in just as much jeopardy doing that job with the pressures and the lack of clients as it is on a pressurised NHS unit, just in a different way. As PP say, staff turnover is terrible.

Lack of care towards clients that should say.

Thank you for speaking for the ethical majority of the nursing profession +TooStressyTooMessy*

Agreed 100% FabbyChix it's horrible to think that some nurses/HCPs get off on the cruelty of it, too

Tbf I dint think that assessors are just cruel people. The ones I’ve met are nice. They are trying to do/keep their job.

What i am finding sad is the brainwashing/culture in that company that means they are loosing sight of reality. (Plus they have no choice in following the rules).

The amount of mistakes seems to be linked with the fact reports are written afterwards, on memory (I thnk they have 30mins with the person and then 1h00 writting time?). If it’s not finished on time, it’s done at the end of the day (cue high risk of mixing up things)

Thanks namechanged

I absolutely agree with you though Nom, I don’t think the assessors are cruel themselves; I think it is the system that is cruel.

I am a nurse and did this for a short time. I hated it from day 1 - the time pressure and deadlines for reports are horrendous. I was told to change reports on several occasions by managers (against my clinical judgement).

Handed in my notice after two weeks and went back to the nhs. Less money but I kept my soul. They have about 50% attrition - to be able to do it you have to be able to completely detach from the applicants as people - I couldn't.

What about changing roles - something less acute?

And yes - the system is cruel. It is very very difficult to score enough points to qualify for an award.

@MINEareCRAFTy did you ever take the leap into this job?

There was one of these in AMA (Ask me Anything)

Pop over there. It might still exist but it did get quite heated if I remember correctly.