To consider working for NHS 111 or Disability Assessor....

[Gomoza2018]

To consider working for NHS 111 or as a disability nurse assessor - I don’t want to work as a face to face nurse anymore .... I feel burnt out & I’m having problems with my hands & back making it difficult to do ordinary clinical tasks ....anyone working in these roles that could kindly offer advice - thanks 😊

I was previously a Nurse and let my registration lapse a couple of years ago. I have sat in with patients for a few PIP assessments so can give you an ide of what the assessors do. They basically visit people in their homes ( or at the moment do phone calls ) and ask them loads of questions in relation to what they can and cannot do on a daily basis. They then have to type up a comprehensive report. The ones I've seen tend to write up extensive notes balancing their laptop on their knee whilst asking questions. A friend of mine did the job ( she was previously a paramedic) but quickly got burnt out in the job. In my current job i see things from the other side, helping clients to apply for PIP and challenge the ( usually wrong ) decisions. I have thought about becoming an assessor myself if I could get my Nurse qualification back but not sure I could do it. I supported one of my clients when the assessor came to do the assessment. The client had multiple fractures in her spine from cancer and the assessor was asking her to lean on the door frame and bend down whilst the patient was crying. When I tried to intervene I was told to keep quiet. The client was awarded lower rates and a colleague of mine has challenged the decision and she is now on enhanced rates awarded at tribunal. The whole DWP assessment business can be awful. I would say if you think you can make a difference for the good then go for it but ultimately for me I don't think I could be an assessor even though the money is tempting. Ultimately I suspect you would have little influence to change a dreadful system.

If you have problems with your hands, it may not be ideal to be an assessor as you have to type quickly. I imagine that might be similar for a 111 operator, finding info or following guidelines quickly on a computer system whilst taking the calls.

Thanks for all the feedback ....