Help me write a letter to UC/DWP/LCWA re OA (Osteoarthritis) and mobility issues ...

[HelpMeObiWanKenobi]

Hello Mumsnet,

You have all helped me before with great advice ... hoping you will come to the rescue one more time MN!

I am not sure where this should go so I am putting it in WORK for now but please advise if it should go somewhere else ...

Are there any 'template' letters to send to a Work Coach and WCA Assessor at UC/DWP/LCWA available to MNs as I am really, really struggling with putting one together for my UC/WC Assessor ... I have ADHD, ASD, ND, MH issues ... I am not making that an excuse but it is a big challenge for me ...

Any advice, links or help will be really greatly appreciated MN.

Thank you,

HelpMeObiWanKenobi

ps. This is referring to OA, Stage 4/5, Advanced, Knees, Spine ... and possible hips too but they are not sure ...

Not aware of any templates.
What is the letter for, what are you trying to tell them about?

Op citizens advice bureau were very helpful for me. They can arrange a appointment locally to you (doctor surgery/community centre etc). Could your GP send a letter on your behalf??

Sorry I know you've said it's about OA/mobility issues but what is it you need to tell them in connection with this?

If it's proof of disability/unable to attend meetings in person/unable to work etc you are FAR better getting the HCPs involved in your care to write to them or do a report. So speak to your GP, physio or consultant and ask them to write a letter

There is no level 5 osteoarthritis - the KL classification is 0 - 4.

As others have said, it is hard to suggest the best approach without understanding what you are trying to tell them and why. Your title suggests that you have mobility problems, but a number of the diagnoses (?) that you mention are not related to mobility.

Unfortunately many HCP's now refuse to provide reports or other information for these purposes, or charge for them if they do (and people on benefits often cab't afford those reports). So understanding what you are trying to communicate may help to suggest where to best direct you for help.

You don't need to write letters about having a specific illness, I don't think. You just fill out the forms. If it says 'can you do xyz, You reply with always, sometimes or never, then you say the reasons why.
The only letters that are relevant are from hospital or medical professionals.
If you have osteoporosis for example, you could send them your bone density scan score. You can get that from the orthopedic dept at the hospital if you don't have it in writing.
Just tell the truth about how your illness affects your mobility/ability for the task they speak of in the question.

Looking back at your thread a couple of weeks ago, I believe that you have submitted your evidence and had an assessment. Is that correct? So is your issue that you don't agree that you are capable of (possibly some) work - that seems to be what you suggested they were stating in your last thread. I did become a little confused because you said that you would have answered the questions differently if you had known the assessor was medically qualified. Why is that? Surely the answer is the answer?

You usually have to fill in a form about your condition.

What does the letter need to say?

I think the OP is already past that stage. They seem to have had their assessment already.

If you have submitted you fit note and had your WCA, what was the outcome? If you disagree with the discussion you can ask for a mandatory reconsideration. All you need to do is leave a journal message stating that you disagree with the outcome of your recent WCA and want to request a mandatory reconsiderations. Whoever picks this up should then set you a to-do so you can upload any additional evidence your want the Decision Maker to consider. I would strongly advise you do submit any additional evidence that you have e.g. hospital discharge reports, hospital, physio, GP letters or reports, etc.

Thank You! Thank You!

Yes Ok so to answer some questions : yes, I have had the assessment, correct and yes I am challenging the decision ... it has taken weeks to get the reports back and they do not reflect the tone of the conversation I actually had with both assessors.

If I had known that they were a medical professional I would have give more in depth answers re MH issues - anxiety, severe depression, trauma etc ... I did not feel I could answer these at the time as I was focusing on the OA which is only getting worse.

I have requested letters from my GP Surgery and also now from my Muscularskeletal Specialist but there is a hefty charge and I will have to wait before I can get these sent to me.

So yes I am waiting to upload the documents I have ... still waiting for the link to do this.

I appreciate everyone's help.

I am just overwhelmed by it all and want to burst in to tears ... I feel I am just going round and round saying the same thing but no one is actually listening ... anyway ... onwards!

Again, a big THANK YOU, I really do appreciate your help, advice and suggestions.

If it is stuff they have got factually wrong then you can write something along the lines of:

Dear sir/madam

I am writing to correct a number of factual errors in the health professional report following my application for mandatory reconsideration.

Firstly, The report from the health professional states that I injured my left arm in a motorbike accident. As my hospital documentation dated 2/3/2004 states I in fact injured my right leg in a car accident.

Secondly,,,

Etc etc

I hope that you will agree that these factual errors require correction and that the report should not be relied upon.

Yours sincerely, blah.

(Yes I have had to do this!!)

I have requested letters from my GP Surgery and also now from my Muscularskeletal Specialist but there is a hefty charge and I will have to wait before I can get these sent to me.

You should be able to get copies of hospital letters free of charge, you're entitled to a copy.
GPs usually charge for a report @HelpMeObiWanKenobi but is the hospital consultant also charging a fee? IME NHS employed staff, such as hospital consultants, physios, mental health nurses etc will not charge for a report for DWP

I'm not saying this to get an "award" because I know everyone is different, but I have stage 4 osteoarthritis and it's quicker to list where I don't have it than where I do! And I have worked full-time in that condition since 2016. I am not saying that because I think they are right, or because I think you should work - I am saying it because "a diagnosis" of anything does not equate to "unable to work". I suspect, based on what you have said here and on the other thread, that you are focussing on telling them what is medically wrong with you rather than what impact it has and why that makes you struggle with work. You did it here - you said you had OA and mobility issues, and then kind of assumed we would know that means you can't work. But lots of people with OA and mobility issues DO work!

I would suggest that you need to think more like PIP assessments - what can you do, what can't you do, what is a good day like, what is a bad day like. Because in and of themselves not one of your diagnoses (and I assume you do have official diagnoses for all that list) prevents someone from working. They MAY prevent you from working - but that is what you need to focus your answers on.

I'm going to add something else that you didn't ask about. I kind of got the impression that you have worked, and fairly recently? You also do appear to be motivated to work? Regardless of what happens with your assessment, take advantage of anything and everything offered that will help you get back to work. There are a number of schemes designed to help with this, and for motivated people they can be very effective. The reason I say this is because unemployment is one of the biggest indicators in shortening lifespans and worsening health outcomes. Work (and money, obviously) is good for your health and for your longevity, so try to utilise any offers to help positively.

When I challenged the decision on my LCWA decision -
I didn't need to upload any written letters; once I had their decision letter I had to tell them I was challenging it (by calling the number on the letter) within 30 days and they then sent it for a mandatory reconsideration - they then sent me a link for additional documentation to be added .... but they would only accept letters from professionals - GP / surgeons etc .... I was able to get these by doing a SAR for my records (no charge)

They still declined my MR - so I went to tribunal with all the documentation and won (15 months after initially applying)

Big THANK YOU everyone!

Lots to mull over here ...

I will report back and let you know the decision which is tomorrow ... found a template on SCOPE so we shall see what the outcome is ...

Best wishes,
ObiWanKenobi

Ok so just to update for those invested ... I sent in a very honest and open letter to my DM (Decision Maker) be end of day as requested and by 9am this morning they had replied with a very firm 'no we are not changing our decision' ... they didn't exactly spend very much time making the decision did they but onwards!

So, on to the next battle now ... I really do not know what more I can give them!

Again, thank you for all your advice and help, really, really appreciated.

x