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Forum Home  →  Discussion  →  Work capability issues and ESA  →  Thread

HCP face to face consultation. Refusing/unable to answer questions

JAS1
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Advice Worker, Gaddum Centre

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Total Posts: 367

Joined: 14 February 2017

Hello,

If a person has a condition for example Autism and doesn’t feel able to answer some of the HCP questions when they go to their face to face consultation, would your advice be to try and answer the question as best as you can, or would you advise them to tell the HCP that due to their condition they are not able to answer some of the questions.

I guess like everything it totally depends on each individual situation but I was just wondering if anyone had any general advice on what the best approach is?

Is it better to not answer and explain why than give an ‘unsatisfactory’ or unintentionally misleading answer to a question?

Thanks

Wensleyfoss
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Welfare Rights Advisor, Autism Anglia

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I have had cases where individuals, due to anxiety levels have not been able to answer questions. This hasn’t stopped the HCP writing some asinine remark on the report. Recently, I have had a case of a young man who had selective mutism, the report stated ‘X chooses not to speak…’ Individuals with with Selective Mutism do not choose to be silent in the situations in which they cannot speak. They genuinely cannot speak because trying to speak causes immense anxiety.

Mike Hughes
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Senior welfare rights officer - Salford City Council Welfare Rights Service

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Joined: 17 June 2010

Was this detailed on the claim pack? That would assist to a small extent.

Other than that I’m not sure there’s a “right” answer. Main thing is that someone, whether claimant or someone with them, needs to explain very clearly why answers may not be forthcoming.

JAS1
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Advice Worker, Gaddum Centre

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Total Posts: 367

Joined: 14 February 2017

Thanks guys.

Wensley - that sounds frustrating. That’s the sort of thing I was trying to avoid however sometimes it’s just not possible and you only spot it on the report later on.