What to expect from Disability Medical Assessment?

[qsin]

After 2 hospitalizations and a year since I brought it up I've finally progressed to the Disability Medical Assessment part of DSP application. What should I expect from this?

I feel really anxious as I feel this is my last hoep since I can't keep living in my relative poverty. I feel like since I don't have any physical disabilities and that I'm a young, well educated, person that the expectation is that I can work and that I should work, that I'm a leach for not working (or that I'm trying to scam the system seems to be the standard narative).

What kind of questions does the assessor ask? What are their guidelines?

[CheerBear]

Hi @qsin. Really understanding the anxiety you're experiencing about having to go through a disability medical assessment. I was so anxious throughout the whole process which has only recently finished for me. I too went through a DMA and found it really hard to get to.

I found the assessment itself wasn't anywhere near as bad as I'd imagined it would be. The doctor asked the same kinds of questions as the person who did my job capacity assessment (JCA) but with a little more focus on treatment and medication. I have a physical disability also so they asked quite a few questions about surgeries, treatment, symptoms etc. It was more 'what did you have done, when, then what happened, now what's the plan' kind of stuff. With my mental health stuff it was the same kind of questions - what treatment, who have you seen/do you still see about it, what symptoms and what effect do they have etc.

The appointment was quicker than I thought it would be. Right at the start I told the Dr that I was very anxious, that it was really hard for me to talk about some of the things I needed to, and that I may get jumbled up when trying to talk, and they seemed pretty understanding about it all.

I know different people have different experiences, but mine was as OK as I could have hoped. I'm not sure if that helps at all but I wanted to share because I truly expected it to be horrible and the worst part turned put to be the build up of it all for me.

Do you have a support person to take with you? I chose not to have anyone with me but I caught transport there and had a lift home which turned out to be a good idea as I was a mess for most of the day.

Hope it goes OK for you qsin.

[Former-Member]

Hello @qsin

Thank you for starting such a helpful topic, you are not alone in being worried about whether you are eligable or not, there are a lot of unknowns so it is good to reach to others in a similar position when it's mental health related.

Like @CheerBear said, a support person who can help you with these questions would be helpful, however there is another thread called Anyone started with the NDIS that you also might find helpful to read through.

I hope that helps,

Lunar 

[CheerBear]

Hi @Former-Member. I think qsin was talking about the DSP process with centrelink which is, for most people now (in the last few years), a two stage assessment process with the last stage being a medical assessment by a government issued doctor. The NDIS process is pretty different, though similar in stress and anxiety from my experience.

I had a quick look with the search function through the forum and can't find much info on DMA's here. There is some info online about what's involved @qsin, though it isn't very specific. I too tried to find out what was involved before I went to mine and didn't get very far with it, though I did manage to work myself up into a pretty stressed and anxious state trying. Hope the wait isn't too long for you.

[Former-Member]

I am so sorry @qsin and thank you for pointing that out @CheerBear, I read that very wrong, apologies!

Yes there is not much about the DSP - medical assessment on the forums, I think the main thing you need is documentation from a Psychiatrist, not a Psychologist unless they are a clinical Psychologist, and your GP, and you take that to the assessment. If they have queries they will follow that up with your Psychiatrist.

It is hard to know exactly what they ask, but they want to know how it prevents you from working basically.

[Mellberg4]

Hello.

I know this was posted some time ago, but was wondering if there was any followup?

I had my medical assessment today.

I still have pain in my heart and chest from all the stress.

If anyone knows, what happens after you have had the medical assessment? Is there any sort of vague timeframe?

Kind regards.

[CheerBear]

Hi @Mellberg4 and welcome to the forum. Wondering how you're feeling today after the stress of your recent DMA? It's a very stressful process and one that can take a real toll on you.

I went through the process last year and found it is now a bit of a blur but from memory I heard back quite quickly (within a week or two I think). I found out via an electronic My Gov message.

Did the doctor give you any indication of the time frame?

[Mellberg4]

Hi there.

Still feeling 'sick'. Its like a tightness in the chest and heart area (I've had everything medically checked out so I know its nothing sinister) but, nonetheless it feels really scary.

My hope is that it reduces once I get a answer, but in the same breath, I'm petrified that if it's no, I don't know if I have the strength to fight an appeal. I just assumed once you get to the medical assessment stage, that that's a good sign.

Thanks for the kind words.

[CheerBear]

Hi again @Mellberg4. Sorry I missed this earlier. If you'd like to you can tag by using the @ symbol in front of a users name. It can make it easier to see replies that way.

What you're experiencing sounds like what stress and anxiety can feel like for me. It can be like someone is sitting on my chest 😏 My tummy/gut feels it a lot also. Lots of us who have been through this process have found it to be really difficult and I'm sorry to hear you're feeling it too. I found that intense feeling did pass once I had an answer, though even with the answer I hoped for it took some time.

I think it is a good sign to get to the DMA stage. From my understanding more often than not you won't get through from the first assessment but you can be rejected from there. To have it go through means it's still being considered and I think that's good.

I hope you hear back soon and that it is the result you're hoping for. Keep posting here on the forum if you'd like. There are so many of us who have experienced difficult times with centrelink related things so there's lots of understanding here.

[STAR68]

I am having my ESAT on July 2 after applying for DSP last week. My Mental Health Diagnosis is Severe PTSD, severe Depression, Severe Anxiety.... I have been on a medical certificate for 4 n half yrs and now they say they will no longer accept my medical certificate. I have been on a lot of medication and there is nothing more they can do to help me... my condition is always up n down so never really stable. Can anyone help with suggestions on how I can pass this appointment and finally be accepted for DSP