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The report

After your medical assessment, the approved healthcare professional's report is sent to the decision maker at the Department for Work and Pensions. The decision maker is the person who is responsible for making a decision on your claim.

The decision maker will consider the report along with all the other information provided for your claim. The decision maker will decide whether you are entitled to Employment and Support Allowance. If you are entitled, they will also decide whether you should be placed in the Work Related Activity Group or the Support Group. You will receive a letter stating their decision.

Confidentiality

All the medical information relating to your claim, including the report from the medical assessment is confidential. This information will not be released to anyone outside the Department for Work and Pensions.

You can ask to be sent a copy of the medical assessment report at any time. It will be sent to you by post.

Sometimes the approved healthcare professional may want to send some information about your medical assessment to your doctor. In that case, Medical Services, who organise medical assessments on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions, will write to you. Medical Services will ask whether you agree to them giving your doctor the information.

If you are unhappy with the medical assessment

If you are not happy with the way the medical assessment was carried out, you can complain to Medical Services.

The complaints procedure is explained in the letter you received about your medical assessment.

You can also complain to the approved healthcare professional at the time of the assessment. If they cannot resolve the problem, they will give you a brochure explaining the formal complaints procedure.

If you are unhappy with the benefit decision

If you think the decision about your benefit claim is wrong, or you do not understand it, you can:

• ask the office who made the decision to explain it
• ask to have the decision reconsidered by another decision maker
• appeal against the decision to an independent tribunal

• How to appeal against a benefits decision (general money, tax and benefits section)

Useful contacts

• Financial support contacts