Its no wonder people with ME are killing themselves.
I have created this thread in response to this video that was posted elsewhere, which is supposed to help with tribunals.
I didn't find it helpful. It chooses the simplest of disability as its example, a bad back and calls this a typical case. Lets have one showing the complexities and problems answering the questions from a fluctuating perspective for those with ME and see how the government deals with that as an example.
It emphasises the importance of going in person. I would like to see this changed for those with ME. Lets make ME an exception. Really, if the information is all down on paper, with supportive evidence, there should be no difference. These are traumatising patients and causing unnecessary distress.
What I found sinister in this government video, was the role "Imogen", the neighbour, had to play. There should be no "Judges", no desks and it should be a chat done on a comfortable sofa. These are sick people, not criminals. The moderately stern Judge soon pricked up his ears and became sympathetic to Imogen when she said "its what's not being said" (of Gareth's Dr and Gareth). "Go on, go on".
I am certain every single person with ME has an "Imogen" in their lives. Instead of showcasing an example where a legal advocate, friend, neighbour is standing up for "Gareth" they have chosen to show this person as a friendly informant to really discredit his diagnosis from his current G.P. and Gareth.
Imogen referred to getting a Doctors letter for Gareth. Why did she not raise these health issues with his G.P. before the tribunal, directly so that if grief and or depression was playing a part, the G.P. could have included this in their report? We are really looking at a video here calling his G.P. incompetent. Maybe they are.
But none of it seems relevant or particularly helpful to those with ME.
It was also disappointing to not see the outcome of this "typical" case.
Really, what is this? What is it that I am watching? The normalising of the abuse of disabled patients.