The Student Room Group

Doctor won’t sign disability student allowance form

My welfare tutor has been urging me to apply for a DSA for a while. Other staff at the uni recommended me to also. I have had depression, anxiety and BDD for years. I attempted suicide in 2014 and 2016 with subsequent hospital admissions. I just came off medication for an anti depressant a few months ago because I was scared of becoming overly dependent. My depression still exists and it’s quite bad some days, another incident happened where I was in an abusive relationship and there was a large coerced debt built up in my name and all of this was quite recent so I still have extremely low days where I’m crying constantly, don’t eat or sleep and have suicidal thoughts. The DSA (disability student allowance) is given on the grounds that you have a mental health condition that has been long term.

I just registered at a new GP surgery in October this year due to distance, my old one was too far. They said they do not have my old records so I printed off some of my medical documents that I have on my computer to show that my condition has been longer than 12 months. They called me in for a second appointment to fill in the form yet the doctor said that the question “Does the student have a physical, sensory or mental impairment which has a substantial* and long term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities (including education)?” she doesn’t think she can tick the “Yes” box for it. She said that because I haven’t been admitted to hospital recently and attend uni sometimes that she can’t tick the yes box.

Is this okay for her to do? And what do I do now?
Original post by Anonymous
My welfare tutor has been urging me to apply for a DSA for a while. Other staff at the uni recommended me to also. I have had depression, anxiety and BDD for years. I attempted suicide in 2014 and 2016 with subsequent hospital admissions. I just came off medication for an anti depressant a few months ago because I was scared of becoming overly dependent. My depression still exists and it’s quite bad some days, another incident happened where I was in an abusive relationship and there was a large coerced debt built up in my name and all of this was quite recent so I still have extremely low days where I’m crying constantly, don’t eat or sleep and have suicidal thoughts. The DSA (disability student allowance) is given on the grounds that you have a mental health condition that has been long term.

I just registered at a new GP surgery in October this year due to distance, my old one was too far. They said they do not have my old records so I printed off some of my medical documents that I have on my computer to show that my condition has been longer than 12 months. They called me in for a second appointment to fill in the form yet the doctor said that the question “Does the student have a physical, sensory or mental impairment which has a substantial* and long term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities (including education)?” she doesn’t think she can tick the “Yes” box for it. She said that because I haven’t been admitted to hospital recently and attend uni sometimes that she can’t tick the yes box.

Is this okay for her to do? And what do I do now?



Helpline
https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/how-we-can-help/helplines/disabled-students-helpline

or student advisor/ disability team at the uni.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/

You need to find out what the exact test is for that box. It might be enough to clarify on what grounds the Dr can tick the box. IT may be the Dr is correct or they may be misinterpreting the rule.


The answer should be in this book.
https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/applying-disabled-students%E2%80%99-allowances-dsas
https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/shop

CAB should have a cop or these people can tell you over the phone.

https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/contact-us

You could also email them your post, but tidy it up and enclose the relevant details.

If you need to change doctors back to your old one or find a new one.
Dos the uni have their own medical centre?


Sorry cant do much more than that. GL hope it works out.
(edited 5 years ago)

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