Forum Discussion
Centrelink disability interview.
Centrelink appointment for my disability claim and job assessment. Only four months of waiting since my application went in. We met with a psychologist (I think that’s what she said she was) called Lynda. She started with a big long rehearsed spiel that went on for about three minutes during which my eyes glazed over and I lost attention after one minute.
She picked through my side effects one by one about the lymphedema and the eye trouble and seemed happy they weren’t too bad at the moment.
Sometimes she asked a question but I had trouble comprehending and then I couldn’t remember the question she asked in the first place (thank you chemo brain – not) so it was a hard slog answering everything and I was getting a stress head ache.
Questions like can you sweep a floor I could answer but only one floor before I am worn out.
Then she asked why I wasn’t seeing a psychologist? I said I wasn’t aware of any phycologists in my area who bulk billed as that’s what I asked my doctor for in the first place after I found out at the BNCA seminar that I could see a psychologist for free. What I got was a psychiatrist who stuck me immediately on antidepressant medication which reacted badly with me in diarrhea and weight loss and swollen glands, then when I complained he said that’s how you know it’s working, when you get side effects. I got a lump in my good arm pit which sent oncology and my head surgeon scurrying for an ultrasound and blood tests and they were not impressed about the medication and told me to stop taking the antidepressant. Next appointment with the psychiatrist isn’t for months so I don’t know what I am supposed to do.
I got a little upset inside but the interview with the Centrelink lady was nearly done so I was holding my breath, ready to jump up and bolt and she said I should be seeing a psychologist. Well then, I lost it and the tears came and I couldn’t stop and I have no idea why I was crying, but I just wanted to get out of there. She said hubby and I should apply for New Start, I think she said it was and register with a job provider.
I got the sobs under control and she let us go, finally. I was thinking about the New Start thing when I got out and I would be a fraud to apply with a job provider as I know full well I cannot work atm. So embarrassing, sheesh!
81 Replies
- Hey @Brenda5 , have they considered giving you a short break to see if it is the tamoxifen causing the issues and whether swapping to an aramatose inhibitor be any different with memory etc. ? Just a thought. Quality of life is important too.
- If any one's interested I have some unemployment statistics for Bundaberg to Hervey Bay. There are 6700 unemployed up to the age of 35. I looked up seek to see what jobs there were and none of them I was qualified for but there was a total of 212 for Hervey Bay, and 236 for Bundaberg. Some of the jobs were for as far away as Ipswich in SE Qld. I am 55 yrs old and cannot concentrate properly for long on even my eye periphery tests. My brain just won't do it. If I don't write everything down every day I forget it. I get dizzy just putting my groceries in the crisper at home. I make myself walk the dogs of an afternoon but that's pretty much all the energy I have. I take heaps of naps. If I could drive and do a real estate course I would do that as a job but atm on this medication I would be down right dangerous on the roads. I get 4% extra cancer prevention on the Tamoxifen so I guess I will stick at it but it is tough to take. I have become drug sensitive and can't even take a whole 100mg aspro. I have to cut the silly little things in half.
Funny thing with centerlink, they have been paying my husband a carers pension supplement for both my dad and I for months. Not that it is much at $240 or so a fortnight but hey it is a help. :) - It seems absolutely crazy and ridiculous, however when it comes to Psychologists/Psychiatrists or anything mental that you have to prove incapacity, Centrelink seem to drag their feet and make the hoops higher for you to jump. This seems to be across the board even for people suffering depression are just not able to get support from Centrelink.
There needs to be more communication and education at Centrelink in regards to all facets of individuals affected by Breast Cancer. It is not a one size fits all, or diagnosis/treatment either, some can return to work but some cannot and they shouldnt have to turn themselves inside out to prove to Centrelink why the hell they can't!!!!! Hugs to you Brenda. Melinda xo - Hi @Brenda5
Re your comment "said the claim was lodged on the 16th of this month and the assessment team will send out a letter when they make a decision". This is not unusual and they will try to not give any backpay as they say that is when they received the claim. This is distressing but if that happens you can lodge an appeal - and please do so !
When you call re their assessment, ask the operator to read out what he/she is typing in the appeal statement and then give you a receipt number. Keep them on their toes.
Good luck
Summer :-) Hi Brenda,
Thanks for sharing your experience in the online network. I’m sorry to hear you’ve had such a difficult time and that it’s continued for months. Unfortunately from what we have heard amongst our members your experience is not uncommon and this is backed up by some of the responses you received on you post. Many have had similar difficulties with lengthy wait times, inconsistencies and difficulties with staff.
You might be interested to learn that BCNA has recently completed some research into both return to work experiences and financial impact following a diagnosis of breast cancer. As part of these study we have made some recommendations, including that Centrelink provides specialist chronic illness liaison officers who would be trained to help people with cancer (and other chronic illnesses) navigate the various entitlements and benefits that are available to assist them.
We hope that having additional support and information will help to streamline the process of getting benefits to people who are in need and entitled sooner. We will be advocating for this to happen in the coming months. In the meantime, it does sound like some addition support would be helpful to you and or your husband, so can I suggest you contact Cancer Council who offer telephone support for someone to chat with and talk through your concerns and they may be able to support you through a financial hardship program they run. You can contact them on 13 11 20 or visit their website www.cancer.org.au
- Politically I'm a non participant but it does worry me that we appear to have a government that is very proud of its performance when it comes to 'weeding out' malingerers who have engineered themselves into the public teat. Admissions to the pension system are at all time lows.
Terrific. Except that Newstart is a punitive payment that is set so punishingly low that you need to starve or embrace criminal enterprise if that is all you have to live on. Not quite fair in our circumstances when you genuinely can not take on enough work to keep yourself solvent.
I'm grateful that my treatment was delivered at a reasonable cost in one of the most medically advanced countries in the world. That I now can't afford to pay my bills is bizarre, but that's what it is. Save you then strip you back to nothing and make you beg. If I had to choose between money wasted on chemo rads and reconstruction repeated over decade and some financial peace of mind now it would be a no brainer. But there are no crystal balls. - Bloody awesome idea lovey. I got pissed off again the other day reading an article in my local free newspaper about a young fella who had a dog who had bone cancer. It was a heartwhelming story for sure but this is where I got pissed off. The guy is studying vet nursing - all credit there but was able to claim his super to pay for his dogs surgery! And I'm happy he was able to access it for that I have two labs and they are a Huge part of our family, but it's obvious he met the criteria to claim as he must be on acentrelink payment of some description and has been for at least 26 weeks Some of you would of read my earlier post about me not being able to claim my super. I was pretty fucked off that he got to claim his super for his dog and I couldn't get anything to help pay the bills while I was having treatment as my husband worked his arse off through it all contributing to the young fellas centrelink payment with his tax! And he also got a go find me page set up for him too even though he had the money from his super to pay for the dogs surgery
Perhaps a loan from the govt could also be implemented to help those of us in this situation to get through and then an affordable payment plan organised when you get back on your feet?? At least people like Brenda wouldn't of had to take out bank loans etc and pay interest and struggle through this shitty disease. I looked into starting a fundraiser to try and help others in this situation but I don't have the money or resources to even get a look in. I've emailed my local member and I've read how she has advocated on behalf of people in her electorate to get a push on these Centrelink payments and she has been successful so maybe Brenda5 you can try your luck there. Margie ❤️ - Hi Everyone.. was going to start another thread.. and may still do so about this whole issue of Centrelink and DSP and other payments but wanted to throw something around here. So please bear with me.
I have literally just come up with an idea to possibly step towards a change. I know this may take some time to implement as it will require lobbying government, local members etc but here is what I am thinking in a number of ways.
1. Could BCNA employ an advocate, lobbyist or just raise awareness through media of this issue for women and men to bring it into the public arena
2. I wondered about suggesting a "DSP Light" for those needing it, at any time, from time of diagnosis, through initial treatment and then ongoing follow -up, to be reviewed 12 monthly as to status for work. This could also be for others with Chronic issues but currently deemed ineligible. The collective team players could document the medical side for the Centrelink powers that be and a review form could be developed for completion by them at different stages as they are the ones with the fullest knowledge of what stage of treatment, care or intervention people are in.
3. At review times it is the specialist team who take the responsibility to evidence what is happening for the individual including any social worker, psychologist, physio etc. They already will have follow-up reviews with patients at regular intervals and as new things develop as side effects of treatment or results of surgery etc they are on the ball with medical evidence immediately.
I was feeling so sad and frustrated this afternoon as I read this thread and there seems to be limited resolution, so just wanted to throw my thoughts out there and see what people think. As if this crap cant be humiliating and debilitating enough for people and the hoops and hurdles we are asked to jump through when there is precious little energy(physically, mentally, emotionally and practically) which should be focused on recovery, treatment, care of self or family and less stress.
I would be willing to put my hand up to work with a team of people on this.. but would prefer an overarching organisation to take the lead of it.
Anyway.. just my prattle.... Hugs to everyone. - Why do they make us do the whole cranky old bat thing? Surely there must be another option? Such as them doing their bloody jobs, for example.
There is all this talk about people behaving badly when dealing with Centrelink but it always seems to come down to doing the gritted teeth, look up this receipt number, I want to talk to your manager performance. Which means walking a fine line between getting efficient service and getting dragged out of the building by security.
Keep going, if only to piss them off. Look at it as sport for the moment. If you start concentrating on what they are doing to your life you will lose the plot and get taken away in The Van. Marg xxx - I asked for a psychologist from my GP. What I got was a psychiatrist who said I don't know you so I cannot do a mental assessment. He put me on some antidepressants which gave me diarrhea so bad I lost 5 kg and had to go off them. The medication also blew my glands up including in my underarm which triggered ultrasound tests to check. That was way back in March or April. My next appointment with the psychiatrist isn't until next month. Thinking of cancelling on the useless prick.
I rang center link again this week. I got the same old "we are waiting for the job assessment reports". I got stroppy with the girl and said "well that is a lie" so she had another look and changed tactics and said the claim was lodged on the 16th of this month and the assessment team will send out a letter when they make a decision but she couldn't commit to when that will actually be. If they pass my claim they will have to cough up over $7,000 in payments backdated to February. Pity I cannot claim the interest bill from the loans I had to use to cover no income.
