The person concerned applied for disability allowance on 13 May 2011. The medical evidence supplied with his claim was referred to one of the department's medical assessors who was of the opinion, based on the information supplied, that the person was not medically suitable for disability allowance. The deciding officer accepted this opinion and the claim was refused and the person was notified in writing of this decision on 27 July 2011.
Further medical evidence received was referred to one of the Department's medical assessors who was also of the opinion, based on the information supplied, that the person was not medically suitable for disability allowance. The deciding officer accepted this opinion and the original decision to refuse the claim remained unchanged. The person was notified in writing of this outcome on 14 November 2011.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 19 December 2011. The Department was notified of this appeal on 22 December 2011. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the deciding officer on the grounds of appeal be sought.
On 17 January 2012 the Department received further medical evidence from the appeals office which they had received on behalf of the person. As part of the person's appeals process, the Department referred all the medical evidence received in the case to another medical assessor for an appeal review. The medical assessor's opinion was received on 17 February 2012 and he is also of the opinion, based on all the information supplied, that the person is not medically suitable for disability allowance. The deciding officer will now give their comments and refer the file to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. When received, the appeal in question will be referred, in due course, to an Appeals Officer who will decide whether the case can be decided on a summary basis or whether to list it for oral hearing.