Hi Mairead, further to Martin and Gary's points imparticular Martin's suggestion about your client's good cause for not attending the medical.It might be worth being very lateral and stressing your clients diagnosis and the symptoms stemming from her mental health issues and how it affects her social functioning, for example reading in between the lines it sounds like your client might have a tendency to socially isolate and withdraw and is may be reliant on others when it comes to dealing with the wider community and all the issues that raises.Has your client social phobia's eg dealing with her post which affects her ability to function. Medication eg is she on anti depressants,mood stabilisers or antipsychotic drugs and are their side effects.Does she attend any day care centres. It might also be worth illustrating how her illness affects her day to day life with anectdotal examples. If she does not have a NHS worker or a social worker is there anyone else eg local housing worker or Church worker eg a priest who could provide helpful evidence in her favour. anyway good luck. ps check out the swop shop BHAS do a very fine factsheet/pamphlet on the PCA, infact it's so good you might even find it so inspirational that it will give loads of good ideas and prompts for the clients good cause argument.
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