Am I correct in my belief that a female claimant for DLA or AA can insist on a woman EMP? This would seem totally reasonable but the, ahem, Helpdesk, tells claimants who ring it, in this area at least, that there are no female EMPs and so they don't have the right to insist on one. Cancellations of appointments with male strangers are only given with great reluctance and claimants are made to feel as if they are nuisances who are demanding something unreasonable.

I'd like to contact this alleged Helpdesk and put them right. Can anyone point me to any rules or guidance on this, please?

not the complete answer, but maybe helpful?

this is at para 14.6 of the 'Guidance for Examining Medical Practitioners' -

'Occasionally a claimant will request that, for example, a female doctor performs the assessment, or that an interpreter be provided (e.g. for language, for the deaf, etc.) This fact is registered on the documents by the Customer, for administrative action by Medical Services Centre (MSC) staff.

The general principle is that it is the responsibility of the MSC to make the necessary arrangements according to the nature of the special needs, and act as the point of liaison.

In the first instance the Allocation Section will select an appropriate EMP in the area. This may be all that is required, e.g. in the case of the claimant who requests a female EMP ...

.... The Allocation Section will then post the annotated file to the EMP, who makes a general arrangement with the claimant to perform the visit, and provisionally agrees a suitable day and time ...

Once all parties are content with the arrangements, the EMP should then confirm the proposed time and date with the claimant, preferably by phone and letter.'