The Personal Capacity Assessment and Speaking.

This activity has 6 descriptors. The figures in brackets are the points awarded for each descriptor;

• Cannot speak; (15)
• Speech cannot be understood by family or friends; (15)
• Speech cannot be understood by strangers; (15)
• Strangers have great difficulty understanding speech; (10)
• Strangers have some difficulty understanding speech; (8)
• No problems with speech. (0)

The handbook for doctors points out that there are two key abilities-

• Can family or friends understand the claimant's speech?
• Can strangers understand the claimant's speech?

"Strangers" means persons who speak in the same language using a similar dialect who don't know the claimant.

Doctors are advised to consider the following as relevant activities of daily living-

• The ability to socialise with family and friends;
• Any difficulties with activities such as shopping;
• Ability to use a telephone.

The handbook says that claims including this functional area are rare, but that some claimants with constant fatigue syndrome claim that their speech deteriorates when they become tired. Doctors are advised to consider under the mental health assessment those claimants who experience panic attacks and claim that have difficulty making themselves understood during an attack. The point is made that some claimants experiencing breathlessness will describe difficutly with speech but that in many cases the problem is transitory and only occurs during additional exertion.

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