Disabled Persons' Parking Badges Act 2013

Richie-from-the-Boro

teachergirl wrote: »

Just a quick update. My sister wrote to the assessors and my dad was reassessed on Saturday and given his blue badge back:j Whilst I am really pleased about this I cannot help but think what a massive waste of the taxpayers money this has been and how it has caused my father a great deal of undue stress. Surely a doctors note would have made the whole thing unnessesary.

- I'm pleased your dad was given his blue badge back !

"reassessed on Saturday" - see below
"Surely a doctors note would have made the whole thing unnecessary" - only if the LA already hold sufficient info

- from 1 April 2012, legislation changes the assessment rules
- which reassessment took place, did they physically test his inability to walk
- there are from April as previously 2 types of eligibility criteria
- (1) without further assessment, previously known as automatic
- and (2) subject to further assessment. previously known as discretionary is now from April tested - see below

From 1 April 2012, legislation prescribes that BB 'subject to further assessment' group are examined by an independent mobility assessor, usually a local authority employed Occupational Therapist to assess the "permanent and substantial disability that causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking"

If however the local authority decides its self-evident from the information they already hold on the applicant that s/he meets the eligibility criterion, it would be overly burdensome for both local authorities and for applicants to require an independent mobility assessment in cases where an applicants disability and impairment mean that they are clearly eligible or clearly ineligible.

teachergirl

Hi Richie I'll be honest I don't know all the ins and outs but my father has a terminal/life limiting illness . It makes him short of breath and very very tired. To be honest I don't think the doctors expected him to still be with us at this time. The first time he was assessed for his blue badge this was in his doctors notes and as I said in an earlier post this time the OT assessing him had not even heard of it. The thing is he would have just given up and it is only because me sister and I are articulate and able to do this on his behalf that he has got it back. I know there are people that cheat the system but in all honesty he is frail and 86, covered in massive bruises...just looking at him should tell you he is not trying to cheat the system

Richie-from-the-Boro

teachergirl wrote: »

Hi Richie I'll be honest I don't know all the ins and outs but my father has a terminal/life limiting illness . It makes him short of breath and very very tired. To be honest I don't think the doctors expected him to still be with us at this time. The first time he was assessed for his blue badge this was in his doctors notes and as I said in an earlier post this time the OT assessing him had not even heard of it. The thing is he would have just given up and it is only because me sister and I are articulate and able to do this on his behalf that he has got it back. I know there are people that cheat the system but in all honesty he is frail and 86, covered in massive bruises...just looking at him should tell you he is not trying to cheat the system

Its good that he has kids that care sufficiently to if necessary force him out for an hour, its always easier to sit in a chair and stare aimlessly at the square thing. On this occasion it looks like they already held enough info on your dad that he met the eligibility criteria or that they are not yet using the April 2012 rules. All in all, thankfully a good outcome for him.

Don't worry about the cheats, it'll take the 3 years cycle of the BB to weed them all out, but they will disappear over time leaving more access for your dad and others deserving of the facility.

Zziggi

Richie-from-the-Boro wrote: »

From 1 April 2012, legislation prescribes that BB 'subject to further assessment' group are examined by an independent mobility assessor, usually a local authority employed Occupational Therapist to assess the "permanent and substantial disability that causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking"

If however the local authority decides its self-evident from the information they already hold on the applicant that s/he meets the eligibility criterion, it would be overly burdensome for both local authorities and for applicants to require an independent mobility assessment in cases where an applicants disability and impairment mean that they are clearly eligible or clearly ineligible.

Does the "assessment by an independent mobility assessor" also apply to child BB applicants?

Richie-from-the-Boro

Zziggi wrote: »

Does the "assessment by an independent mobility assessor" also apply to child BB applicants?

- I've never considered that one, as far as I'm aware it applies to all applications other than a [DS1500] special rules