The document discusses plans to reform Scotland's Blue Badge parking permit scheme. It notes a large increase in permits issued in recent years and inconsistencies between local authorities. To address these issues, the reform will introduce independent mobility assessments for applicants who may not meet the eligibility criteria related to an inability to walk. It also describes funding that will be provided to local authorities to administer the new assessments starting in September 2012.
3. LA responsibility
LAs are responsible for:
• administration;
• enforcement;
• eligibility;
• residency and identity checks; and
• setting the badge fee to be charged locally.
4. Why Review the Blue Badge Scheme?
• 270,000 Blue Badges issued in Scotland
as at 31 March 2011.
• Around 100% increase in number of badges
since 1997.
• Inconsistent application of eligibility criteria.
• Current system unsustainable.
• Widespread abuse, fraud and misuse.
• To improve customer service.
• Operational difficulties with enforcement.
5. Review
• Disabled Persons’ Parking Places (Scotland) Act
2009.
• Establishment of Blue Badge Reform Working Group
in June 2009.
Local authorities;
NHS;
British Parking Association;
College of Occupational Therapists; and
Mobility & Access Committee for Scotland.
• Issued questionnaire to LAs in September 2009.
6. Blue Badge Reform Consultation
Consulted on 7 major areas:
1. Eligibility Criteria.
2. Eligibility Assessments.
3. Enforcement.
4. Badge Design & Security.
5. Administration.
6. Organisational Badges.
7. Concessions.
8. Legislation
Passported
•Receive the higher rate of the mobility component of
the Disability Living Allowance (HRMCDLA).
•Blind and registered blind.
•Receive War Pensioners Mobility Supplement.
•Seriously disabled service personnel/veterans.
9. Legislation
Eligible Subject to Assessment
• Unable to walk or virtually unable to walk due to a
permanent and substantial disability.
• Drivers with severe disabilities in both arms and unable to
operate a parking meter.
• Children <3 that require bulky medical equipment.
• Children <3 that require to be kept near a motor vehicle.
• Unable to walk or virtually unable to walk due to a
temporary but substantial disability lasting over 12 months
and under 3 years.
11. Assessments Background
• Responses to the Questionnaire in 2009 stated
many LAs used the individual’s GPs for all
applicants that required to be assessed.
• GP assessments based on medical condition not
functionality.
• Responses to the Consultation in 2010 stated
independent mobility assessments would be
more objective and consistent.
12. Secondary Legislation – January 2012
• Introduce Independent Mobility
Assessments when an
applicant’s eligibility under the
“unable or virtually unable to
walk” criteria is in doubt.
• Introduced as from
1 September 2012.
• Defines “Independent Mobility
Assessors”.
• Guidance contained in “Code
of Practice”.
13. Secondary Legislation – January 2012
“independent mobility assessor” means a person (“person A”) who at the time of
any assessment of another person (“person B”) for the purposes of the
certification referred to in regulation 4(2)(f) or (g)—
(a) is recognised by the local authority to which the application for a disabled
person’s badge is being made as—
(i) holding a professional qualification, the obtaining of which involved person A
being trained in the assessment of a person’s ability to walk; and
(ii) having the expertise necessary to assess on behalf of the local authority the
ability to walk of person B;
(b) has never been employed or engaged as a provider of medical services to
person B where “medical services” includes all forms of medical treatment and
investigations to establish whether treatment is needed but does not include an
assessment conducted to establish whether person B is eligible for services
provided by a local authority (including the provision of a disabled person’s
badge); and
(c) is not, in the opinion of the local authority, precluded by reason of personal or
commercial relationship with person B from providing an independent
assessment of person B’s ability to walk;
14. Funding
• Scottish Government Health and Social Care
Directorates will transfer funding of £720,000 from health
budgets to local authorities on a permanent recurring
basis with effect from 1 April 2012.
• Distributed on the basis of Grant Aided Expenditure
(GAE) plus Special Islands Needs Allowance (SINA).
• Actual Allocation to local authorities to go through the
formal COSLA approval process.
15. Funding
• Collaborative funding
arrangements to pay GPs
have been in place since
1982.
• Collaborative funding will
remain in place until
31 August 2012.
• Health Circular issued on
12 March 2012.
16. Agenda
10:50 View from Blue Badge Holders
11:00 Application Process
11:40 Table Exercise
12:00 LUNCH
12:30 Application Process Q&A
13:00 Experience from Integrated Transport Planning
13:30 Assessment in Practice
14:00 Q&A
14:45 Wrap Up
15:00 Close
Editor's Notes
There are currently two types of eligibility criteria: automatic and discretionary. The criteria for automatic eligibility are: those that receive the higher rate mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance; and those that receive War Pensioners Mobility Supplement.
The criteria of persons whose eligibility is subject to further assessment are: those that are unable to walk, or have a considerable difficulty walking; those with severe disabilities in both arms rendering them unable to operate a parking meter; those that are registered blind; Children under 2 with bulky medical equipment and children with highly unstable medical conditions who need a quick access to transport them to hospital or to their home for treatment; and those unable to walk or have considerable difficulty walking because of a temporary but substantial disability, which is likely to last for a period of at least 12 months but < than 3 years.
We are planning to extend the scheme to more children under the age of three with specific medical conditions. We are planning to amend the definition of “unable to walk or has considerable difficulty walking” so that it is consistent with the definitions used by the Department for Works and Pensions when assessing someone for the Higher Rate of the Mobility Component of the Disability Living allowance. We are considering extending the Scheme to injured ex-service personnel in receipt of specific tariffs of award under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme; and in the longer term to people with severe forms of autistic spectrum disorder and very advanced forms of dementia.
There is a feeling that those applying through the discretionary criteria are not being assessed as rigorously as those obtaining an automatic badge after being assessed for HRMCDLA. We believe that the fairest method to ensure that those in need of a Blue Badge receive a badge, is by being assessed by an independent medical assessor r ather than by GPs. To make independent medical assessments statutory we would need to change primary legislation; in the short-term we propose including full guidance on assessments in the “Code of Practice”.