Blue Badge requests
Practices have contacted us advising that they are receiving more requests for information or GP reports for blue badge applications.
Lincolnshire County Council website does not specifically say a GP report is required, but patients may interpret this as being what they need. https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/disability/blue-badge-scheme/2
We have contacted LCC who advised that:
1. Lincolnshire has had an increase in individuals applying for a blue badge.
2. Medical conditions, symptoms and effects of these differ per individual, so it is important that to ensure that we assess the applicant fully and accurately we have up to date medical records, which can normally be provided within a patient’s summary. As you will be aware this is available to patients free of change from the practice, or they can access this themselves should they have opted to be enrolled on accessing their records online/NHS app. It is important that we receive this detail to identify the severity of their condition and whether this would be an enduring condition (3 years or longer), as this is specified by the Department for Transport.
3. On some occasions an individual may not have a full patient summary available to them, and this could be for a number or reasons such as relocating, no regular doctors visits, a quick progressive illness etc, and so in these circumstances a Doctor may decide to draw up a letter to support the individuals blue badge application should records not be available.
4. They suggest to applicants that a patient summary is the best document, as this will cover diagnosis, medication, reviews etc, however in the circumstances this is not readily available, then we would accept a GP’s letter.
5. We find that most Doctors surgeries will support the applicant by printing off a patient summary for them to send as evidence of their medical condition and we are aware that at many surgeries this is completed by the receptionist.
6. They acknowledge that GPs may choose to charge the patient a fee for any report they create above and beyond a patient summary.
