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Blue Badge Renewal Query

OldFossil

Hello everyone.

I was just wondering if anyone else had been through the same experience as I'm going through right now?

I was awarded a Blue Badge three years ago and it's been a lifeline for me. At the time I just had a diagnosis of Autism (plus more than 7 other medical conditions) and I was given support by a therapist in primary mental health care at the time: they completed the hidden disabilities form and the supporting letter that the Blue Badge Team said was required. The following year I was referred to secondary mental health care and now have an additional diagnosis of Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and have had a  clinical psychologist giving me trauma therapy for the last 5 months 

Fast track to now and I completed my renewal application 5 weeks ago but my clinical psychologist won't complete the hidden disabilities form, as they say they're not allowed to on the basis that they haven't witnessed any of the difficulties called out on the questionnaire. They say it's just what I'm telling them about my difficulties ie I can't prove it. They have given a letter of support on headed paper. I've been told by the county blue badge team that without this form being completed by a clinical psychologist or anyone else qualified to do so I'm going to lose my blue badge. I've told my clinical psychologist this and they still won't budge on completing the form.  It can't be completed by a GP and I don't have anyone else.

Has anyone else come across this ie had their renewal refused due to no hidden disabilities form being completed?

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  • in reply to ArchaeC

    Many thanks for your reply.

    Unfortunately, the form can't be completed by a GP and the council have specifically written to me that a GP can't do it. The Department for Transport site for Blue Badge guidance for local authorities cites that:

    "through the course of an independent research study conducted on behalf of the DfT in 2019. It has been included here to provide an example of the types of disciplines and specialisms that local authorities may need to draw upon when determining the eligibility of Blue Badge applicants."

    For ASD it's a Clinical Psychologist.

    This document/report from 2019, on the Department for Transport's site  "Research to assess Blue Badge eligibility for people with non-physical disabilities" calls out why some may may be reluctant to use a GP to complete the hidden "Proof of Hidden disabilities" forms: straining the patient-GP relationship, undue pressure from patient/Blue Badge applicant.

    It went further in its recommendations saying this:

    " As a result of the concerns expressed by local authority officers, we concluded that it would not be appropriate for a GP to fulfil the Expert Assessor role, or for a Blue Badge to be awarded solely on the basis of insights provided by an applicant’s own GP."

    I've given evidence of ASD diagnosis, letter of support from my current clinical psychologist, clinical letter which summarizes the difficulties and treatment plan from clinical psychologist, proof of diagnosis of Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  However they require me to obtain the completed "Proof of Hidden Disabilities Form" from a clinical psychologist within 23 days or the application will automatically be rejected/closed down.

    I've read and re-read all the available Blue Badge-related documents on the Department for Transport's site and I've given up hope.