The blue badge scheme provides a range of parking concessions for disabled drivers. In application for a blue badge, our local authority is currently asking patients to provide
“evidence of a diagnosed medical condition/disability with supporting documentation from a medical practitioner.”
This is commonly being understood by patients as “a letter from your doctor”.
This work is outside of the scope of essential services and is not a statutory obligation. Consequently, GPs have a few options available to them in response to a request for evidence from a patient
1) Decline to provide information.
2) Provide a bespoke letter for the patient.
3) Provide the patient with a print out of a part of their medical record.
4) Signpost the patient to another clinician who may support them in their application (such as a hospital consultant).
Practices are eligible to levy an administrative charge for options 2 or 3.
