Blue Badge Mobility Assessment-worried

TrishaW

I have had a blue Badge for the past 6 years due to my inflammatory arthritis. It's up for renewal and for the first time I've been asked to attend a Mobility Assessment to check my eligibility.
As I can 'walk', though in pain. I'm very anxious I will'fail' this test. I actually don't know what I will do if my Blue Badge is withdrawn.
I would be very interested to hear if anyone has recently had such an assessment, what happened , what the outcome was, any advice/tips for the appointment etc.
I'm making myself sick just thinking about it!
Thanks so much,
Trisha

Wobblylegs

Hi Trisha,

It's been a few years since I had mine but I don't think the process has changed. I was quite upset about mine as I find it very difficult explaining to people my difficulties. I think it's the fact that the emphasis is on what I can't do anymore and that upsets me a lot.

I saw a physiotherapist at the local hospital for my assessment and she asked me a few questions about my abilities, I started to explain and then, quite unexpectedly, I started to cry! She was very kind and said to me I don't need to see you do anything as I know that your illness is progressive. In fact she went on to say she was disgusted that people with progressive illnesses had to get these things renewed and they should be allocated for life.

So don't get worried about it just explain how much pain you are in, what a bad day is like, etc. You may be able to walk today but when you are in a flare how bad does it get? For me I can't even get to my car when I am in a lot of pain, let alone drive somewhere and walk!

Don't know if it helps sharing my story but there it is anyway.

Good luck
Pat

dreamdaisy

I haven't faced one of these yet but I daresay I will at some point in the future. As I see people with BBs strolling away from their vehicles with no locomotive difficulty whatsoever I fail to see why we have to 'jump' through this hoop. I am reliant on walking aids so that gives a fairly good indication that things are not as they might be - visual aids help to clue people in. DD

Slosh

I had a mobility assessment for a discretionary blue badge from my LA. An occupational therapist came to my house and asked me questions about my general health and difficulties. We then went outside and she asked me to walk part of the way and noted how far I could walk, speed and encouraged me to pause if needed and stop when I was tired. I got my blue badge awarded for three years.
Hope it goes well for you.

TrishaW

Thanks for all your replies. I saw my GP today and she's written me a letter of support but who knows if it will help. Still anxious but at least I feel more prepared!

As5567

I hope it goes well for you, I had one of these while waiting for my PIP decision to be made. They didn't actually ask me to walk or even stand, it was simply a face to face chat. I did bring along a letter of support from my consultant saying that I have great difficulty walking any short distance and have to make use of a wheelchair for any long distance walking.

The letter of support from your gp should be helpful, remember you're a genuine case and are fully entitled to the blue badge, the new rules do seem a bit unfair on people like us as most people are asked to walk x distance and then someone who is not medically trained in any way or form makes a decision based upon that. I think that if you have a letter from a doctor saying you have arthritis in x joint or x form of arthritis then the likelihood is you're going to be limited mobility wise in some way or form at some point.

It would also make it more worth while if we had much stronger and stricter laws to deter those without a badge taking up spaces, virtually anyone can park in a disabled spot at places like supermarkets without any penalty which in some ways makes the badge useless. it's the same at hospitals too.

TrishaW

Well i had my assessment today, and it was even worse than I anticipated. I took supporting letters from my GP and rheumatologist, but the questions were just 'tick box' questions asked by an assessor who had NO empathy at all. She asked 'can you cook a meal?' I said it depended on wether I had done anything earlier in the day...if I've been to work or shopped I can't, but if I've rested all day I often can,. she said "so you CAN cook a meal". I said "it depends"...she repeated " So you CAN cook a meal." I was trying to explain my condition and it's effects on my ife but she wasn't interested, just asking me pre-set questions. I started to cry and she said "Do you have depression?". I said no, I was just in pain and frustrated. She then said to leave the room to go outside. I said could i put my sunglasses on as i was embarrassed to be seen crying. she said "You can put them on once outside" . she then started timing me walking out of the building, but was ahead of me and didn't watch to see the times I stopped wincing in pain. Then she said "your assessment is over" . I said "but I still have information to give you" She said "You have already taken an hour of my time" as if angry with me for even being there (actually it was 30 mins!) She then handed me a form to evaluate the experience but I didn't dare write how I really felt in case she read it and it went against me! Her last words were "it's not up to me if you get a Blue Badge, but the criteria are much harder now" which i took to mean she'd recommend i didn't qualify for one. I haven't stopped crying since. I feel completely humiliated. To make matters worse, I'm a nurse with 36 years experience of caring for people.....yet feel I've been treated appallingly. I did ask if she was an OT but she said she was a nurse and a social worker. Well I'm sorry but if she's a nurse I'm embarrassed for our profession. I'm now in a panic in case my Badge is not renewed as i will literally be housebound plus unable to work (unless i get taxis) Arghhhhh!

Slosh

That sounds awful. I'm so sorry to hear that. Which organisation was it? My blue badge assessment was with my local authority, my PIP with ATOS, but in both cases my assessor was fine. I only got refused the mobility element of PIP because I work in a school with over 900 pupils which according to DWP wouldn't be viable if I had severe difficulty walking,

Will you be able to appeal the decision? This whole system seems to be such a lottery.

TrishaW

It was Dependability.

hileena111

That was an awful experience to go through.
I've had mine for 6 years and its due renewal in Sept {or thereabouts} I'm notlooking forward to it one little bit even though I'm on crutches permanently.
Without them I can walk with a very pronounced dip but am not at all steady and have been told by my consultant that because of my osteoporosis I must not try it outside.
With one crutch I can only go a certain distance but with 2 I can go quite fast and for further but I'm dosed with pain killers and cortisone injections
So dont know what will happen when I try for mine again
Good Luck
Love
Hileena

TrishaW

Hileena I think you will be ok if you have to use crutches. I think it went against me that I don't use any aids (though I had to haul myself up the stairs with the rails). It was more to do with speed and balance (I had to stand still with my eyes shut and walk heel to toe too) I've been practising doing both at hydrotherapy for the past 6 months as my balance was so bad....wish I hadn't bothered!!! I still feel completely humiliated and demoralised and am beginning a flare (my fingers are now like sausages).
If I have to go through an Appeal I think it will finish me off!

As5567

TrishaW wrote:

Well i had my assessment today, and it was even worse than I anticipated. I took supporting letters from my GP and rheumatologist, but the questions were just 'tick box' questions asked by an assessor who had NO empathy at all. She asked 'can you cook a meal?' I said it depended on wether I had done anything earlier in the day...if I've been to work or shopped I can't, but if I've rested all day I often can,. she said "so you CAN cook a meal". I said "it depends"...she repeated " So you CAN cook a meal." I was trying to explain my condition and it's effects on my ife but she wasn't interested, just asking me pre-set questions. I started to cry and she said "Do you have depression?". I said no, I was just in pain and frustrated. She then said to leave the room to go outside. I said could i put my sunglasses on as i was embarrassed to be seen crying. she said "You can put them on once outside" . she then started timing me walking out of the building, but was ahead of me and didn't watch to see the times I stopped wincing in pain. Then she said "your assessment is over" . I said "but I still have information to give you" She said "You have already taken an hour of my time" as if angry with me for even being there (actually it was 30 mins!) She then handed me a form to evaluate the experience but I didn't dare write how I really felt in case she read it and it went against me! Her last words were "it's not up to me if you get a Blue Badge, but the criteria are much harder now" which i took to mean she'd recommend i didn't qualify for one. I haven't stopped crying since. I feel completely humiliated. To make matters worse, I'm a nurse with 36 years experience of caring for people.....yet feel I've been treated appallingly. I did ask if she was an OT but she said she was a nurse and a social worker. Well I'm sorry but if she's a nurse I'm embarrassed for our profession. I'm now in a panic in case my Badge is not renewed as i will literally be housebound plus unable to work (unless i get taxis) Arghhhhh!

Sounds like an awful experience. I really don't understand what cooking a meal has to do with being eligible for a blue badge :S Am I the only one missing out on something here? I hope you do get the badge but if not then I highly suggest you appeal the decision. I understand the need for the new rules on blue badges due to the high amount of misuse but when you have a diagnosed medical condition with supporting evidence from a doctor there should not be any sort of assessment like this. Like you have already mentioned about the cooking question these tick box assessments have no options for people with conditions that can affect them differently hour by hour or day by day, they just have a yes or no option.

hileena111

Hi
If you don't get it....you MUST appeal.....I know it will be hard but do it please.
You probably will get it....did they give you any idea how long it would take before you hear?

Love
Hileena

dreamdaisy

That sounds to be a ghastly experience by an uncaring assessor. She obviously feels that doing such a job is beneath her technical abilities. It also appears to be outside her professional and emotional scope too.

I think the biggest problem we face is that people cannot see pain. We feel it but, unless there is a visual clue, as far as others around us are concerned we're OK. To their innocent minds no stick or aid means little or no trouble in moving around - if only that were true, yes? Like As5567 I have no idea what the ability to cook has to do with things but, when one is being badgered like that, it must be very hard to give a precise answer. I can cook but for much of the time I am seated whilst doing it because it hurt to stand.

How very frustrating for you - if it does not go your way then yes, you must appeal - and take a stick or two with you for the next assessment. There's no shame in using them, many people of all ages do and for a wide range of reasons. DD

frogmorton

Oh this sounded dreadful

I am so very very sorry you had such an experience. You certainly didn't deserve that!

Everything already said is bang on and I hope you have a surprise and the badge is issued if not an appeal is in order I agree, but with support of one of the 'helping agencies' maybe like CAB??

Once you have 'handed' the problem over to someone else I think it really can be a weight off your mind.

((()))

Toni xx

Slosh

Using crutches may not influence decisions as much as you would assume. I use them and have had a discretionary blue badge awarded by my llocal authority. At my PIP assessment I submitted evidence of this and when I got the requested copy of my assessment the assessor had noted how I had been very slow walking the distance, under 50 metres from the waiting room to the assessment room and had needed to pause a couple of times. However despite this the DWP decision was that as I worked in a school of 900 pupils this would not be viable if I could not walk more than 50 metres. Next time I will make it clear that I am not in class but mainly office based.

As5567

Slosh wrote:

Using crutches may not influence decisions as much as you would assume. I use them and have had a discretionary blue badge awarded by my llocal authority. At my PIP assessment I submitted evidence of this and when I got the requested copy of my assessment the assessor had noted how I had been very slow walking the distance, under 50 metres from the waiting room to the assessment room and had needed to pause a couple of times. However despite this the DWP decision was that as I worked in a school of 900 pupils this would not be viable if I could not walk more than 50 metres. Next time I will make it clear that I am not in class but mainly office based.

The people who do assessments for PIP are a total joke, my decision letter says I can walk less than 2M unaided and under 20M with aids, yet they claim I'm able to fully prepare and cook a meal, even when the assessor her self witnessed just how much pain and muscle spasms are caused by using my arms for life or apply pressure to things. I hope you're appealing your PIP decision and get the outcome you deserve. I myself am awaiting a tribunal date and look forward to hopefully being able to fully get my point across.

hileena111

Hi
Although I use crutches permanently and would fall without them I cant get any benefits except the BB.
I've given up......I will appeal if I'm refused the BB when I have to re apply for it.

Love
Hileena

JamesFoote

I am so sorry to hear of your problem
As some have said it was a good experience it is so sad to hear about the bad ones.

There must be some one ou can complain too

James

bubbadog

Wow that assessment sounds awful! I had mine at home, they tested me in the house and I was asked the same questions as you but my OH was with me as well. I can't remember who did my assessment. I would put a complaint in about the person who did your assessment I'm sure you can do that. Try and not worry as she said it's not her decision if you get it or not.

TrishaW

Thanks everyone.
I'm still waiting to hear the result, but it's helpful to hear your words of support and advice. If I don't get one I will definately appeal.
I'll let you know what happens....
Trisha x

tkachev

Trisha that was a horrible experience...wasting my time...how rude!! Like you if I'm well rested I can do more things but suffer terribly so have to pace myself so carefully I've been fortunate to get BB since 2004, but always qualified through the DLA.

I really cannot understand what cooking had to do with walking but there you go! They make a lot of assumptions (like Slosh because she works in a school they assume she is rushing around and standing most of the day) and that really annoys me.
I know Mellman had his BB refused and went through a similar experience as you did at the assessment.

Elizabeth x

TrishaW

Well, I heard today my BB renewal has been refused.
Apparently i was found to walk at a 'very slow pace' and with 'considerable difficulty' but I needed to have 'very considerable difficulty'!!! Also apparently I didn't stop to rest (I did but she didnt turn to see me but walked ahead) and I could manage stairs safely (I pulled myself up by my arms so no weight was on my feet)
My current BB runs out in 2 days so i'm basically going to be housebound.
I've spent all day composing my appeal letter and contacting my rheumatologist again for support.
How much pain are we supposed to endure? I actually have a failed fusion at the moment so I'm also walking on a broken foot!
I'm really scared about becoming housebound, and not being able to get to my hydrotherapy sessions etc.
I don't know what else to say i'm so distressed!

Slosh

I am so, so sorry to hear that. You must be devistated. I do wish you good luck with your appeal. Just wish there was a magic wand I could wave for you.

dreamdaisy

It beggars belief. Those without mobility issues but other health troubles appear to qualify with a mere blink of an eye. We have to metaphorically jump through hoops to prove we need one.

You have very good grounds on which to appeal so I hope you can summon the energy from somewhere to fight this poor decision. DD

As5567

I'm so sorry to read this. Their reason for refusal is just stupid.

If I were in your shoes I would be making an appeal and possibly even raising a complaint over how your case was deal with by the assessor. How on earth is she meant to observe and take notes on how you walk and so on if she is always in front. If anything she should have been walking at your pace firstly to understand how slow/fast you walk, then go from there and note if/when you stop, how much discomfort you're in and so on. Its a broken system based on assumptions and tick boxes, and sadly those of us who are disabled with poor mobility seem to be the group who are paying the price at the moment.

You're 100% entitled to the blue badge so please don't give up, never let the system beat you because it's designed in such a way these days for any type of government benefit to put us off. I would also suggest seeking some advice from a disability charity or something along those lines to help you with the whole appeals process, they understand the whole process better than any of us and will give you the best possible chance of success.

I hope your appeal goes well and you are awarded the badge soon. Many people fail to understand how vital such a badge is for those with poor mobility, yet so many people abuse the badges and the spaces which in return punishes people like you.