Question reference: S6W-14337
- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 26 January 2023
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Current status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 February 2023
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on pilot schemes to fast-track applications for blue badges for disabled parking for people with motor neurone disease.
Answer
Following the successful completion of a two-year Scotland-wide pilot in 2022, the new fast-track Prescribed Blue Badge model for people with motor neurone disease (MND) was launched on 9 May 2022 via the provision of updated guidance for local authorities.
MND specialist nurses in Scotland now have the power to prescribe a Blue Badge for people with an MND diagnosis should their MND specialist nurse deem them as meeting the eligibility criteria. This means that such applicants can bypass the Local Authority assessment process and experience significantly shorter waiting times.