Hello everybody On the surface, I guess this won't mean much to our non-UK readers. So permit me to explain a little.
Here in the UK, local authorities operate a "Blue Badge' scheme, whereby vehicles used to transport one or more disabled person may display a disk in the windscreen containing the name and photograph of the disable person who qualifies for the badge by virtue of her or his disability. In order to qualify, the disabled person must meet specific requirements; they're unable to walk more than 50 meters unaided, that's the primary criterium. The "Blue Badge" entitles the disabled person using the vehicle, regardless of whether he or she is the actual driver, to park in areas where non-disabled people may park. For example, on double yellow lines, in a number of streets where no parking is usually allowed, etc. This included, until 1 January 2012, our local hospital grounds. In fact they have a specific disabled persons parking area. Well, we discovered on 3 January while taking Gordon to hospital that the NHS trust has snook in rules through the back door which now force disabled people holding the blue badge to pay for parking even in the disabled persons parking area. There are a number of organisations, individuals and media outlets who are absolutely boiling mad about this change; and I'm one of them. Why should somebody who is disabled effectively have to pay to attend hospital? Also, the fact that the NHS Foundation Trust did not see fit to consult with those affected prior to bringing in the ruling. A number of individuals were court out because they didn't know about the change. Failure to comply with the parking fee means a fine of up to £200.00 GBP depending upon how long a person has been parked there. Now consider; somebody goes to hospital and is kept waiting, according to the note on every appointment letter which stipulates: "Please be aware that you may be required to wait up to 4 hours for your appointment in extreme circumstances." Now, if that person is forced to wait 4 hours, or if that person is attending hospital for treatment which takes a long time, they have no option other than to pay their fine because they've exceeded the 2-hour maximum parking time which costs £2.20 GBP. This is an absolute outrage! I wondered whether other hospitals within the UK have started doing this. I'll try and fine more literature on this issue but I encourage everybody in the UK who happens to hold a blue badge to check with your local hospital and to write to them complaining bitterly if they have indeed begun to charge for this kind of thing. Lynne ======================================== The Just-chat E-Mail forum is guaranteed malware, spyware, Trojan, virus and worm-free To modify your subscription options, please visit for forum's dedicated web pages located at: <http://mail.tft-bbs.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/just-chat> You can find an archive of all messages posted to the just-chat group at either of the following: <http://mail.tft-bbs.co.uk/pipermail/just-chat/index.html> or: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]> You may subscribe with your RSS reader at the following URL: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.xml> ---------------------------------------
