The UK disabled parking sticker has two criteria, one for those who cannot
walk more than 50 metres without stopping, and one for 100 metres without
stopping.  Not sure what the  entitlements are for each distance.

The new NZ disc has a similar criteria, which I think is a sound move
towards measure of functional capacity rather that a pathophysiological
diagnosis.   (you know what I mean, would you give a early retirement to
those with essential hypertension [pathophysiological diagnosis], who's
"well controlled on medication, full activities of daily living, full
cognitive capacity, able to continue remunerative activity if they so
wished" [functional diagnosis].   

I could get myself side-tracked here.

Suffice to say, that I think that the question should not be "did she walk
into the surgery", but "where did she park".  If she parked in your parking
place, the ambulance access or the front porch, then she probably *should*
have a parking disk in my opinion.  Those with extreme disability are
probably bed-ridden, and have no use for a parking permit anyway.

Best wishes from Gisborne, NZ

Tom James

----------
> From: Joe Gallagher <[log in to unmask]>
> To: none <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Disability Parking Disc
> Date: Sunday, 4 January 1998 13:02
> 
> A patient who I know quite well and with whom I have(had) a very good
> rapport with, _walked_ into my surgery recently  and asked me to
> complete a form which would entitle her to a new E.U. disability parking
> disc which needs the  signature of  a doc and a cop.
> 
> She does indeed suffer from chronic debilitating back pain but the
> criteria asked if she was "wholly or almost wholly without the use of
> one leg and ditto the other"(paraphrase)
> I looked at her and the form and refused to sign.  She took it quite
> well when I explained my rationale but as she left I knew our 4 year D/P
> relationship which was good was badly damaged by this one exchange.
> (a) Why do I feel bad? Well I can work this out all right but what I
> can't is....
> (b)Why did she ask me to sign it  ?  More generally why do patients
> ,sometimes casually ,ask you to collude in a venture which if you
> participate they will almost certainly have less respect for you.  Would
> anyone just sign the form for an easy life and " preserve " the
> relationship?  I know in the past I have done this.  It must be she got
> me on a rectidude day.
> 


%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%