Here at Bournemouth University we have designed a 'model' letter to
obtain 'good' medical evidence for our students' DSA
applications.
We often personalise this letter and send it ourselves to the student's
GP or other medical consultant, together with the student's Confidentiality
Statement; but it may also be appropriate on occasion to give the model
letter to the student to take along to an appointment and ask for the details to
be filled in by the doctor/other professional. It has in almost all cases
proved very productive and helpful - and certainly can speed up the process of
obtaining DSA by ensuring good quality information.
(It also helps to inform the advisory/assessment process, of course, and
enables us to make appropriate recommendations based on sound
evidence).
If anyone would like a copy of this
letter, please do contact me off list.
Ruthi
Chesney
Deputy
Manager
Additional
Learning Needs Service
Learning
Support
DLG21 Talbot
Campus Library & Learning Centre
Bournemouth
University
Fern
Barrow
Poole BH12
5BB
Tel:
01202 965663
I see the procedure has changed to SFE, but exactly what medical evidence
you need seems to have changed too.
It says you need to provide:
"A written medical statement from a doctor or appropriate qualified
specialist confirming the nature of your disability or mental health condition
and how your
study will be affected by it. It is your responsibility to
pay any cost in relation to obtaining this."
The bolded bit has me concerned as in the past the LEA I worked with
were happy with statements from sixth form specialist teachers/advisors, and
even the NHS bursary people only asked for proof from my GP that I did have the
condition that they said I did (so I have used literature from 2003 for all
previous applications).
Does anyone know of any easy literature to explain this to GPs? (so that
they write enough, but don't feel they are being asked to do the assessment, as
I am fairly sure they would argue that they are not qualified).
Also, this change seems to affect those with conditions other than SLDs
more, as the SLD requirement of assesment after the age of 16 has not changed,
but apparently medical evidence that is post-16 but 6 years old is not
appropriate.