Mr. Kenneth Fox:

There have also been discussions with some other groups on this. The Deputy is correct in saying the model is very medicalised. It is an approximation with people required to pick a few categories and that is roughly what should cover anyone who needs it. Rather than it being a medical model, we need something similar to an occupational therapist's assessment even if that is within the State system. There should be an assessment of somebody's needs taking a more global view and then the benefits based on a recommendation within certain categories should flow from that. It should be based on a broader spectrum of considerations rather than strict narrow criteria. There should be an assessment followed by a recommendation for a particular level or something of that nature where the individual's needs are being considered.

At the moment we are using senior area medical officers. Part of the issue is that they have other responsibilities. Especially during the Covid pandemic they had many other responsibilities. The system is under pressure anyway. We need to find a better model similar to an occupational therapist-type view of a person's mobility needs and where adapted transport fits in with that model if that is what the scheme is about.