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Proving disability with my university, want to charge me for it, discriminatory?

Hi,

So, I'm a registered epileptic since I was 15, I've gone my entire life without requesting any support, financially or otherwise from university. This changed last year, and so I've decided to registered with Disability Support, and I'm incredibly frustrated from the meeting.

Suffice to say, as someone who's fairly active within the Students Union, I'm appalled with my experiences, and a colleagues experience with the service. (autism in their case)

So, after describing my condition, my needs (none, except a placement I can feasibly commute to) they informed that they had to another full assessment, an OT assessment and evidence of my disability. I have provided them with my medication list, the consultant who prescribed it, the epilepsy specialist who handles my particular case and recent email contact, with her, confirming my epilepsy. Yet, this has been dismissed. They demand a GP letter, which costs approximately £20 and takes weeks to process (so they say)

I find the costs punitive (GP practice I can accept) but I consider the universities stance here excessively bureaucratic. I've requested full clarification from the Disability Officer that she will only accept this, before I take the next step.

I find this whole system deliberately confusing and bureaucratic, and would feel that charging students to register as disabled is grossly discriminatory.

Thoughts TSR?

Thanks

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They arent charging you they are asking for a letter from a medical professional to confirm your disabled status. have you go a latter from your consultant or the epilepsy specialist confirming it or did you supply just their name? Its your job to get the evidence not theirs. I fail to see why it is deliberately confusing or overly bureaucratic. they have riles and you agree to abide by them when you enrol as a student.

Example. I apply for extenuating circumstances because I am ill or suffering some medical condition like depression. I cant self certify that and they will need medical proof like a letter from the GP. That is because it is independent evidence that what you are claiming is correct> thats what the rules require. the person is just enforcing them.

I dont think they have been unreasonable, Not seeing how you have been discriminated against. I thought it was going to be one of those assessment threads where the fee is in the hundreds of £'s not £20.

Anyway you can contact the equalities commission about the legalities or find a disability rights worker for further advice.
(edited 7 years ago)
Almost as if they want to discourage people with disabilities...

This is rather discriminatory, are you planning on inquiring about the harsh procedure?
Original post by 999tigger
They arent charging you they are asking for a letter from a medical professional to confirm your disabled status. have you go a latter from your consultant or the epilepsy specialist confirming it or did you supply just their name? Its your job to get the evidence not theirs. I fail to see why it is deliberately confusing or overly bureaucratic. they have riles and you agree to abide by them when you enrol as a student.

I dont think they have been unreasonable, Not seeing how you have been discriminated against. I thought it was going to be one of those assessment threads where the fee is in the hundreds of £'s not £20.

Anyway you can contact the equalities commission about the legalities or find a disability rights worker for further advice.


Correct, it's the GPs charging for it, not the university. The GPs I can understand, that's time out of the day to write this up. My point is about why the university has to be so rigid and require its students to pay to register. I have sent them the contact I had with the nurse, who referred to my epilepsy and my change of meds. You're suggesting consultant/nurse specific contact, which will be harder to get actually than a GP letter. The various assessments to be honest sound like they serve little purpose. OT assessment.......why? So I'm fit to attend lectures or whatever? Well, I've been at uni now for about 5 years so a bit unnecessary but fine. I don't want money, I don't want taxis, I don't want extra time in exams or delayed coursework deadlines, I've asked for exemption for the placement point, yet this cannot be accepted until I have jumped through these hoops, and THEY won't accept this until I've jumped through further, time delayed hoops. It's all unnecessary.

Take this to the extreme that I'm faking, I've faked my medication list, my box of tablets, googled a consultant and nurses name, faked email communications with another false user (me, as my nurse) referring to a recent increase in meds for my epilepsy, forget the statement outlining my seizure history, seizure type and progress (which I've entirely rehearsed and faked) Forget that I have a card (which I obv stole) with contact info for said nurse and a neurology appointment letter with a consultant, who specialises in epilepsy.

Do you see my point?
Original post by theartofblanks
Almost as if they want to discourage people with disabilities...

This is rather discriminatory, are you planning on inquiring about the harsh procedure?


I'll probably go to the Disability Officer within the Union, although I doubt that'll change anything.
Original post by 999tigger
They arent charging you they are asking for a letter from a medical professional to confirm your disabled status. have you go a latter from your consultant or the epilepsy specialist confirming it or did you supply just their name? Its your job to get the evidence not theirs. I fail to see why it is deliberately confusing or overly bureaucratic. they have riles and you agree to abide by them when you enrol as a student.

I dont think they have been unreasonable, Not seeing how you have been discriminated against. I thought it was going to be one of those assessment threads where the fee is in the hundreds of £'s not £20.

Anyway you can contact the equalities commission about the legalities or find a disability rights worker for further advice.


My point is that these rules are unnecessarily bureaucratic.
It's not unreasonable for them to request evidence of a disability. Your prescription list doesn't prove much tbh.

It's not discrimination either. The GP charging you is a different matter.
Original post by That Bearded Man
I'll probably go to the Disability Officer within the Union, although I doubt that'll change anything.


The whole registering-as-a-student-with-special-needs process seems to be rather lengthy to me. Couldn't they streamline such applications, assuming they're in the minority? I think it'd be nice.
Original post by Tiger Rag
It's not unreasonable for them to request evidence of a disability. Your prescription list doesn't prove much tbh.

It's not discrimination either. The GP charging you is a different matter.


You think the GP letter should be the only acceptable evidence for disability?
Original post by That Bearded Man
You think the GP letter should be the only acceptable evidence for disability?


Yes. Well, what else is there? Medication proves very little.
Original post by Tiger Rag
Yes. Well, what else is there? Medication proves very little.


Letter with consultant, epilepsy nurse card, why does medication (prescription note attached) prove little? How exactly would you acquire prescribed anti-epileptics?

Honestly, given the choice, why would you overcomplicate it?
Original post by That Bearded Man
Correct, it's the GPs charging for it, not the university. The GPs I can understand, that's time out of the day to write this up. My point is about why the university has to be so rigid and require its students to pay to register. I have sent them the contact I had with the nurse, who referred to my epilepsy and my change of meds. You're suggesting consultant/nurse specific contact, which will be harder to get actually than a GP letter. The various assessments to be honest sound like they serve little purpose. OT assessment.......why? So I'm fit to attend lectures or whatever? Well, I've been at uni now for about 5 years so a bit unnecessary but fine. I don't want money, I don't want taxis, I don't want extra time in exams or delayed coursework deadlines, I've asked for exemption for the placement point, yet this cannot be accepted until I have jumped through these hoops, and THEY won't accept this until I've jumped through further, time delayed hoops. It's all unnecessary.

Take this to the extreme that I'm faking, I've faked my medication list, my box of tablets, googled a consultant and nurses name, faked email communications with another false user (me, as my nurse) referring to a recent increase in meds for my epilepsy, forget the statement outlining my seizure history, seizure type and progress (which I've entirely rehearsed and faked) Forget that I have a card (which I obv stole) with contact info for said nurse and a neurology appointment letter with a consultant, who specialises in epilepsy.

Do you see my point?


Yes but I have little sympathy. the GP letter simply gives them independent evidence. Thats what this person has been told to accept and its up to you whether you wish to provide it. They arent going to bend the rules for you and I dont see why they should. They arent requiring you to pay, they are requiring a letter, which the GP happens to charge for. If the GP will do you a free one, then the Uni would accept that. You cant have dealt much with bureaucracy before.

Its easier just to follow the rules. I dont think they have been unreasonable.You might get them to use their discretion, who knows, but id have just got the letter and moved on.
Original post by 999tigger
Yes but I have little sympathy. the GP letter simply gives them independent evidence. Thats what this person has been told to accept and its up to you whether you wish to provide it. They arent going to bend the rules for you and I dont see why they should. They arent requiring you to pay, they are requiring a letter, which the GP happens to charge for. If the GP will do you a free one, then the Uni would accept that. You cant have dealt much with bureaucracy before.

Its easier just to follow the rules. I dont think they have been unreasonable.You might get them to use their discretion, who knows, but id have just got the letter and moved on.


Well, I appreciate your answer.
because the universities in most cases never actually pay for your support that is paid for by other sources such as Student Finance the Government etc. The University may pay for note takers or allowances in exams or whatever other support you need. However that will be signed for documented and sent of to student finance or the government for the university to be reimbursed.

You may or may not feel that the university should make this provision for you off their own back and that is certainly a reasonable argument that would warrant debate. However rightly or wrongly that is not how the system works and the help is funded ultimately via the government/student finance.

it would be a significant outlay for the universities if they funded this themselves, so they can't make commitments like that. They need the documentary evidence so they can get reimbursed from the appropriate bodies.

Its the same with my exam center though I don't think its fair to compare my anxiety disorder and mild autism to epilepsy the situation does have similarities. The exam center have been very strict and stringent on the evidence I need to submit to get allowances. They are not doing this just to be difficult they teach quite a few of the students they enter for these exams, so better grades look better and allowances help with that.

The reason they insist on such evidence is that they can get in trouble with the exam boards if they make allowances without appropriate evidence which in turn could result in them losing their licence as an exam center. This is why they have to be so strict because if they get this wrong and get called on it they can lose their business.

a lot of universities have over 20,000 students. A typical disabled student can have costs in the £1000s or even £10,000s if you think how many disabled students a university likely has not getting the proper paper work in order could end up costing the university Millions of £s.

They are a business and exposing themselves to that would not be acceptable to the stakeholders.
Maybe write a letter to the person higher up in charge of the disabled student regulations in the university and ask them why they really need a GPS letter or suggest they should accept alternatives. Send it and forget. The person making the decision is just applying the rules.
Original post by That Bearded Man
I don't want money, I don't want taxis, I don't want extra time in exams or delayed coursework deadlines, I've asked for exemption for the placement point, yet this cannot be accepted until I have jumped through these hoops, and THEY won't accept this until I've jumped through further, time delayed hoops. It's all unnecessary.


Okay, but presumably some people do want more extensive exemptions and special arrangements, and they have to have a system in place that covers all cases. You can't run an organisation on the basis that the people carrying out the administrative legwork have the discretion to deal with things however they see fit. That's how resources get eaten up and mistakes happen.
Original post by That Bearded Man
Hi,

So, I'm a registered epileptic since I was 15, I've gone my entire life without requesting any support, financially or otherwise from university. This changed last year, and so I've decided to registered with Disability Support, and I'm incredibly frustrated from the meeting.

Suffice to say, as someone who's fairly active within the Students Union, I'm appalled with my experiences, and a colleagues experience with the service. (autism in their case)

So, after describing my condition, my needs (none, except a placement I can feasibly commute to) they informed that they had to another full assessment, an OT assessment and evidence of my disability. I have provided them with my medication list, the consultant who prescribed it, the epilepsy specialist who handles my particular case and recent email contact, with her, confirming my epilepsy. Yet, this has been dismissed. They demand a GP letter, which costs approximately £20 and takes weeks to process (so they say)

I find the costs punitive (GP practice I can accept) but I consider the universities stance here excessively bureaucratic. I've requested full clarification from the Disability Officer that she will only accept this, before I take the next step.

I find this whole system deliberately confusing and bureaucratic, and would feel that charging students to register as disabled is grossly discriminatory.

Thoughts TSR?

Thanks


I can't agree with you on this, I'm afraid. There have to be procedures which are clear, transparent and applied fairly to all students for any system to work effectively. Clearly one of the requirements of your university's system is documentary proof from your GP - so it's understandable that they can't accept the email, even though to your mind (rightly so,I'm sure) it's one and the same thing. If they make an exception for you and accept the email, what do they say to the next person who comes in with something different from what's required...

Things like this necessarily have to be bureaucratic - not only for the transparency reasons I mentioned earlier, but also because not everyone is like you and in genuine need - there will be some who are trying it on. And it's in everyone's interests that robust procedures are in place to deal with them.
(edited 7 years ago)
Can the consultant write a letter?
Reply 18
You must bear in mind that they do not doubt your illness. No one thinks you are faking it, but registering as a disabled student requires certain documents and these are standardised for all students, ranging from dyslexia to epilepsy.
Not everyone can provide a consultant letter, nurse details etc, but almost everyone can get a letter of their GP, that's why this is the demanded document.
Original post by RogerOxon
Can the consultant write a letter?


That would probably take months, if at all, they'd probably refer you for a GP letter actually.

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