The new decree law for the assessment and classification of the degree of disability for individuals within the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands has been ratified by the Cabildo Commission held this Thursday in the Parliament of the Canary Islands.
Asamblea Majorera – Coalición Canaria Fuerteventura welcomes the approval of this new regulation, which will “reduce waiting lists and streamline bureaucracy in dependency degree processing.” The political party also acknowledges the efforts made by both the Government of the Canary Islands and the insular Cabildos to achieve this document.
“This new decree responds to a long-standing demand from the third sector, professionals in the field, as well as users and their families,” stated the insular representative in the Commission, Adargoma Hernández.
Previously, the regulations suffered from limitations such as excessive delays, rigid processing, and insufficient inter-administrative coordination within various ministries of the Government of the Canary Islands, hindering access to services and creating uncertainty for applicants.
Less Bureaucracy, Greater Speed: Key Features of the New Regulation
During the session, the updates and key innovations of the new law were explained. Among the main objectives are to guarantee speed and efficiency in processing cases and to incorporate objective criteria that allow for recognising the degree of disability without unnecessary in-person assessments.
To achieve this, the decree includes an annex listing pathologies that will enable automatic determination of disability degrees of 33%, 65%, or 75%. Thus, when an individual presents one of these pathologies with required documentation, a corresponding resolution will be issued automatically, negating the need for in-person assessments. This new methodology will significantly reduce waiting lists and facilitate earlier access to service benefits that depend on this recognition.
Another relevant measure is the extension of priority in processing. Currently, the age range was maintained between 0 and 6 years, but with the new decree, this has been raised to 18 years, incorporating both medical criteria and severe social conditions that may be affecting the individual. This change will help younger individuals facing complex situations to obtain disability recognition more quickly, thereby facilitating access to scholarships, educational support, adaptations, and other resources that promote their inclusion.
Furthermore, this regulation includes an innovative special procedure whereby, once the recognition resolution for the degree of disability is issued, the parking permit for individuals with reduced mobility will be automatically generated, simplifying the process for those entitled to it.
On another note, the decree enhances administrative coordination by establishing new mechanisms for collaboration with the Directorate General of Social Services for the allocation of non-contributory pensions, with the Canary Island Health Service to enable professionals to issue reports, and with the Ministry of Education to ensure that these reports are received.
The insular Cabildos will play a crucial role in the successful implementation of the decree, particularly in the early detection and referral of potential cases requiring disability recognition, as well as in the collaboration, documentation collection, verification, and access to services.
In this regard, Adargoma Hernández celebrated that the new decree addresses the challenges faced by non-capital islands in conducting assessments, noting that “many times they depend on professionals from other islands to carry out these assessments.” “This new decree will enable professionals to initiate procedures using public health reports instead of requiring in-person visits,” he emphasised. Lastly, Hernández stressed the need to promote this regulation and train professionals in its application.
