SAN SEBASTIÁN DE LA GOMERA, 6 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –

Improvements in Disability Assessment Procedures

The Chairwoman of the Socialist Group in the Canary Islands Parliament (ASG), Melodie Mendoza, has praised Decree Law 4/2025, dated 29 July, which streamlines the processes for evaluating and classifying disability in the Canaries, describing it as a more efficient and user-friendly model.

In a statement, she emphasised that the decree “places individuals at the centre, with bureaucracy taking a back seat at last.” She added, “This is a decree we appreciate because it urgently addresses a historical issue with a modern, sensitive, and deeply social perspective.”

Significant Advances Highlighted

Among the most notable improvements, Mendoza pointed out the automatic issuance of the parking card alongside the disability resolution.

She also highlighted the approval of a specific emergency action plan, which aims to resolve cases that have been pending for months within a month. This measure is “essential for restoring public trust.” “We cannot normalise delays that prevent the exercise of basic rights,” she stressed.

Furthermore, the ASG representative discussed the establishment of a specific procedure for serious medical conditions listed in the regulatory annex, which will allow for automatic recognition without the need for an in-person assessment when medical evidence is unequivocal.

Impact on Non-Capital Regions

Mendoza underscored the significance of these changes for non-capital regions like La Gomera, where many families previously had to travel to Tenerife to complete the assessment process, incurring additional financial costs and emotional strain.

A New Starting Point

Finally, Mendoza urged everyone to view the decree “not as a destination, but as a starting point,” ushering in “an era of hope” where reducing waiting lists will also mean reducing inequality. She concluded, “Those who have waited too long to access a right must be our priority.”