Other News

  • Government pledges £900,000 towards independent living

    • Minister for Care Services Ivan Lewis today announced an extra £900,000 to help disabled people work towards having more independent lives.

      Speaking at an Office for Disability Issues consultation event on delivery of the Independent Living Strategy the Minister pledged new funding to help create up to 14 user-led organisations become new Action and Learning Sites. These organisations are led and controlled by disabled people and aim to help disabled people lead more independent lives.

  • Support Peter Gichura

    • In 2006 Peter Gichura was detained in Harmondsworth detention centre in appalling conditions. After legal moves and pressure from supporters, he was released.  He is now suing the Home Office and Kalyx, the private company running Harmondsworth.  The case comes to the High Court next week (day to be announced on Monday afternoon), where it will be decided if the case will go to trial.  It is a test case to establish if disabled people held in detention centres and prisons before December 2006 have the protection of the Disability Discrimination Act – other disabled prisoners have cases which depend on the outcome.  Campaigning with Payday and WinVisible, based at the Crossroads Women's Centre, Mr Gichura has received widespread public sympathy -- we are asking for people to come and support inside and outside court.
       

      Appalling conditions


      Peter Gichura was detained twice in Harmondsworth in appalling conditions, including: not being able to use the bathroom and toilet properly, suffering painful and threatening body searches and inadequate medical treatment, given the wrong medication.  Anne Owers, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, condemned the conditions at Harmondsworth as “the poorest report we have issued on an Immigration Removal Centre” (Nov 2006).

  • Equality and Diversity Forum response to The Path to Citizenship
    • Equality and Diversity Forum (EDF) has submitted its response to the Home Office consultation ‘The Path to Citizenship: the next steps in reforming the immigration system’ (Home Office, February 2008)
  • Reform of Healthcare regulations
    • following publication of the White Paper: Trust, Assurance and Safety, The Regulation of Health Professionals in the 21st Century and the Health and Social Care Bill, the Government is implementing a series of reforms which will impinge on all healthcare regulators, including the General Medical Council (GMC). 

      As part of this reform agenda, the Government has proposed new governance requirements, stating that all healthcare regulators must have:

      • Fully appointed, smaller Councils
      • Parity of lay/professional membership of Councils

      Legislation to effect these changes is currently the subject of consultation and it is expected that the new arrangements will be in place for the GMC by 1 January 2009.

      The Appointments Commission will be conducting a recruitment campaign on behalf of the GMC to appoint 12 lay and 12 registrant members.  Full details will be contained within the information pack which will be available to download from the Appointments Commission website as soon as the post has been advertised. 

      It is anticipated that the posts will be advertised during week commencing 26 May/2 June 2008 in the national press, on the Appointments Commission website, www.appointments.org.uk, and the GMC’s website, www.gmc-uk.org.  
      Interviews for shortlisted candidates will be held at the GMC’s offices at Regent’s Place, 350 Euston Road, London NW1 3JN, between 8-30 September 2008.
  • A request from UCanDoIT
    • As many of you know UCanDoIT is a charity that teaches disabled adult students how to use the Internet and email. Students are taught on a one-to-one basis in their homes - this is particularly relevant to many disabled people as they often can not physically attend classes or, even more often, there are no classes with tutors trained in specialist software.

      Fundraising gets more difficult each year but we believe that tuition like this should be the responsibility of the government so we have an online petition on the No 10 Downing Street website       http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/ucandoit/

      We are asking if you could sign it, forward it, add it to your ezines, newsletters or any other communications that will bring it people's attention. We really want to get as many names as possible on the petition in the hopes of persuading at least one government body to take responsibility for funding tuition. If you need any further information please contact us.

       

  • Lord Darzi writes to Andrew Dismore, Joint Committe on Human Rights Chair
    • Lord Darzi, the Government's health advisor, has written to Andrew Dismore (Chair of the Joint Committee on Human Rights) announcing and explaining the Government's amendment to the Health and Social Care Bill on the 'public authority' issue. Angela Patrick at the JCHR has kindly made this electronic version available.
  • Government announces new strategy on autism
    • Ivan Lewis has announced a raft of new measures which will build towards the a national adult autism strategy.
  • Attitudes to Mental Health Remain Broadly Sympathetic
    • Public attitudes in England towards people with mental health problems remain broadly sympathetic, according to a new survey by the Department of Health.
  • New Post for Bert Massie
    • Sir Bert Massie has been appointed as the new Commissioner for the Compact to push for greater public sector compliance with the Compact, the agreement defining Government's responsibilities in dealing with charities and voluntary groups. On appointment he said "I am delighted to have the opportunity of contributing to the work of ensuring that the voluntary and statutory sectors work together closely to improve and enhance the services and support they offer to the public. The Commission for the Compact will ensure that the Compact is a living document that influences action."
  • Government Funding for Volunteering
    • Phil Hope, Minister for the Third Sector, has published the Government's response to the Commission on the Future of Volunteering report, Manifesto for Change, published in January. In it the Government accepts the majority of the Commission's recommendations and backs this up with £6million new investment. The Government will set up a £2million to create a new access to volunteering fund for disabled people, invest £4million in new training programmes for volunteers and volunteer managers, produce guidance to help avoid unnecessary criminal records checks being carried out, improve coordination of volunteering by civil servants and support existing events to promote volunteering. See www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector/news/news_stories/080307_volunteering.aspx  
  • Report on Human Rights of Adults with Learning Disabilities
    • A report by the Joint Select Committee on Human Rights paints an often harrowing picture of neglect, abuse and the denial of fundamental human rights to adults living with learning disabilities in the UK. Evidence received by the Committee reveals that people with learning disabilities are more vulnerable to abuse and are less likely to understand their fundamental human rights, including to be treated with dignity and respect by public authorities. Adults with learning disabilities and their advocates and carers told the Committee about how people were denied the opportunity to conduct their own lives as any adult would take for granted including the ability to form and conduct relationships. The report ‘A Life Like Any Other? Human Rights of Adults with Learning Disabilities’ is available from the Stationery Office or can be downloaded from www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/jt200708/jtselect/jtrights/40/40i.pdf  
  • Kent Emergency Initiative
    • Kent Police have launched a text alert service so that deaf and speech-impaired people can call for emergency help from 999 crews. After texting the number 60066 followed by ‘police’, ‘medic’ or ‘rescue’ and a message, immediate help will be despatched.
  • Typetalk Training for Major Charities
    • RNID Typetalk is offering free training to charitable organisations across the UK to help communicate with the deaf and hard of hearing. The initiative is part of a national awareness campaign to encourage people with communication difficulties to use the telephone. Typetalk has offered Age Concern, Samaritans, Salvation Army and Help the Aged, free training workshops giving support, advice and guidance on how to use the service. For more information or to arrange a visit from a Regional Outreach Co-ordinator, call 0800 7311 888 (hearing) or 18001 0800 500 888 (text) or see www.typetalk.org  
  • Public Awareness of DDA
    • Public knowledge of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) increased significantly between 1996 and 2006, and according to new research the Act has improved the lives of disabled people across the board. The research uses data the Office for National Statistics Omnibus Survey between 1996 and 2006 which looked at awareness of the Act, access to goods and services, access to transport (2005, 2006) and renting or buying a home. The report is available at www.officefordisability.gov.uk/docs/dda-report.pdf  
  • Moving People
    • Mental Health Media, Mind and Rethink have come together in Moving People to fight to end mental heath stigma and discrimination. For information call 020 8215 2356 or see www.movingpeople.org.uk  
  • Electoral Commission Grants
    • The Electoral Commission will be funding a number of projects that will encourage voter registration and democratic engagement among people with disabilities across the United Kingdom. Speaking Up will help people with learning disabilities in East England with interactive workshops and training days. Voting champions will be elected from participants at these sessions, who will then cascade the learning to other disabled people. All Wales People First will increase understanding and awareness of political processes and increase voter registration rates among people with learning disabilities across Wales. Scottish Council on Deafness will work with its member organisations to provide workshops for deaf and deafblind people of all ages across Scotland.
  • Hate Crime Law Proposed for Scotland
    • The Scottish Parliament is to consider a law on hate crimes against people on the grounds of disability and sexual orientation. If this is passed, and it has the support of most parties and the Scottish Government, it will align the situation in Scotland with that in other parts of the UK.
  • My Life, My Right, My Choice in Northern Ireland
    • Disability Action’s Centre for Human Rights for Disabled People has launched the ‘My Life, My Right, My Choice’ campaign, calling for people with disabilities to have more effective choice and control over the treatment and care that they receive. Posters, a Toolkit including a CD and Choice Cards are available. For information see www.disabilityhumanrights.org  
  • ODI Annual Report Charts Progress on Disability Equality

    • Important progress is already being made towards the government’s goal of equality for disabled people by 2025, In its second annual report to the Prime Minister the Office for Disability Issues (ODI) reveals that progress is being made towards the government’s goal of equality for disabled people by 2025. In the past year the ODI has:

      • Set up Equality 2025, a new advisory body to government made up of 23 members who are all disabled people. Equality 2025 acts as a conduit for disabled people's voices to ensure that they influence policy and service delivery design at an early stage.

      • Led the cross-government Independent Living Review which has worked extensively with disabled people to find ways of improving opportunities and support for disabled people. An expert panel including disabled people and chaired by Baroness Jane Campbell was set up to shape and steer the review. The Independent Living Review will publish a cross government five-year strategy to give disabled people choice and control over the support they need to go about their daily lives, in early 2008.

      • Coordinated the signing of the UN Convention on Disability Rights on behalf of the UK. The Convention covers areas such as the right to life, access to justice, personal mobility, health, education and work.

      • Developed an initial set of measures of progress towards equality for disabled people, following consultation with disabled people, published as an annex to the annual report.

      • Commissioned the Office for National Statistics to develop plans for a longitudinal disability survey of Great Britain to track the experiences of disabled people to see what happens at the key points of becoming disabled, moving into adulthood and in and out of work.

      The ODI Annual Report 2007 is available in PDF, RTF, audio and Easy Read formats at www.officefordisability.gov.uk

  • New Access Information Website
    • A new website has been set up to give access information for disabled people on a wide range of premises. It provides the opportunity for disabled people to post their own reviews of places they have visited. At present most of the entries are in North East England but it has the possibility of being much wider. See www.findingways.com  
  • New Website for Access Groups
    • The DRC and Disability Wales have launched a website for Access Groups and others interested in access matters – see www.accessgroupresources.co.uk