Scots MSPs join fight to save DLA and AA plus Pathways crumbling

 

Dear George,

Firstly, we want to make it absolutely clear that AA and DLA are not going to be abolished on 13 November, because some people seem to have got that impression.

We're asking you to make your voice heard before the green paper consultation period ends on 13 November because, if you don't, it makes it much more likely that disability benefits will be handed over to local authorities at some time in the future. But any changes are unlikely to happen for years.

In just three weeks an astonishing 21,770 people have signed up to the campaign. You have made disability charities very aware of the need to challenge the proposals in the green paper. Many, including the Disability Benefits Consortium, have now issued statements saying that they will be opposing any moves to end disability benefits. MPs have begun replying to queries from you about what their position is on the issue of abolishing any disability benefits. We've also heard from lots of people who have submitted comments to the green paper consultation at:

http://careandsupport.direct.gov.uk/greenpaper/execsum/

The latest news is that members of the Scottish Parliament have tabled a motion calling for the retention of AA and DLA. Hopes that ministers may have had of quietly slipping in proposals to abolish any disability benefits are now in tatters,

Congratulations on achieving so much, so quickly.

In this edition there's also news of the increasingly disastrous problems faced by charities involved in government back to work schemes. Some are losing millions, some are pulling out altogether and others are fighting amongst themselves about how big a share of the government's cash they should get.

All in all, it's beginning to look like the voluntary sector may be regretting getting quite so close to the DWP.

TRAINING
The first of our open training days in Bristol for the autumn/winter are now available to be booked. We're running an ESA and mental health/learning difficulties training day on Tuesday 27 October and a DLA/AA claims training day on Thursday 26 November. More details and booking forms from this link:

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/training/open-training/

Good luck,

Steve Donnison

MSPs join fight to save AA and DLA
www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/latest-news/1103-msps-join-fight-to-save-aa-and-dla
Members of the Scottish Parliament have joined the fight to save attendance allowance and disability living allowance by putting down a motion calling for AA to be protected.

Shaw Trust loses millions on Pathways
www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/latest-news/1100-shaw-trust-loses-millions-on-pathways
Shaw Trust, the only major voluntary sector Pathways to Work provider, lost almost £3 million in the last financial year due to its involvement in the DWP programme.

Charities outraged by DWP funded offers
www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/latest-news/1102-charities-outraged-by-dwp-funded-offers
Charities have been outraged by the 'insulting' payments they have been offered by other charities as an inducement to take on volunteers under a DWP funded programme.

Major charities ditch Pathways contracts
www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/latest-news/1101-major-charities-ditch-pathways-contracts
Two major charities have ended their role as sub-contractors on the Pathways to Work programme because they were no longer financially viable.

Beware weasel words
www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/latest-news/1098-beware-weasel-words
Here at Benefits and Work we've been discussing how politicians may respond to letters from their constituents about the green paper proposals to cut disability benefits.

Stop press: charities left reeling by your response
www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/latest-news/1097-stop-press-charities-left-reeling-by-your-response
17,000 sick and disabled campaigners have managed in just a few days to send shock waves throughout the voluntary sector.

MEMBERS ONLY
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www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/join-us

Decision Makers Exchanges available
www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/component/content/article/904/869-decision-makers-exchange
Decision Makers Exchanges from April to June 2009 are now available in the members' area.

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(c) 2009 Steve Donnison. All rights reserved.

Crippen: Wounded soldiers up to £3,000 worse off a year after secret benefits axe

Dave Lupton
aka Sox - cartoonist and illustrator
and Crippen - Disabled cartoonist

web site - www.daveluptoncartoons.co.uk
blog - http://disabilityarts.org.contentcurator.net/?location_id=6

Wounded soldiers up to £3,000 worse off a year after secret benefits axe

Badly wounded soldiers have had their disability benefits secretly slashed by as much as half by penny-pinching bosses at the Ministry of Defence.

Troops whose working lives are cut short after injuries sustained while fighting will no longer be paid a special £57-a-week allowance.

The move came after the MoD quietly dropped the benefit for new claimants who are too disabled to work.

It means hundreds of troops who have been injured in Afghanistan and in future conflicts will be £3,000-a-year worse off.

Around 12,000 veterans receive the allowance. But from April the rules have been changed so that those whose injuries leave them unable to work are not entitled to the benefit.

Critics called the cuts 'morally indefensible' when combat casualty rates are at a record high, and accused ministers of trying to save cash through 'invisible' cuts targeting hard-up wounded veterans.

British forces in Afghanistan suffered their worst month to date in July, with 22 soldiers killed and 94 wounded in battle.

Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth already faces fierce criticism for his Appeal Court battle to try to reduce compensation payments to severely wounded troops.

And figures show 279 injured troops and veterans are having to fight legal appeals in the hope of more generous compensation settlements.

The benefit payments at the centre of the latest row are known as the Allowance for Lower Standard of Occupation (ALSO).

The cash helps them pay for basic essentials and stay above the poverty line as they struggle to cope with psychiatric as well as physical wounds.

But with the defence budget in crisis and the number of wounded soldiers rising fast, ministers have decided that anyone injured after April this year and unable to work will be barred from applying.

Mail Online, 26th August 2009

Telltale signs

While HIV is now a manageable condition rather than a death sentence, a new survey shows that many men with the diagnosis still feel unable to reveal their situation for fear of discrimination. Mary O'Hara reports

Andy Hewlett was 25 years old and just one year into a new career in the police force when he was diagnosed with HIV, leaving him "confused and bewildered". It also left him convinced that his life was over. But that was 15 years ago and now - as with tens of thousands of people diagnosed around the same time - radical improvements in treatment mean that he is well and his career is flourishing.

"When I was diagnosed, it was very different to how it is now," he says. "It felt like a death sentence. People I knew who had contracted HIV were dying. Here I was, just starting a new career and wondering what it would all mean."

Hewlett says he feels lucky to have been diagnosed when he was, because advances in the treatment for HIV "shifted things from a terminal illness to a manageable chronic condition". It was this, he says, that meant people in his position were going to become a common presence in the workforce and this is why research into the experiences of people in the workplace with an HIV diagnosis is essential if problems around discrimination are to be overcome.

The National Aids Trust (NAT) today publishes the first in-depth UK research into the views of people with HIV in the workplace. Hewlett, who has been a pivotal figure in developing the Metropolitan police force's policies around managing HIV, hopes it will help to put prejudice and ignorance about HIV into context. "This new research is encouraging because it shows that people with HIV are just like everybody else and do as good a job as anyone," he says. "My hope is that it will help break down prejudice."

Researchers found that the majority of people living with HIV were satisfied with their work and how they were treated. In fact, over half of the gay men who responded - it was conducted via an online survey on the social networking site Gaydar because researchers wanted to target the largest possible group of people with a positive diagnosis - said HIV had no impact on their working life, and 75% reported that the disclosure of their HIV status at work had been "generally positive".

The study also found that there was "no significant" difference between how HIV positive men and HIV negative men viewed their experience at work. Meanwhile, "despite perception", the research concluded "there was no significant difference in the number of days sick leave" taken by people with HIV compared with those without a diagnosis. Some 70% of HIV positive men had had no HIV-related sick days in the last 12 months.

Not the whole picture

According to the NAT, this is all "welcome and encouraging" stuff, but its chief executive, Deborah Jack, stresses that it is far from the whole picture. Evidence emerged from the study of persistent residual prejudice around HIV, as well as a fear on the part of some workers with HIV that they will be discriminated against if they disclose their status to colleagues or employers. Just over a fifth (21%) of men who had disclosed their HIV status said they had been on the receiving end of discrimination in either their current or previous job, and many believed their disclosure was the reason they had lost a previous job.

According to Jack, it is concerns such as these that should provide an impetus for educating employers and galvanising the campaigners for government to introduce an extra layer of employment rights to guard against "inadvertent or outright" discrimination.

"First and foremost, this research shows the level to which people who are HIV positive contribute to the UK workforce," Jack stresses. "They work across all sectors, and the research shows that their status has very little impact on how they work. But there are issues to be addressed, many of which are down to ignorance more than anything else, it would appear.

"Interestingly, and worryingly, many people were not aware of their rights under the DDA [Disability Discrimination Act]. For the purposes of the act, HIV is defined as a disability and people are protected accordingly."

The research shows that people continue to be more reluctant to be open about having HIV, than gay workers are about being "out" to co-workers, suggesting that there is still some way to go before people with HIV feel comfortable about revealing it. While 92% of respondents had disclosed their sexuality at work, only 60% had told someone at work about their HIV status. In addition, there were many who attributed the lack of openness to fear of poor treatment, with 53% of people who had not told someone at work about having HIV saying that they had anxieties about being treated less well if they did. Many were concerned that telling even one person at work would lead to breaches of confidentiality.

"These are real fears," Jack says. "In fairness, I think many employers are very good on the subject, but there are those who need to be more proactive about promoting a tolerant working environment."

Part of the problem - and something that the research revealed to be a primary source of anxiety - is the use of pre-employment health questionnaires by employers. "Men and women in focus groups reported their fears that this information could be used to discriminate against them in the job application process," the report's authors say. They add: "This fear is not unfounded. Research shows that some employers automatically excluded people during the recruitment process on health grounds."

Ben Willmott, employee relations adviser at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), agrees, suggesting that, in part at least, some of the concerns people who are HIV positive have around employment discrimination could be allayed with small changes to the law.

"There are good reasons for pre-employment health questionnaires, such as alerting the employer to what reasonable adjustments might be necessary to make for some potential employees," Willmott says. But what would help now, he adds, is a change to the stage in the job application process at which the health-related questions are asked. "If a provisional job offer was on the table, and the questionnaire was used after that, then it would be much easier to track if discrimination on the grounds of health had taken place," he says. "Hopefully, it would prevent inadvertent and overt prejudice."

Disclosure of disability

A coalition of organisations, including the CIPD, NAT and the Employers' Forum on Disability, have written to the equalities minister, Harriet Harman, calling for an amendment to the equalities bill going through parliament that would enshrine in law a requirement that disclosure of a disability or health condition be permitted only after "a conditional/provisional" job offer has been made. "We know of many instances where disclosure of disability has resulted in a strong candidate's application being disregarded," the letter claims.

Hewlett believes that much of what needs to be done to improve the lives of HIV positive workers generally will come down to challenging and transforming attitudes. "One day, when I was out of the office, someone sat at my desk and after a while the woman asked [my boss] whose desk she was sitting at," he recalls. "He told the woman it was my desk and she literally raised her hands away from the keyboard. My manager was astonished by her ignorance and challenged her on it.

"I think that when attitudes like that are challenged regularly and repeatedly, we will gradually reach a point where worries about discrimination are eroded. Sometimes it's not the big protests but the incremental shifts that make the difference."

• nat.org.uk

The Guardian, 26th August 2009

Press Release – Mobility Vehicle Hire Ltd

We at Mobility Vehicle Hire understand the difficulty and frustration that people experience when their existing vehicles are either off the road through maintenance and accidents or simply requiring additional support through an injury or disability. More often than not sourcing a suitable replacement vehicle is difficult, time consuming and ever stressful.
Mobility Vehicle Hire is a new business entering the marketplace specialising in bespoke vehicle solutions and our aim is to minimise the stress that going on holiday, days out, arranging a temporary car after an accident or similar situations can bring for people with a disability.

We are currently in the process of setting-up a large and exciting portfolio of adapted vehicles that will cater for the growing market of less able individuals. Our portfolio will include Vauxhall Corsa sized vehicles adapted to suit individual requirements, wheelchair accessible Renault Kangoo through to adapted prestige 4 x 4's and 9 seat minibuses.

Our range of adaptations includes wheelchairs ramps, hand controlled accelerator and brake and steering wheel controls for lights and indicators. Whatever your requirements, we will strive to meet them in our vehicles. All our vehicles have automatic transmission.

Our core values and working ethos are focussed around honesty & integrity, reliability & responsiveness, outstanding customer service and connecting with people. We will be competitively priced and have full coverage across the UK. If you have a requirement for an adapted vehicle, we will have a solution for you!

We will supply account customers and private individuals, offer a delivery and collection service and be able to offer driver insurance during the period of hire. You can hire a vehicle from us for one day, or up to thirty days – longer if you have your own insurance.

Our launch date has been scheduled for Monday 5th October 2009, however should you have any queries or requirements in advance of this date, please feel free to email us at customersupport@mobilityvehiclehire.net or call 0800 3777 505 and we will be more than happy to help.

Find us on the web at www.mobilityvehiclehire.net and also on Facebook.

Disability groups slam Winchester's 'shared space' plan

DISABILITY charities have condemned a controversial scheme that would see pavements, traffic lights and crossings removed in a bid to slow traffic through busy Winchester streets.

Civic chiefs are considering introducing the radical traffic measure known as ‘shared space’ on several roads in the city centre.

The concept seeks to remove barriers between pedestrians and vehicles and so slow traffic by making drivers much more aware of their surroundings and other people.

It would mean the removal of traffic lights, pavements, railings, road signs and much street furniture.

Some psychologists argue that drivers would have to make eye contact with pedestrians.

However, some 20 national charities have come out against the idea, including Leonard Cheshire Disability, RNIB, RNID, MENCAP and Arthritis Care.

They have called for local authorities to stop commissioning shared space schemes.

Tom Pey, a director of Guide Dogs, formerly Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, said: “We have grave concerns.

“It actively discriminates against blind and partiallysighted people, as well as presenting risks to other groups of disabled and elderly people, and young children.

“The concept, which originated in the Netherlands, is fast gaining support across the UK, and local authorities are keen to embrace principles that would appear to deliver a safe and sustainable future for town and city centres.”

Mr Pey added: “The success of ‘shared spaces’ is dependent on the various users of that space – drivers, cyclists, pedestrians – acknowledging and respecting each other.

“However, if eye contact between driver and pedestrian is the key to success, then the dangers for the UK’s blind and partially-sighted people are clear.”

Mr Pey said there was evidence that blind people have lost the confidence to go into ‘shared space’ areas in other parts of Britain.

The shared space idea was also used as part of the £500,000 facelift of London Road in Southampton where council chiefs introduced crossing points that were deliberately unclear as to whether pedestrians or motorists had right of way.

In Winchester, suggested areas for shared space have been Jewry Street, St George’s Street and the area between King Alfred’s Statue and the Chesil Street roundabout.

The Daily Echo reported in May that traffic officers are finding problems, including the narrow nature of parts of Jewry Street.

The county council is drawing up a new access plan which was due to go for public consultation later this year.

Southern Daily Echo, 25th August 2009

Tackling Children's Misunderstanding Of Disability

Primary schools need to do more to change the way children think about disabled people, according to new research from the University of Leeds.

The researchers, from the University's Centre for Disability Studies, found that many non-disabled children have a poor understanding of disability and the lives of disabled people. Typical misconceptions held by the youngsters included:

* Disabled people are not able to work;

* They are unlikely to have girlfriends and boyfriends, marry or have children;

* If they do have children, the disability will be passed on to the child;

* Disabled people have tragic lives, often cut short by their impairment.

Surprisingly, the researchers found that not enough was being done in many primary schools to challenge these views, and that learning materials, in particular children's books, all too frequently reinforce these inaccurate stereotypes.

Some quotes from the children reveal their attitudes:

* "Disabled people wouldn't get a girlfriend/boyfriend because 'people probably think they're ugly'."

* "'Normal people' say to 'dwarves': 'I don't want to know you because you're weird'."

* "Disabled people can't work. They have to go in the house and just sit down. And they can watch TV."

Other children, clearly influenced by horror movies or Body Shock-style documentaries associated the term disability with stories of 'extreme' and unusual impairments like having additional arms and legs or being covered in fungal growths.

The findings come from the Disability Equality in English Primary Schools (DEEPS) project, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council. Questionnaires were sent to 500 primary schools around the UK in 2008, and researchers talked to groups of children in year two (aged 6-7) and year six (aged 10-11) in six schools. The team was led by Leeds lecturer Dr Angharad Beckett, who said: "We looked at what non-disabled children know about the lives of disabled people, and what primary schools were doing to tackle misconceptions about disability. We found that although some schools are tackling this issue, many schools are doing very little, sometimes nothing."

"And it is worth noting", she commented, "that as of December 2007 all primary schools in England were supposed to have a Disability Equality Scheme in place that, amongst other things, included the school's plan to promote positive attitudes towards disabled people. Only 30% of the schools surveyed actually had a plan in place that included that dimension".

The study also looked at how disabled people are portrayed in children's fiction – examining in detail 100 texts available to primary schools and suggested by a range of recommended suppliers. Even here they found a very mixed picture, with disabled people often shown as passive and sometimes tragic characters, perpetuating negative stereotypes. "In the worst examples it was almost as though these disabled characters had been put into the story for 'freak-show' effect," said Dr Beckett.

But the researchers also found that once the issues around disability were explained to children, as they had been in one school visited, negative attitudes were easily dispelled and more positive attitudes generated. Further, "the children were clearly interested to learn about figures like Helen Keller, Stephen Hawking and Franklin D Roosevelt - who they admired" said Dr Beckett.

The research rests upon the social model of disability which makes a distinction between "impairment" - what is not working properly with a part of the body, mind or senses; and "disability" - what happens when a person who has an impairment faces barriers in society, physical or attitudinal, that exclude them from doing things that most people take for granted. "It's a distinction that most children, at least by age 10 or 11, are perfectly capable of understanding," said Dr Beckett. "When we talked to them at length we found that many were really shocked about how society effectively disables people, excluding them from many areas of life. Most children seem to have a keen sense of what is socially just and considered the ways that society treats disabled people to be very 'unfair'".

"The challenge, of course, is how to encourage and support already hard-pressed primary schools to start teaching children about disability and promote positive attitudes. More than half of the schools surveyed admitted that they could do more in this area, but many teachers felt they had neither the time nor the appropriate expertise to put these issues across.

"Schools need good quality resources – which are available but which do not appear to be reaching schools - a clearer understanding that disability awareness can be built into the curriculum quite easily, and the confidence to deal with these issues, so that by the time children reach high school, their attitudes towards disabled people are based on fact rather than misunderstanding."

EmaxHealth, 25th August 2009

North Wales universities lack disabled access

DISABLED students are being denied access to university libraries, bars and leisure facilities.

An investigation by the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign revealed Wrexham's Glyndr University does not have disabled access to all of its teaching rooms, study rooms and libraries.

Bangor University does not have full entry for wheelchair users to its cafes, bars and leisure facilities, while Wrexham, Bangor and Aberystwyth universities do not have a disabled student union group or society.

The study – titled University Challenge – was carried out by 18-year-old Lauren West, who belongs the the campaign's Trailblazers group, a network of 16 to 30-year-olds who fight for the rights of young disabled people in Wales.

Lauren visited each university and asked education chiefs 15 questions based on whether they had provided disabled access, transport and social groups.

Both Glyndr and Bangor universities answered 65% of the questions positively, while Aberystwyth managed 71%.

Lauren said: "I knew that because of my disability I would have less choice and it would to take longer and a lot more planning for me to decide on the right university. That doesn't even include the extra struggle to get all of the care arrangements in place.

"We hope that University Challenge helps other disabled students to make easier, more informed decisions about the university that best suits their needs."

University Challenge is a guidebook which highlights the many difficulties disabled people face when trying to gain access to a university education.

The Trailblazers' investigation revealed 90% of universities in Wales do not provide a freshers' guide to the university for disabled students and nearly 40% of university inter-campus transport is inaccessible to disabled students. Also, despite having disability advisors, one in 10 Welsh universities do not have good links with local care agencies and support services.

A spokesperson for Bangor University said the university is committed to providing fully accessible facilities and has an established working group to coordinate and prioritise work on existing buildings to improve accessibility.

Wrexham Assembly member Lesley Griffiths said: "I know Glyndr University were recently praised for the support they offer disabled students and I know their Disability and Learning Support Team takes the issue of inclusion very seriously," she said.

"However, as the MDC report identifies, the university may need to look at how they provide and disseminate information about what services they have in place to support disabled students."

A spokesman for Glyndr responded: "We acknowledge the concerns raised. We are proud of our commitment to disabled students. Indeed, the University was shortlisted in the Outstanding Support for Disabled Students category at the Times Higher Education Awards 2008: more than 16% of students are in receipt of Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA), one of the highest proportions at any UK university.

He added: "We promote a positive environment where students feel comfortable to disclose and discuss additional needs with our disability team, which dealt with requests from over 600 students last year. We are committed to constantly improving the learning, social and support environment for disabled students at Glyndr University."

Daily Post, 24th August 2009

Disabled Olympics fans face shortage of London hotel rooms

London faces a shortage of hotel rooms to accommodate disabled spectators at the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.

Boris Johnson is under pressure to uphold London's pledge to stage the "most inclusive Paralympics ever", when athletes such as swimmer Ellie Simmonds are expected to lead Team GB's rush for medals.

The Mayor has ordered an audit of the capital's 100,000 rooms to check that enough are wheelchair accessible. Developers say they are happy to work with him but point out that fully accessible rooms are more expensive to build, and are calling for subsidies.

The London Development Agency is spending £20.6million this year improving facilities for tourists and is seeking to convince hotels that it makes good business sense to increase their accessibility.

The LDA, carrying out the audit for the Mayor, said there are 1,100 wheelchair-accessible rooms. But the London 2012 organising committee refuses to disclose how many wheelchair-users it expects.

A London 2012 spokeswoman said 7.7million tickets would be sold for the Olympics and 1.5million for the Paralympics. There are around 11million disabled people in the UK, with between 550,000 and 770,000 using wheelchairs.

Transport for London has pledged to make one quarter of all 275 Tube stations accessible by next year.

Abigail Lock, head of campaigns for disability rights charity Scope, said: "Often, when we have large events, big organisations block book hotel rooms. I had a look at the Visit London website and a lot of the accessible rooms they have listed are the chain hotels. People who require these additional facilities may not be able to access them."

Deputy Mayor Richard Barnes said: "We inherited the Olympic Games, which had the strapline 'The most accessible Olympic Games ever', and we have to deliver."

Under disability law, one in 20 hotel rooms has to be accessible. A review of the Mayor's London Plan is likely to increase this, though a new minimum has not been finalised.

Brian Seaman, of the Tourism For All charity, said: "There are a lot of big hotels being built in and around the 2012 facilities, with 300 rooms, 400 rooms. Each of these is going to have the five per cent. We are going to have a considerable number of extra rooms." The LDA said it and Visit London were "liaising closely" with the hotel industry to ensure demand was met.

London Evening Standard, 24th August 2009

This really is a sport for all to get into

New Age Kurling is one of the fastest growing sports in the country and is a popular choice for disabled people. Jenny Cusack finds out the health benefits of this unique sport.

ON A day that the Curling World Championships was screened on television, a new form of the original game was introduced.

In 2000 inventor of the game, John Bennett, was asked by his son to think up a sport that disabled people could all enjoy. And it was while watching the Curling Championships on television that John came up with the idea of New Age Kurling, an indoor version of the existing game.

New Age Kurling is a form of the original game, but instead of being played on ice it can be played on a smooth floor.

Its unique feature is that it can be played by able-bodied and disabled people on an equal basis.

And Bedlington Day Centre, in Northumberland, has formed its own New Age Kurling team which is going from strength-to-strength. Members include Maddison Dixon, 57, Jason Bolton, 39, Susan Richardson, 48, Stuart Graham, 49, Timm Hooley, 49, Ross McAllister, 28, and Michael Lofthouse, 28.

Kurling like any team sport, is largely recognised as playing a key part in building communication and interaction skills, as well as carrying the obvious health benefits.

It is even starting to be used in hospitals across the UK in rehabilitation schemes for the disabled.

Bedlington Day Centre is a service for physically and mentally disabled adults and the centre is looking to organise its own local league with the hope of competing in major championships in the future.

Helen Young, information officer at the centre, said: "Everyone who takes part in the Kurling really enjoys the game and looks forward to Fridays when we play and have other people who want to join the team.

"We started with just seven members in the team but it has been so popular with our service users that we now have lots of people wanting to take part.

"I think the reason for this is that it gets people out and about, giving them an interest away from the home.

"It is a really good hobby for the service users to have as they are able to compete against able-bodied people."

There is no doubt Kurling, like any team sport, is largely recognised as playing a key part in building confidence and communication skills.

Helen added: "Since we started Kurling the difference we've seen in the residents has been noticeable.

"All of them have gained a lot more confidence, which is lovely to see. There is no doubt it has also increased their communication skills, self-esteem and team sprit and it gives them the opportunity to go places outside of day centre hours."

Funds for basic Kurling equipment at Bedlington Day Centre have been donated by parents and carers of people who attend the centre. The team organised a fundraising event at the weekend, at Blyth Comrades Club, where British Champion Steve Huntley attended.

Alexandra Park, in Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, Northumberland – a centre that accommodates adults aged 18-65 who have been diagnosed with Autism, Aspergers or Communic- ation Disorders – agreed to open their leisure hall up to the team. So now they practice there every Friday.

The centre does not usually hire out their hall but when they heard that the Kurling team needed somewhere to practice, a partnership seemed to fit. Louise Wilson, residential service manager said: "Alexandra Park is delighted to assist the Bedlington Day Centre Kurlers by providing our recreation hall for their practice sessions.

"This is an excellent example of how organisations can work in partnership to overcome challenges."

And those who take part in Bedlington Day Centre's Kurling team say they thoroughly enjoy their sport.

Team member Ross McAllister, 28, said: "I look forward to Fridays to do Kurling, it is the best day of my week."

Pamela Maddocks, who is hoping to join the team, said: "I am looking forward to being part of the team and look forward to meeting new people."

IN 2000, John Bennett was asked by his son to think up a sport that disabled people could all enjoy.

John came up with the idea of New Age Kurling, an indoor version of curling. He thought about using a discus with a handle and bearings so it could slide along the ground. He invented pushers and ramps to allow people of all abilities to launch the kurling stones.

New Age Kurling exercises muscles you would not usually use. What started as a sporting idea for disabled people quickly became popular with able-bodied people too, and for the first time disabled people can play with or against able-bodied people on an equal level.

As its popularity grew variations of the game were created, including Kurling Kroquet and Kurling Golf.

The sport is now played all over the world, with national and international competitions. By 2009 indoor curling will be enjoyed in 174 countries and John hopes for it to become a paralympic sport in 2012.

In October 2004 John was named the British Chamber of Commerce's regional Entrepreneur of the Year and short- listed for the national final.

Chronicle Live, 24th August 2009

Live life to the max with Down's syndrome

In the 2006 film Notes on a Scandal, the small but key role of Ben Hart, Cate Blanchett's young son with Down's syndrome (DS), was played by Max Lewis, now 16, who has DS in real life. Director Richard Eyre described him as 'remarkable…a gifted actor', and paid tribute to his parents Sandy and Paul's 'unquenchable faith, which has given him the confidence to realise his remarkable self'.

About 750 babies each year are born with DS, according to the Down's Syndrome Association (downs-syndrome.org.uk). It occurs because of an extra chromosome produced at conception, making 47 instead of the usual 46. There's no known cause, although it is more likely if a close relative has DS. Those with the disorder have some learning difficulties and a greater susceptibility to a range of diseases: Max was born with a hole in his heart and other problems, including a poor immune system.

Although Max has achieved so much, it has been far from plain sailing for his family, as his mother Sandy makes clear in her painfully honest book Living With Max. I asked her what, with hindsight, she would say to the parents of a child with DS or another disability. Here are her suggestions:

• 'Don't allow your trauma to rob you of the precious early years. Love and enjoy your baby, concentrate on the delight of the here and now. The fear and pain will pass but your baby's first few years will not come again.
  
• 'People can be cruel. An elderly car-park attendant once asked me, in front of Max, why I hadn't "done something about it". Don't make excuses for them, but do remember that this attitude stems mainly from fear and ignorance. The hurt can make you feel weak but the problem lies at their door not yours, so don't carry it around with you. For every bad experience there'll be an abundance of good, kind ones.
  
• 'Remember you're human. However embracing and strong you feel, you will hit low times, when you sleep badly, have little appetite and feel apathetic. Plan a coping strategy in advance. Exercise helped me the most – I run, run, run!
  
• 'Talking to other parents of children with DS gives a rare camaraderie that only we can truly share. I meet up with three mums weekly while our children are at dance class. We're free to be ourselves, not to conform and to have a really good laugh. It's a wonderful release.
  
• 'Don't think you can "fix" your child by pursuing every therapy going. Be selective. I used to wake Max up if he slept too long and would immediately start stimulating his sensory skills. Now I see how ridiculous that was. Some things do help, such as taking him to acting workshops at Chickenshed theatre company in North London (chickenshed.co.uk), but the thing he needed most was for me to be his mum, providing love and stability.
  
• 'Nurture your marriage. Allow yourselves time – and more time – to adjust. Try not to turn your sadness and anxiety into bickering and squabbling. For us, it was tough and we had a wobble, but the whole experience has actually pulled us together.
  
• 'I asked Charlie, Max's 14-year-old brother, and Paul, their dad, what they would say to the parents of a baby with DS. Charlie said, "Be patient." Paul said he would tell them, "This is massive – but celebrate your special child who will enrich your lives in a way you could never have imagined."'
  

Find Sandy's blog at livingwithmax.blogspot.com. To order a copy of Living With Max by Sandy Lewis (Vermilion) for £7.99, post free, contact the YOU Bookshop on 0845 155 0711 or visit you-bookshop.co.uk

Daily Mail Online, 22nd August 2009

A Level results: Shaun hopes he'll be an inspiration

TEENAGER Shaun Turner has triumphed in his A-levels after refusing to let his cerebral palsy hold him back at school.

The 18-year-old studied at St John Fisher Catholic College, in Newcastle, and was given a laptop and scribe to help him cope with the demands of essays and other written work.

Now he has achieved B, C and D grades at A-level after taking English language, philosophy and ethics, and law. He is now preparing for university next month and hopes his success will inspire others.

Shaun, who lives in Gillow Heath, near Biddulph, said: "I've done brill. I'm really chuffed. It's been quite hard work, but really worth it. I was predicted Cs and Ds, so getting a B has been a big achievement."

Cerebral palsy, which is linked to brain injury and causes movement problems, affects people in different ways. Shaun has remained relatively mobile, but seemingly simple physical tasks can prove tricky.

"I struggle to write quickly and to make it legible," he said. "The other main problem is tiredness. Later in the day, I've tended to be really tired. It was a bit of a challenge in the exams.

"I was given extra time in the exams and also had a laptop, which the school provided."

Shaun joined St John Fisher half-way through his first year at high school after finding it difficult to settle at his previous school.

He said: "My mum and dad and I were very impressed with St John Fisher when we first spoke to the staff.

"They have made me feel like my disability is not an issue which can't be overcome. I have felt really valued at the school.

"The school staff have also been brilliant and offered me a lot of support."

As well as providing the equipment to help with his writing, the school teamed him up with a mentor, who helped him with the transition into the sixth form.

Shaun, who also has 10-and-a-half GCSEs, has now landed a place at De Montfort University, in Leicester, to study English and journalism.

Staff at St John Fisher say he has contributed much to the life of the school during his six years and he fully deserves his academic success.

Joanne Hughes, head of the school's sixth form, said: "Shaun was deputy head boy last year and has played a fantastic role. He was also one of our senior prefects. He's a top young man."

The Sentinel, 22nd August 2009

Overcoming adversity to win award

A GWENDRAETH Valley woman has overcome a disability to win an award for her painting skills.

Ann Roblin of Pontyberem has a disability that affects her hands badly, but she hasn't let it ruin her love of art.

She has been attending art courses through Carmarthenshire County Council's community education department for the last four years, and has progressed from absolute beginners to advanced in that time.

Ann's achievements have now been recognised and she has won a Learner of the Year award.

Community education officer Lynda Lumb, who nominated Ann, said: "The standard of Ann's work is excellent, but what makes is exceptional is that she has a disability that affects her hands very badly and yet she still paints with enthusiasm and flair.

"Not only has Ann overcome her disability to achieve personally, but she also brings a sparkle to the class.

"She has a sunny disposition, is always cheerful, and despite several illnesses and operations, her attendance record is very good.

"She is unfailingly supportive of the other learners in her group, going out of her way to help.

"I feel Ann deserves recognition because she has overcome enormous odds in order to achieve, and yet would be the sort of person to say 'I haven't done anything special'."

Ann said: "I owe my success to my tutor Peter Lumb, I have loved every minute at my art class and have met lifelong friends."

Dozens of community education courses are available at venues across the county, ranging from the traditional such as computing and languages, to crafts, exercise, and the more unusual such as solar and wind power course, playing in a rock band, Indian head massage, calligraphy and meditation.

Information is available on www.carmarthenshire. gov.uk or from Lynda Lumb on 01267 235413.

South Wales Guardian, 22nd August 2009

Runners needed for Clarendon Run Marathon

RUNNERS are needed to take part in the Clarendon Run Marathon and half marathon on October 4.

Spare places are being offered by the Leonard Cheshire Disability charity which runs the Winchester Resource Centre and is the largest disability charity in the UK.

The event takes runners from Salisbury to Winchester. If you are interested contact Area Fundraiser Bob Leggett on 07836 734311.

Hampshire Chronicle, 22nd August 2009

Cash boost for disabled sailors

A SAILING programme for disabled youngsters has been short listed to receive a major cash-boost from the National Lottery Best Sports Project 2009.

Able2sail is the only Scottish project in the sport category and could be in line for a £2,000 cash prize.

The innovative charity, which runs in areas across Scotland, uses a specially adapted yacht, skippered and crewed entirely by volunteers, to offer disabled youngsters and their families the chance to enjoy sailing.

While a few organisations already existed in Scotland that offered dinghy sailing for disabled people, able2sail offers the opportunity to experience sailing aboard a full-size yacht.

Voting has now begun again and the closing date for the competition is the August 14.

But until then people can vote by clicking on the link on the website which is www.able2sail.org.uk or directly on the lottery good causes site at www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards/shortlist

Helensburgh Advertiser, 21st August 2009

Views of disabled wanted

Pembrokeshire County Council is seeking the views of people with disabilities to aid the development of its 2009 Disability Equality Scheme.

A questionnaire on priorities for people with disabilities and access to council services is currently being distributed to local groups and individuals.

The questionnaire is available as a hard copy and online, in the consultation section of www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk .

If you are a disabled person, someone with a long-term health condition, a friend or relative of a disabled person or someone who works with, or has an interested in, disabled people the council would like to hear from you.

Complete the questionnaire online or contact Pembrokeshire County Council on 01437 765441 for a hard copy.

The closing date for responses is Friday , September 25.

Tivy-side Advertiser, 20th August 2009

Disabled travellers "discriminated against"

A MAN who is confined to a wheelchair has said more needs to be done for disabled people in Crawley.

Darren Wise, 38, of Furnace Green said he sometimes feels "discriminated against" because transport services for people in wheelchairs is so poor around the town.

Mr Wise is particularly angry there is no disabled access in Crawley Railway Station.

He said: "If I want to travel on the train I have to ring 48 hours in advance, that is just not good enough.

"It sometimes makes you feel discriminated against, I should be able to do anything.

"In this day and age, the railway station should be in the 20th century."

Mr Wise has Spina Bifida which is a condition where the bones in the spine do not form properly, and Hydrocephalus, which means water on the brain.

Both of these conditions start at birth, and Mr Wise has been in a wheelchair from the age of 16.

He said: "I've always had the condition, ever since I was born. I started to find it difficult to walk when I was a teenager, and now I will be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life.

"I do everything on my own without a carer. I enjoy going to the cinema, the theatre and just generally out and about.

"So why can't everywhere have disabled access?"

At the moment, when you come into Crawley from Gatwick Airport the only way to get to the other side of the station is via a bridge.

However, if a traveller is in a wheelchair they have to go from the station, all the way down the road to the nearest level crossing and back round again.

Mr Wise said: "All they would need to do is add a ramp. For me, if I was going to be helped up them stairs I would need four people to help."

A Network Rail spokesperson said: "In an ideal world we would love to have disabled access in every station in the UK today, however there are restraints financially."

this is Crawley, 20th August 2009

Council to appeal disability ruling

A council blamed for children's disabilities is to lodge an appeal against a High Court judgment finding it liable for negligence.

Corby Borough Council has also agreed to simultaneously start a process of mediation with the families involved.

The council, which was responsible for the reclamation of a former British Steel plant in the town in the 80s and 90s, was found liable at London's High Court last month.

Eighteen youngsters claimed their birth defects were due to their mothers being exposed to an "atmospheric soup of toxic materials" due to the works.

The Northamptonshire council denied it was negligent during the works at the plant between 1985 and 1999, and that there was a link between the removal of waste to a quarry north of the site and deformities affecting hands and feet.

Mr Justice Akenhead's decision last month cleared the way for the 16 successful claimants, aged between 11 and 22, to prove that their particular disabilities were caused by the council's failings - with compensation to follow if they succeed.

Lawyers estimated claims of even the least disabled child to be no less than £100,000.

At a special full council meeting, open to the public, in the town's Best Western Hotel, councillors agreed to adopt a "twin-track approach" in response to the ruling.

After an emotionally-fuelled meeting full of the families affected, 21 of the borough council's 29 members voted unanimously to adopt the recommendation.

Chief executive Chris Mallender told them the council's barrister felt there were strong grounds for appeal against the judgment and also said it made sense to explore other avenues which could bring proceedings to an earlier close - including mediation.

Gazette Live, 19th August 2009

£5,000 for a Deaf or disabled artist to develop their ideas and arts practice

£5,000 for a Deaf or disabled artist to develop their ideas and arts practice : Deadline 7th September

This is a 'Stop Press' e-bulletin with information about  a fantastic opportunity for a Deaf or disabled artist who works in any field of the visual arts to receive £5,000 to develop their ideas and arts practice.


The Adam Reynolds Memorial Bursary (UK)
The Adam Reynolds Memorial Bursary is an annual bursary offered to support a disabled artist working with the visual arts.

The bursary is open to mid-career disabled and deaf artists who work in any field of the visual arts, for example: photography, painting, drawing, print-making, sculpture, film, video, digital, performance or live art, based in the UK and been making and showing work for over five years. It aims to provide an opportunity for artists to develop their ideas and practice without pressure to deliver a particular outcome.

The bursary will be for £5,000 and it is intended to provide time, space and support for artists to work in an open-ended way. The bursary can be used to; Pay for living expenses to free up time to concentrate on the residency; buy or hire equipment; pay for materials; pay for assistant artists in order to realise a particular work.

The deadline for applications is the 7th September 2009.

If you are a Deaf or disabled artist, and like to know more go to The Adam Reynolds Memorial Bursary Website

And of course, if you would like to talk through your ideas, do feel free get in touch with us at kaleido Arts.  on 01392 219 440 or www.kaleidoarts.org

Typhoo teams up with FDS to make mainstream sports available to all

Typhoo Tea Ltd has announced its new partnership with charity FDS (Federation of Disability Sport) with high profile endorsement from Sir Geoff Hurst and the Great Britain disabled football team.

The Typhoo 'Sports for All' project, which launches this summer, will provide at least 500 community-based sports coaches across the UK with an accredited qualification in coaching disabled people.

The Typhoo and FDS mission is to increase participation in sport and ensure disabled people can access the sport of their choice, at a level and venue of their choice.

The charity partnership is testament to Typhoo's position as a responsible brand. The brand, with its new CEO, is committed to moving away from gimmicks and its previously celebrity-packed TV advertising to focus on its heritage, emphasising the importance of 'good honest tea' and social conscience which has been a part of the company ethos since 1903.

Money from every pack of Typhoo purchased will help the company to fund and support the FDS as an ongoing relationship.

The charity partnership will be communicated via new pack designs incorporating the 'Typhoo Sports for All' logo - letting consumers know that they are supporting a worthwhile cause just by buying their favourite tea.

Keith Packer, CEO of Typhoo Tea Ltd, says: "We believe this initiative will have a huge impact as it raises awareness of a very worthwhile cause amongst our widespread consumer base.

"Typhoo highly admire all of the work which FDS are committed to, so by coming on board, we will be able to create a new Sports for All course which will train at least 500 coaches.

"Our on-pack support offers genuine value to the customer and provides retailers with a great opportunity to capitalise on increased sales - they should therefore maximise this by ensuring that their shelves are fully stocked with new packs of Typhoo tea."

The charity link up is part of a significant marketing investment which Typhoo is putting behind the brand in 2009, including PR activity and TV advertising set to appear later this year.

The new design packs will roll into store from August, with an MRSP of £1.90 for 80 teabags, £3.50 for 160 and £4.60 for 240. Typhoo is encouraging retailers to stock up on the new packs in order to help to contribute towards this very worthwhile cause.

Talking Retail, 17th August 2009 

LOCAL BLIND MAN ACHIEVES A FITNESS FIRST

A Bromley man has become the first blind person in England to achieve his Level 2 fitness instructor award.

The achievement by James O'Driscoll, a Coach-ability trainee with London Sports Forum for Disabled People, has set a welcome precedent for blind and visually impaired people. It is hoped his success will bring about a fundamental change in the accreditation process for fitness instructor qualifications and create a lasting legacy for all future blind candidates to become fitness instructors.

Working in partnership, Coach-ability, Central YMCA Qualifications, YMCA Fit and other delivery agencies will develop practical assessment criteria to enable blind candidates to use a support worker to provide feedback on a client's performance.

James said: "I have always had an interest in fitness, and now that I have gained my Level 2 qualification through Coach-ability I can pass on my skills so others will get fit.

"I hope my success will inspire other blind people and anyone with an impairment to train as a fitness instructor or sports coach"

Shaun Powell, Coach-ability project manager said: "We are delighted by James' personal achievement and the long-term outcome to ensure blind trainees can become fitness instructors. We will embed this good-practice model to ensure disabled people have the same coaching opportunities in all sports as non-disabled people."

The course was held at London South Bank University (LSBU), where it was the first fully inclusive Level 2 fitness instructor course.

A joint-funding initiative by Coach-ability and LSBU provided interpreters, support staff and adaptive materials to enable Coach-ability trainees to undertake the same training as non-disabled peers.

Through this course and a YMCA Fit 15 week continuous assessment course, Coach-ability has now trained 12 Level 2 fitness instructors, with disabilities ranging from mental health issues to physical impairment. These fully qualified coaches will be employed by leisure providers and sports clubs to increase fitness levels across London and will help challenge and change the perception towards disabled people working in sport.

Coach-ability is a two-year coach-training programme and employment project for disabled people across all London boroughs. Selected Coach-ability trainees are supported through their Sports Leaders Award, and their Level 1 and Level 2 coaching qualification. The project's goal is to train more than 150 disabled Londoners to become high quality sports coaches and create a legacy to open opportunities for disabled people. For more information go to www.londonsportsforum.org.uk/coach_ability.php

Community Newswire, 18th August 2009

'Overwhelming' support for haven

The parents of a terminally ill girl refused planning permission to build a holiday haven for sick children have been inundated with offers of support.

A local landowner had donated land for Ellie's Haven near Looe in Cornwall, but the plans were rejected last week.

Nigel and Julie Libby said the public's response has been overwhelming and they now already had about six possible sites to explore.

Their daughter Ellie has a rare genetic condition and needs constant care.

It was the experience of looking after their four-year-old that prompted Ellie's parents to set up the charity and build a specially adapted holiday home for other families.

Mr Libby said more than £200,000 has been raised since the charity was set up at the end of November 2007.

"Having to look for a new site is a temporary set-back," he said.

"What was a bit of a negative situation, has really turned positive."

Mr Libby said concerns raised at a public meeting have been taken on board and when a suitable site is found, he hopes the original design plans for the holiday home can be used.

The couple say the continued support of the public will help them ensure the dream of Ellie's Haven becomes a reality.

www.ellies-haven.org.uk/

 

disabledsouthwest.co.uk, August 2009

University sites 'fail disabled'

Some UK universities are failing to provide accessible accommodation or facilities to disabled students, an investigation has found.

A report by the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign suggests one in 10 disabled students were not be able to live or eat on university sites.

About 40% of the 78 institutions surveyed did not have rooms for carers, resulting in students living at home.

Universities UK says disabled students benefit from a wide range of support.

The report, by the charity's Trailblazers nationwide network of 16-30 year olds, questioned universities across the UK.

Almost all said they could provide support in lectures or seminars for students with mobility difficulties.

But only four universities said that every one of their buildings had a fully accessible toilet for disabled students.

Some 40% of universities said they did not provide a particular prospectus aimed at students with disabilities

Most, but not all, universities, said they ran a disability equality scheme.

Clearing 'difficulties'

Universities were asked to answer 15 questions on whether they provided certain facilities which disabled students might reasonably require.

Answers were provided by either the student union or a university disability advice unit.

Both Brunel University in Uxbridge and Coventry University in the West Midlands were able to answer "yes" to most questions, and achieved scores of 94%.

Don't be put off by people saying you can't do a course because of disability Trailblazers

The University of Bedfordshire came out lowest, with 33% of questions answered positively.

Oxford and Cambridge were excluded from the survey. The institutions have 69 colleges between them, and their answers would disproportionately affect the overall results.

The researchers were also critical of the clearing system - where students who do not achieve the grades they need for their degree offers can search for an alternative place.

The clearing system only gives disabled students one month to find a course and research whether it suited their needs, they said.

They also ranked the websites of the top 100 universities in the UK on how much information they provided for students with disabilities.

One in 10 of these did not provide any information searched for, the report found, but 12 out of 100 were given a maximum rating of five.

'Significant improvements'

The report says: "Trailblazers recommend choosing a university based on what you think is the best course for you.

"Don't be put off by people saying you can't do a course because of disability.

"Most subjects can be studied by anyone if you have the qualifications, skills and dedication. Therefore, extensive research into potential courses is key to a happy university experience."

Under the Disability Discrimination Act, which came into force in 2005, universities must make reasonable changes to their premises to make them more accessible to disabled students .

Diana Warwick, chief executive of Universities UK, said: "This report acknowledges the wide range of support offered by universities for disabled students.

"The statistics in the report show that initiatives introduced by universities have led to significant improvements in facilitating access to university and offering support while studying.

"Universities recognise that there is always room for improvement and this is an ongoing process. They are continually monitoring provision in order to improve the support they can offer.

"The recommendations and tips for students in this report are useful."

A spokesperson for the University of Bedfordshire said: "The University welcomes people from diverse backgrounds and we are constantly looking to improve facilities at all of our five campuses.

"This includes a £74m investment to rebuild the main Luton campus, including a new campus centre, and there are several highly-qualified staff dealing with the special needs of the students."

BBC, 17th August 2009

Teenagers flying the flag for Wales

THREE Valleys teenagers have been making their mark as members of Disability Sport Wales Academy squads.

Laura Swetman from Pontypridd and Rhys Jones from Tonypandy made their debut for Wales at the DSE Junior Athletics Championship in Blackpool.

Rhys, 15, took the gold in the under 15s 100m, setting a new national record, and the 200m track event.

He also won gold in the long jump and the boys' 4x60m relay.

Rhys also represented Wales in badminton at the Great Britain Special Olympics National Summer Games in July, taking a silver medal. In 2008, he won silver in the Category 3 Men's Doubles at a Great Britain Special Olympics event in Leicester.

Laura Swetman joined the academy, based at UWIC in Cardiff, in March. She competed in Blackpool on her 16th birthday, winning gold in the shot, with a national record and silver in discus.

She competed at Crystal Palace this month and will be competing at the UK School Games in September.

Laura is also a wheelchair tennis player with an international ranking of 13 and fifth in Britain.

Shaun Swetman, 18, who started playing wheelchair tennis two years ago recently won the Junior Wheelchair Tennis Tournament in Nottingham and is now ranked 10th internationally and third in Britain.

He has now joined younger sister Laura at the athletics academy.

Wales Online, 14th August 2009

Chipset helps blind people control their TV

Britain's Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has developed the world's first 'talking' technology for televisions.

The new 'talking' chipset will allow blind users to hear on-screen text such as TV programme guides, digital displays and menus.

Steve Tyler, the RNIB's Head of Innovation & Disability Access Services commented: "We are really excited by this development as it has the potential to significantly improve the lives of nearly eight  million people in the UK alone. These include the blind, visually impaired, deaf, severely dyslexic and the elderly who can all benefit from this advance in technology."

The system will work in several languages, and can me adapted to individual needs. The user interface includes multiple, high-contrast colur schemes, variable sized fonts and extensive help features. It is operated through a remote control console.

The RNIB is also investigating how talking technology can be integrated into other screen-based technologies, including DAB digital radios.

TG Daily, 14th August 2009

Prosthetic arm student wins 'look' policy case

A law student with a prosthetic arm has won her case for wrongful dismissal by clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch, it was confirmed today.

Riam Dean, who was born with her left forearm missing, claimed she was forced to work in the stockroom of the US firm's London store because she did not fit its strict "look" policy.

Dean, 22, from Greenford, Middlesex, told the tribunal she was granted special permission to wear a cardigan to cover the join in her prosthetic limb, but was later removed from the shop floor because the cardigan did not adhere to the firm's dress code.

Miss Dean started working at the company's flagship Savile Row store on 11 June last year.

The central London tribunal heard that she worked five shifts before resigning on 4 July.

The tribunal ruled she was wrongfully dismissed and unlawfully harassed but did not uphold her claim for disability discrimination.

Her mother, May, said her daughter was "very, very pleased" at the outcome but declined to comment further.

The Independent, 13th August 2009

UK Nurse conviction makes legal history

A CARE home nurse has been sentenced for neglect in what is believed to be the first conviction of its kind under the Mental Capacity Act. Ma Ramona Dublas, aged 41, was found guilty of taking a photo of a 92-year-old semi-naked woman after being convicted of ill-treatment and wilful neglect under section 44 of the 2005 act.

Inner London Crown Court heard that Dublas, of Browning Road E12, worked as a nurse at the private Bakers Court Nursing Centre in Little Ilford Lane, Manor Park E12.

A member of staff at Newham Council's Safeguarding Team, which helps vulnerable adults, became aware a photo was in circulation of one of the residents.

She managed to obtain a copy and the picture showed the elderly dementia sufferer being held up by her wrists and naked from the waist up.

In court Dublas claimed she wanted to take the photo to show the woman was "happy".

The resident died three weeks later, although this was not related to the offence.

At court on Friday 7 August 2009 Dublas was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment, suspended for a year, 200 hours community service and banned from working with children and vulnerable adults in the future.

Acting Detective Chief Inspector Sam Faulkner, from Newham police, said: "This case demonstrates that we and our partner agencies take the abuse of vulnerable people extremely seriously.

"Dublas abused her position and broke the trust of not only the victim but also the victim's family who would have been confident she was being well-cared for.

"The council's Safeguarding Team were instrumental in obtaining this photo and then contacting police so we could take further action and this is a good example of Newham's services working together to protect those at risk.

"The Mental Capacity Act was specifically set up to safeguard vulnerable adults who lack the ability to make some decisions for themselves due to a learning disability or mental health condition and we believe this is the first conviction of its kind."

+ Jacob Bernardo, aged 30, of Shernhall Street, E17 was acquitted of the same offences

euro weekly, 12th August 2009

More opportunities for disabled people

Cheshire West and Chester Council has made a formal commitment to equality for disabled people.

The Leader of the Council, Cllr Mike Jones and Equality and Diversity Champion, Cllr Pat Merrick, have signed A Time to Get Equal pledge in conjunction with Scope – a charity that supports disabled people. This campaign aims to bring people together in support of a future where disabled people are valued and have the same opportunities as everyone else.

Leader of the Council, Cllr Mike Jones, said: "We are committed to putting our customers first and embracing the diversity within our community.  We will embed excellent practices into our services and champion equality. To be an excellent authority we must strive to be fair to all our customers, however diverse their needs."

Equality and Diversity is one of the Council's key priorities. It has pledged to ensure the design, delivery and commissioning of services are fair, equitable and accessible and will also continue to promote equal life chances for all.

For more information contact Angela Doe, Equality & Diversity Officer via email: angela.doe@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk or tel: on 01606 867545.

 

Click Liverpool, 13th August 2009

Changes to support for disabled people - have your say

The social care system in this country is not working and the Government plans to make changes.

The big question

What changes to make and how to pay for them?

You may have seen the press coverage of the Government consultation about this and will have noticed a big focus on the needs of older people who need personal care.

However this is not the only group covered by the proposals in this green paper. It is vital that the Government also hears the views of other groups: people who were born with a disability; disabled people of working age; older people who can wash and dress themselves but need other support such as a communicator guide.

Deafblind people must be heard

If deafblind people and their families don't tell the Government what they want, then their voices won't be heard and their needs may not be met in any new system. Now is the time to get involved!

You can do this in several ways. Firstly, you can attend one of the Government's consultation events. These are happening all over England between now and the end of October. To book go to: www.coievents.co.uk/careandsupport, telephone 020 7261 8400 or email careandsupport@coi.gsi.gov.uk.

You can find details of other ways to get involved, including joining the debate on facebook, signing up for email updates and writing your own response at http://careandsupport.direct.gov.uk/.

Sense will be doing a response and we encourage all deafblind people and families to let us know what you think to inform our response. If you haven't had a copy of our consultation questionnaire please ask for a copy.

Sense, 13th August 2009

To post your comment on this story please go here:

http://www.sense.org.uk/media_centre/latest_news/august_2009/changes_suport_disabled_comment.htm

Unhealthy side effects of a broken heart

THAT'S MEN: DIVORCE COULD give you more than a broken heart – it could also give you a heart attack, writes PADRAIG O'MORAIN 

The finding emerges in one of a number of pieces of research which remind us that emotional and mental states can have a dramatic effect on health.

The study suggests that the effects of divorce on physical health are significant, negative and long lasting. Another study found that the pain experienced in rheumatoid arthritis can change according to your own emotional state and, surprisingly, that of your spouse.

The study on divorce and health involved almost 9,000 people in Chicago in their 50s. What it found was that people who marry and stay married are roughly as healthy as single people in the sense that they have the same levels of chronic ill health.

But when people divorce or are widowed, the risk of suffering chronic ill health rises by 20 per cent. If and when they re-marry, they become happier but that extra risk, instead of falling back to zero, falls to only 12 per cent.

The increase in ill health illustrates the strong emotional toll of divorce and widowhood. In addition to the pain of the event itself, ongoing stresses take their toll: legal or funeral bills have to be paid, money must be made to stretch further and divorced or separated men in particular must leave home and find somewhere new to live.

But why doesn't re-marriage restore their health status to its previous level? Why are such people still more likely to suffer from chronic conditions than the always-married or never-married?

The researcher, Dr Linda Waite of the University of Chicago, says re-marriage does, indeed, result in more healthy living on the part of men, improves the finances of women and reduces depression.

But, she told the BBC recently, "Conditions such as diabetes and heart disease develop slowly over a substantial period and show the impact of past experiences, which is why health is undermined by divorce or widowhood, even when a person remarries."

Here is further bad news: according to the UK relationship counselling service Relate, many divorced people, without realising it, find themselves attracted to somebody who is like the person they've just split up with.

This doubles the risk of the marriage ending in divorce and it can't do much for the health of those involved either.

The lesson is, I suppose, that if you can manage to fix the first marriage, that might be the healthier option.

In addition, anything that reduces the toll taken by marriage break-up is to be encouraged.

That includes the free mediation service run by the Family Support Agency (FSA) for separated couples – or parents who have never lived together seeking to settle financial and parenting issues without fighting it out in the courts.

A pity then that the future of the FSA is threatened by the cuts recommended in the Bord Snip report. These cuts include the abolition of the FSA.

The intriguing findings about rheumatoid arthritis and emotional wellness come in separate research projects in Japan and Canada.

The Japanese researchers – based in two universities in Nagoya in Japan – found that depression seemed to increase severe pain in people with rheumatoid arthritis. This was additional to the pain caused by inflammation.

Clinicians need to address patients' psychological problems in addition to providing anti-inflammation therapy, the researchers concluded.

But it gets more complicated. Psychological help for the spouse might be just as important as help for the patient.

Researchers at the University of British Columbia found that the condition of patients with rheumatoid arthritis worsened over a one-year period if their partners suffered high levels of depression at the start.

This held true even after they screened out such factors as the patient's own depression, disability and so on.

The implications of these findings are striking. The term "a healthy relationship" is not just an empty phrase. Relationship breakdown is bad for your health. So is depression in a partner.

Clearly families need to be aware of this especially if one member has a chronic illness. Health professionals also need to be aware of this. The body/mind connection can hurt.

• pomorain@ireland.com
• Padraig OMorain is a counsellor accredited by the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy

Irish Times, 11th August 2009

Letters: Prenatal tests - health care or eugenics?

Denis Campbell reports the development of a non-invasive method for the genetic testing of unborn children, claiming the technology will save lives (Blood test for mothers could save lives of hundreds of unborn babies, researchers say, 10 August). He does not explain why the lives of unborn babies with disabilities are not considered.

It is not correct that "more than 90% of women with a Down's baby decide to have a termination". About 90% of the mothers who undergo amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling do choose to terminate babies diagnosed with Down's syndrome, but they have (presumably) chosen procedures that risk the lives of their unborn babies because they plan to terminate if given a confirmed diagnosis, so a high proportion of terminations is to be expected in this group. It is wrong to interpret it as 90% of all mothers. Many parents do not have such tests because they would not wish to terminate a baby with a diagnosed disability.

Overall, prenatal screening for Down's currently reduces live births by about 45%. Nearly 1,000 babies prenatally diagnosed with Down's are aborted each year in the UK and about 600 babies without diagnosed disabilities are lost after invasive tests encouraged by false positive results. However, trends towards child rearing later in life have increased the rate of conception of babies with Down's by about 50% in the past 50 years. So more babies with Down's are being born today than in the past.

Our National Health Service already encourages prenatal genetic selection against babies with identified health concerns and learning difficulties. The time has come for a full and public debate about where we cross the line between healthcare and eugenics.
Frank Buckley
Chief executive, Down Syndrome Education

You report that GPs are prescribing psychiatric drugs to women for anxiety and depression and that the drugs are, according to studies, causing defects such as malformed hearts (Antidepressant drugs can cause birth defects when given to pregnant women, 8 August).

Antidepressant drugs have been controversial for decades because of the adverse drug reactions associated with them. The public has been warned time and again that antidepressants can cause suicidal and violent behaviour, and neurological disorders, including disfiguring facial and body tics. Now birth defects are added to the list.

From the cradle to the grave, we are bombarded with information pushing us towards a chemical "fix" and antidepressant drugs continue to be prescribed based on psychiatry's disease model, the theory that a "brain-based chemical imbalance" causes "mental illness." This notion is no more than a myth. It is psychiatric wishful thinking.
Brian Daniels
National spokesperson, Citizens Commission on Human Rights (UK)

The Guardian, 11th August 200

Opinion: The mental health stigma in the workplace

Cheltenham Borough Council recently lost a controversial High Court action against its former managing director Christine Laird.

The decision raises many interesting issues. First, how much information must be disclosed to a prospective employer on a candidate's medical history? Second, is it discriminatory for an employer to make decisions based solely on information ­provided in a medical questionnaire? And finally, what degree of sensitivity is there about disclosing a mental health condition to a prospective employer?

The council sued Laird for almost £1m, alleging she had responded fraudulently to questions on a pre-employment medical questionnaire. Laird was passed fit for the post by the council's occupational health service, following the answers she provided in the questionnaire.

Unfortunately, Laird's relationship with the leader and senior officers of the ­council deteriorated significantly within a year of her appointment, numerous ­grievances were raised by her and she was eventually granted ill-health retirement.

Prior to her application for the post, Laird suffered from anxiety and depression, from which she had made a recovery. In response to the question 'Do you normally enjoy good health?', she therefore replied 'Yes'; and to the question 'Do you have a mental impairment?', she replied 'No'. The council stated that had it known about Laird's past medical history, it would never have employed her. The High Court rejected the claim as it found that Laird had answered the questions honestly.

One in four adults in the UK suffer from a mental health condition at some point in their lives. In some cases, it may be a short period of reactive depression. In others, it may be more long-term and chronic. In the current climate, City professionals, including lawyers, are feeling increased levels of stress and anxiety not only related to the demands of their roles but also uncertainty about the future. Some of them will seek advice, assistance and ­possibly treatment, which may include medication and counselling, and some may develop significant mental health problems due to their treatment at work.

owever, once they have been properly treated, most of these employees would answer questions about their health as Laird did.

Unfortunately, there is still a high level of stigma attached to mental health conditions. Many people do not disclose details even to friends, let alone to an employer. An employee is more likely to disclose a physical disability such as ­diabetes, than a mental illness such as depression.

In addition, many health screening questionnaires are badly designed and suggest the employer has an inadequate process for assessing a candidate's health. Some questionnaires even suggest the employer has a blanket approach to reject candidates with certain conditions, which exposes those employers to significant ­disability discrimination claims.

There is also a sense that an employer will not be sympathetic to a condition such as stress or depression, which is sometimes interpreted as meaning that a person is 'not up to the job' or, even worse, they are malingering. Indeed, this attitude is quite widespread in the legal profession.

Recruitment decisions based on past medical history run the risk of uncapped claims for disability discrimination in an employment tribunal. The council's ­comment that it would not have employed Laird would likely be considered strong evidence for a discrimination claim.

The case is a victory for those ­campaigning to end mental health stigma, but emphasises that some employers' ­attitudes still have some way to develop.

The Lawyer, 10th August 2009