Puresh Power

Changes to Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

2012-01-20T10:00:00.002Z

The proposed changes to the current disability benefit is once again in the headlines and the debate on the Welfare Reform Bill continues.

Recently the Government suffered defeats in the House of Lords and the debates have moved away from employment and support allowance (ESA - the income replacement benefit for people with work-limiting conditions) to disability living allowance (DLA).

In stark contrast to ESA, DLA is there to help with the extra costs people incur as a result of severe disability. Many of these relate to how independent a disabled person can be. As highlighted in my previous blogs, dramatic changes to DLA may well push many disabled people into poverty and hinder their independence. This action can only be seen as unjustified towards a “soft” target as disabled people do not always have a strong enough voice to challenge these changes but help may be at hand from a group of disabled activitists. Last week, they outlined in a Responsible Reform Report (Spartacus report) that the Government’s reform proposals are defined by a series of slapdash evidence and the containment of overpoweringly negative consultation.

There can be little doubt that the reforms to the DLA are instigated by the Governments’ aim to reduce the overall costs by some 20% as they have stated:-

"This measure will introduce an objective medical assessment and revised eligibility criteria for both new and existing working age claims for Disability Living Allowance to be rolled out from 2013/14. The assessment will follow a similar process to the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) used for claims to Employment and Support Allowance … Drawing on the evidence of the impact of WCA the central assumption of this policy is that it will result in a 20 per cent reduction in caseload and expenditure once fully rolled out."

Instead of trying to steamroller ahead with the reforms, the Government should consider putting the brakes on and re-assess its flawed approach to date.

It is my opinion that they need to concentrate on certain aspects:

* Look more closely at the independent review by Sir Malcolm Harrington which the Government commissioned. His report supported many of the criticisms previously voiced by disability organisations;

* Provide clear evidence that it has fully assessed the impact the reforms will make on all claimants;

* Ensure that any assessments are conducted by independent and suitably qualified experts to ensure a reasonable, just and fair system is in place;

* Conduct a full review and debate the relevant findings; and

* Somehow restore the confidence of disabled people in changes to the system.

The Government has been heavy handed in its approach so far to this reform and this has made disabled people uneasy and anxious.

As a disabled person, I am not against reform but we must ensure that the right safeguards are in place before any new system can be adopted.

Christmas Greetings

2011-12-23T11:54:00.002Z

It is estimated that Santa will visit 842,000,000 homes this Christmas at a speed of 4,796,250 mph!

Hope he remembers your house and brings all your Christmas wishes!

All best wishes for the festive season.

Paralympic Games 2012- Wheelchair Basketball

2011-12-08T11:13:00.005Z

Where: North Greenwich Arena; Olympic Park - Basketball Arena
When: Thursday 30 August – Saturday 8 September 2012
Medal events: 2
Athletes: 264 (144 men, 120 women; 12 men’s teams and 10 women’s teams)

Wheelchair Basketball was developed by American World War II veterans as part of their rehabilitation programme, but its popularity soon spread around the world. Now played in more than 80 countries, it is one of the most dynamic on the Paralympic programme, and should draw large and enthusiastic crowds to the Basketball Arena and North Greenwich Arena during London 2012.

The Basics
The rules of Wheelchair Basketball are broadly similar to Basketball. The court is the same size, the basket is at the same height, and the scoring is identical: two points for a regular shot from open play, one point for each successful free throw and three points for a shot from distance (6.75m from the basket). Players move the ball around the court by passing or dribbling, and are required to throw or bounce the ball after every two pushes of the wheels on their chairs to avoid being penalised for travelling.

There are 12 players in each team, with no more than five on court. Every player is assigned a point value based on their functional ability, 1.0 to 4.5. During play, the total on-court point value for each team of five players cannot exceed 14.
Both the men’s and women’s tournaments begin with a round-robin – the 12 men’s teams divided into two groups of six teams, the 10 women’s teams divided into groups of five. The top four teams in each group qualify for the quarter-finals, from which point the tournaments are played to a knockout format.

Wheelchair Basketball - Past & Present
Wheelchair Basketball featured at the first Games in Rome 1960, and has remained on the Paralympic programme ever since. The women’s competition was added at the Tel Aviv 1968 Games.

At London 2012, the Basketball competition will take place at two venues. The preliminary games will be split between the Basketball Arena, a new purpose-built venue in the Olympic Park, and the state-of-the-art North Greenwich Arena just across the Thames. All quarter-finals, semi-finals and medal games will take place at North Greenwich Arena.

Jargon Buster
Assist: A pass that leads directly to a basket scored by a teammate.
Downtown: The area outside the three-point line.
Shot clock: A timer measuring the length of time since the last shot. If the ball doesn’t touch the rim or pass through the net within 24 seconds, possession passes to the opposition.

Courtesy of http://www.london2012.com

Paralympic Games 2012- Sitting Volleyball

2011-12-05T09:30:00.000Z

Where: ExCeL
When: Thursday 30 Aug – Saturday 8 Sept 2012
Medal events: 2
Athletes: 198 (110 men, 88 women; 10 men's teams and 8 women's teams)

Sitting Volleyball emerged in the Netherlands in the 1950s, a combination of Volleyball and a German game called Sitzbal. It really began to increase in popularity during the 1960s, and has since grown into one of the most fast-paced and exciting Paralympic sports. Now played by athletes in more than 50 countries around the world, the sport should draw big crowds at London 2012.

The Basics
Sitting Volleyball is played by two teams of six on a 10m x 6m indoor court divided by a net (1.15m high for men, 1.05m for women). The object of the game is to land the ball in the opposition’s half of the court, with each team allowed three touches of the ball (in addition to a legal block) before it must cross over the net.

Matches are the best of five sets, with the first four sets played as the first to 25points; if a fifth set is necessary, it is won by the first team to reach 15 points. In all sets, a margin of at least two points is required for victory.

At London 2012, both the men’s and women’s events will begin with a round-robin group stage: the 10 men’s teams will be divided into two groups of five teams, with the eight women’s teams divided into groups of four. In the men’s competition, the top four teams in each group will qualify for the quarter-finals, from which point the competition will be conducted to a knockout format. For the women’s event, the top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals, with the winning semi-finalists then facing off for the gold.

Sitting Volleyball – Past & Present
Sitting Volleyball made its debut as a Paralympic medal sport at the Arnhem 1980 Games. A women’s event was added to the Paralympic programme in 2004.

At London 2012, the Sitting Volleyball competition will be held at ExCeL, a multi-purpose events venue that will also host a number of other Paralympic and Olympic sports.

Jargon Buster
Block: Preventing the attacking ball to come over the net by forming a ‘wall’ of hands at the net.
Dig: A defensive passing shot from close to the ground.
Setter: The player who ‘sets’ the ball for the attacker, usually on the second of the team’s three permitted shots.
Wipe: To return the ball off an opposing block so it lands out of bound

Courtesy of http://www.london2012.com

Paralympic Games 2012- Table Tennis

2011-12-01T08:52:00.003Z

Where ExCeL
When: Thursday 30 August – Saturday 8 September 2012
Medal Events: 29
Athletes: 276 (174 men, 102 women)

Table Tennis has come a long way from its origins in the late nineteenth century, when it developed as an after-dinner game played by upper-class English families. A permanent part of the Paralympic programme since the first Games in 1960, the sport blends power, speed, skill and subtlety – no wonder it is the biggest participation sport in the world.

The Basics
Table Tennis is based on the same basic principles as Tennis, but it has a very different scoring system. At the Paralympic Games, matches are played over the best of five games, with the first player to 11 points (by a margin of two clear points) winning each game. The programme includes individual and team events for both standing players and wheelchair athletes.

At London 2012, all individual events will begin with a group qualification stage followed by a knockout competition, with athletes progressing through the draw until the finals. The team events will be conducted according to a direct knockout format.

A total of 11 different classifications are used in Table Tennis at the Paralympic Games. Classes 1-5 cover wheelchair athletes, classes 6-10 cover standing athletes, and class 11 covers athletes with intellectual disabilities.

Paralympic Table Tennis – Past & Present
Table Tennis has been part of the Paralympic programme since the first Games at Rome in 1960 (28 years before the sport made its Olympic debut). Events for standing players were first included at the Toronto 1976 Games, while athletes with cerebral palsy took part for the first time at Moscow in 1980.

At London 2012, the Table Tennis competition will be held at ExCeL, a multi-purpose events venue that will also host a number of other Paralympic and Olympic sports.

Jargon Buster
Blade: The flat, rigid part of the racket used for striking the ball.
Loop: An attacking shot, often played with plenty of topspin.
Penhold: A type of grip where the racket is held as if it was a pen.
Let: As well as service lets (similar to Tennis), a let may be called if play is interrupted – for example, by a ball from another table entering the playing area. If this happens, the rally is replayed.
Time-out: Each player may claim a time-out of up to one minute during an individual match.

Courtesy of http://www.london2012.com

Paralympic Games 2012- Swimming

2011-11-14T09:30:00.000Z

Where: Olympic Park - Aquatics Centre 
When: Thursday 30th Aug – Saturday 8th Sept 2012 
Medal Events: 148
Athletes: 600 (350 men, 250 women)

Evidence of people swimming for sport dates back all the way back to Ancient Egyptian and Ancient Greek times, and it is now a hugely popular activity all over the world. With 600 swimmers competing in nearly 150 medal events across 10 days in the beautiful new Aquatics Centre, the Swimming competition at the Paralympic Games promises plenty of excitement.

The Basics
Four strokes are used in Paralympic competition: Freestyle (essentially front crawl), Backstroke, Breaststroke and Butterfly. All four strokes feature in the Medley Relay and 200m Individual Medley events; in addition, all of them except Butterfly feature in the 150m Individual Medley events for certain classifications. Races take place in a 50m pool, and may be started in a number of ways: from a standing start; using a dive start from a sitting position on the starting platform; and from within the water.

Swimmers are classified according to how their impairment affects their ability to perform each stroke. Classification numbers 1-10 cover athletes with physical impairments, with class 1 swimmers’ impairment having the greatest impact on their ability to perform strokes, through to class 10 swimmers’ impairment having the least impact. Athletes with a visual impairment compete in classes 11-13, with class 11 having little or no sight, through to class 13 having limited sight. Athletes with an intellectual impairment compete in class 14.

Breaststroke uses greater leg propulsion than any other stroke, therefore athletes with a physical impairment often have a different class for this event compared to Freestyle, Backstroke and Butterfly. This is also taken into account when athletes compete in the Individual Medley. This is shown by the prefix:

• S before the class represents Freestyle, Backstroke and Butterfly • SB before the class represents Breaststroke
• SM before the class represents Individual Medley

Paralympic Swimming - Past & Present
Swimming is one of the few sports to have featured at every Paralympic Games since 1960, and remains one of the most popular on the Paralympic programme. At London 2012, the Swimming events will be held at the dazzling new Aquatics Centre, built especially for the Games in the Olympic Park.

Jargon Buster
Medley: A combination event in which a swimmer or team swims separate legs of backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle. 
Classification: Provides a structure for competition, whereby athletes with disabilities are grouped in classes defined by the degree of function presented by the disability. 
Tapper: A ‘tapper’ may be required by a swimmer with a visual impairment to indicate that that they are approaching the end of the pool. 

Courtesy of http://www.london2012.com

Remembrance - November 11th

2011-11-11T12:02:00.005Z

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.

For the Fallen,
Linden Binyan
Year 1914

Paralympic Games 2012- Shooting

2011-11-11T10:44:00.005Z

Where: The Royal Artillery Barracks 
When: Thursday 30th Aug – Thursday 6th Sept 2012 
Medal events: 12
 Athletes: 140 (100 men, 40 women) 

Having been practised competitively for centuries, the tough and demanding sport of Shooting is now popular all over the world. At the London 2012 Paralympic Games, the 12 events will be held in the historic surroundings of The Royal Artillery Barracks, the perfect setting for a sport that should offer plenty of drama and tension across eight days of competition.

The Basics
The Paralympic Shooting programme includes both rifle and pistol events: three men’s events, three women’s events and six mixed events. Athletes with different disabilities compete together in two classes – SH1, for athletes who can support the weight of their firearm themselves, and SH2, for athletes who use a shooting stand to support their arm.

The target is made up of 10 scoring rings. The centre ring, known as the bull’s-eye, is worth 10 points, or 10.9 points in finals. Athletes shoot from a variety of positions – standing, sitting or prone – at distances of 10m, 25m and 50m. The rules for each event depend on the firearm, the distance, shooting position, number of shots and the time limit, but each competition consists of a qualification and a final round.

Paralympic Shooting - Past & Present
Shooting has been part of the Paralympic Games since Toronto in 1976, when three events were held. At one point the number of events expanded to as many as 29, but since the Sydney 2000 Games a standard 12 events have been included.
At London 2012, the Shooting competition will be held at a truly historic venue: The Royal Artillery Barracks. Its rich heritage dates back to 1716, when a Royal Warrant authorised the formation of two artillery companies at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich. The current building was constructed between 1775 and 1802.

Jargon Buster
Pistol: One of two firearms used in Paralympic Shooting, the pistol is shot with one hand. 
Shoot-off: A tiebreaker. 
Three positions: Rifle events in which competitors shoot in standing, kneeling and prone positions.

Courtesy of http://www.london2012.com

Paralympic Games 2012- Sailing

2011-11-07T09:30:00.001Z

Where: Weymouth and Portland, Dorset 
When: Saturday 1st Sept –Thursday 6th Sept 2012 
Medal Events: 3 
Athletes: 80

Sailing for athletes with a disability began to develop as a competitive sport in the 1980s, just over 10 years before it joined the Paralympic programme. Mastery over ever-changing conditions on open water requires skill, tactics and nerve, all of which will be essential for competitors in the Paralympic Sailing events at London 2012.

The Basics
At the Paralympic Games, athletes compete in three mixed events: the Single-Person, Two-Person and Three-Person Keelboat competitions. The design of the keelboats used in Paralympic competition provides greater stability, and the boats have open cockpits to allow more room for the sailors. Classification is used to level the playing field where there are a variety of disability levels.

Paralympic Sailing - Past & Present
Sailing was introduced to the Paralympic Games as a demonstration event at Atlanta in 1996. Four years later, it became a full medal sport at the Sydney 2000 Games. At London 2012, the Paralympic Sailing competition will be held in the beautiful but testing waters of Weymouth Bay on the south coast of England.

Jargon Buster
- Port: When looking forwards, the left-hand side of the craft.
 - Starboard: When looking forwards, the right-hand side of the craft.
 - Tacking: When a boat passes through the eye of the wind in order to change direction. Because it is impossible to sail directly into the wind, sailing boats must zigzag. 
- Keel boat: Any boat with a keel as opposed to a centreboard or dagger board as used in dinghies.

Courtesy of http://www.london2012.com

Paralympic Games 2012 - Rowing

2011-11-03T09:30:00.002Z

Where: Eton Dorney 
When: Friday 31st Aug – Sunday 2nd Sept 2012 
Medal Events: 4
 Athletes: 96 (48 men, 48 women)

Although its history dates back centuries, Rowing only came of age as a competitive sport in the last 200 years. Interest began to increase after Oxford and Cambridge Universities began their rivalry on the Thames in 1829, a rivalry that continues today in the shape of the annual Boat Race. The sport made its Paralympic debut in Beijing – when Great Britain topped the medal table – and looks set to offer plenty of drama at London 2012.

The Basics
Paralympic Rowing is commonly referred to as ‘adaptive’ Rowing, meaning that the equipment is adapted so the athlete can practise the sport rather than the sport being adapted to the athlete.

At London 2012, the programme will feature four medal events. These include two mixed-gender events – the Coxed Four and Double Sculls – plus the men’s and women’s Single Sculls. All the races will be held over a 1000m course.

Paralympic Rowing events at London 2012 will all begin with heats, with two boats from each heat qualifying directly for the final. All remaining boats will then compete in two repechage races, which offer a second chance to qualify for the final and row for gold.

Paralympic Rowing - Past & Present
The newest arrival on the Paralympic programme, Rowing appeared at the Games for the first time at Beijing in 2008. At London 2012, the competition will be held on the spectacular lake at Eton Dorney.

Jargon Buster
- Coxswain: The coxswain, or ‘cox’, sits at the stern and is responsible for steering the boat and directing the crew.
 - Scull: To row with two oars, one in each hand.  
- Sweep: To row with one oar

Courtesy of http://www.london2012.com

Paralympic Games 2012 - Powerlifting

2011-10-31T09:30:00.000Z

Where: ExCeL
When: Thursday 30th Aug – Wednesday 5th Sept 2012
Medal Events: 20
Athletes: 200 (120 men, 80 women)

With athletes from more than 100 countries now involved in international competition, Paralympic Powerlifting is one of the world’s fastest growing sports. The bench-press contest offers a tense and dramatic sporting spectacle, as athletes battle to lift more weight than their rivals.

The Basics
In Powerlifting, athletes must meet a minimum eligibility criteria based on their impairment. They are then grouped by bodyweight for competition, which means athletes with different impairments compete for the same medals. There are 10 different weight categories for men and women

Powerlifters must lower the bench-press bar to their chest, hold it motionless, and then press it upwards to arm’s length while keeping their elbows locked. Athletes are given three attempts, and the winner is the athlete who lifts the largest weight (measured in kilograms).

Paralympic Powerlifting - Past & Present
After its initial introduction to the Paralympic Games at Tokyo in 1964, when it was billed as Weightlifting, the sport now known as Powerlifting underwent a major transition, expanding to include athletes with cerebral palsy or spinal injuries, lower-limb amputees and ‘les autres’ (‘the other’ disability groups). Women made their Paralympic Powerlifting debut at Sydney 2000, and the sport has continued to grow at a rapid rate ever since.

For London 2012, the Powerlifting competition will be held at ExCeL, a multi-purpose events venue that will also host a number of other Paralympic and Olympic sports.

Jargon Buster
- Bench: The bench stands no more than 0.5m high and must be at least 0.61m wide.

- Commencement and completion: The start and end of each lift, indicated respectively by a downward or upward arm motion from the chief referee.

- Platform: The field of play, measuring at least 2.5m x 2.5m and no more than 4m x 4m.

Courtesy of http://www.london2012.com

Paralympic Games 2012 - Judo

2011-10-27T09:30:00.000+01:00

Where: ExCeL
When: Thursday 30th Aug – Saturday 1st Sept 2012 
Medal Events: 13
 Athletes: 132 (84 men, 48 women)

Developed from jujitsu and established as a sport in the late 19th century by Dr Jigoro Kano, Judo requires athletes to employ an intricate mix of attack and defence. Contested at the Paralympic Games by visually impaired athletes, the sport’s one-on-one battles can be tough, tense and explosive, as competitors grapple for command against determined opponents.

The Basics
Judo contests last five minutes, with scores awarded for different throws and holds. However, a contest ends immediately if a competitor is awarded ‘ippon’ – the maximum score. If the scores are tied after five minutes, the contest enters a golden score period, when the first score of any sort wins. At the Paralympic Games, the main difference from other top-level Judo competition is that judoka (athletes), who all have visual impairments, are allowed to have contact with their opponent before each contest begins.

All of the Judo events at the London 2012 Paralympic Games will be played in a knockout format with double repechage, and will end with two finalists going head to head in the gold medal contest. Athletes who have previously been defeated by these two finalists will compete in repechage contests, with the winners of the repechage table finals fighting the losers from the opposite tables for the two bronze medals.

Paralympic Games Judo Past & Present
Judo first featured on the Paralympic programme at Seoul 1988, with women’s events introduced 16 years later in Athens. The programme now features seven medal events for men and six for women, covering a range of weight categories.

At London 2012, the Paralympic Judo competition will be held at ExCeL, a multi-purpose events venue that will also host a number of other Olympic and Paralympic sports.

Jargon Buster
- Hajime: The referee's command to start a contest.
 - Judogi: A judo uniform.
 - Judoka: A competitor. 
- Tatami: The mat.

Courtesy of http://www.london2012.com

Paralympic Games 2012 - Goalball

2011-10-24T09:30:00.000+01:00

Where: Olympic Park - Handball Arena 
When: Thursday 30th Aug – Friday 7th Sept 2012 
Medal Events: 2 
Athletes: 132 (72 men, 60 women;12 men’s teams and 10 women’s teams)

Since it was developed as a rehabilitation activity for injured soldiers returning from World War II, Goalball has spread around the world. Played by visually impaired athletes using a ball with bells inside, it is among the most exciting team sports on the Paralympic programme.

The Basics
Goalball is played by two teams of three visually impaired athletes on an indoor court with tactile lines, with goals (9m wide x 1.3m high) at either end. The aim is to score by rolling the ball into the opposition’s goal, while the opposition attempts to block the ball with their bodies.   All athletes are visually impaired, and wear eyeshades to allow athletes with varying degrees of vision to compete together. The Goalball arena is silent during play so that players can hear the ball, but spectators are free to cheer when a goal is scored.

Both the men’s and women’s tournaments begin with a round-robin group stage. The 12 men’s teams are divided into two groups of six teams, while the 10 women’s teams are divided into groups of five. The top four teams in each group qualify for the quarter-finals, from which point the tournaments are played in a knockout format.

Paralympic Games Goalball - Past & Present
Introduced to the Games as a demonstration event at the Toronto 1976 Games, Goalball was added to the Paralympic programme as a full medal sport four years later in Arnhem. The women’s tournament first featured at the New York and Stoke Mandeville 1984 Games.

For London 2012, the Goalball competition will take place at the brand new Handball Arena in the Olympic Park, purpose-built for the Games

Jargon Buster
- Ball: Made of rubber, the ball used in Goalball is 24-25cm in diameter, and has eight holes that allow players to hear the bells within the ball when it moves.
 - Court: The playing area, measuring 18m x 9m. All the lines on the court are tactile.
 - Extra throws: Tied games are broken by extra throws, similar in principle to a penalty shootout.

Courtesy of http://www.london2012.com

Paralympic Games 2012 - 7-Aside-Football

2011-10-20T09:30:00.000+01:00

Where: Olympic Park - Hockey Centre
When: Saturday 1st Sept - Sunday 9th Sept 2012
Medal Events: 1
Athletes: 96 (all men; eight teams)

One of two Football variations played at the Paralympic Games, 7-a-side Football is a fast-moving and fiercely competitive sport played by athletes with cerebral palsy. At London 2012, the Hockey Centre will host eight men’s teams in a 20-match tournament, culminating in the gold medal match on 9 September.

The Basics
7-a-side Football follows FIFA rules, with some modifications: each team consists of seven players; the playing field is smaller, as are the goals (5m by 2m); there’s no offside rule; throw-ins may be made with one hand only; and each half lasts 30 minutes. Teams are made up of ambulant cerebral palsy athletes, and each side must maintain a line-up featuring players with varying levels of disability.

The Paralympic tournament will feature eight men’s teams, initially two groups of four teams playing in a round-robin format. The top two teams in each group will qualify for the semi-finals, with the winning semi-finalists going head to head for the gold.

Paralympic Games 7-Aside-Football - Past & Present
7-a-side Football has been part of the Paralympic programme since the New York and Stoke Mandeville 1984 Games. At London 2012, all matches will be played at the brand new Hockey Centre in the Olympic Park, which will also stage the 5-a-side Football competition.

Jargon Buster
- Extra time: If a match in the knockout stages is tied at the end of 60 minutes, the teams play 20 minutes of extra time in a bid to find a winner.

- Penalty shootout: If a match remains tied after extra time, it is decided by a penalty shootout following standard FIFA rules.

- Pitch: The playing area, measuring no less than 70m x 50m and no more than 75m x 55m.

Courtesy of http://www.london2012.com

Paralympic Games 2012 - 5-Aside-Football

2011-10-17T09:30:00.000+01:00

Where: Olympic Park - Hockey Centre
When: Friday 31st Aug – Saturday 8th Sept 2012
Medal Events: 1
Athletes: 64 (all men; eight teams)

One of two forms of Football on the Paralympic programme, 5-a-side Football is a thrilling, fast-moving spectacle. Played by visually impaired athletes using a ball with a noise-making device inside, the sport offers skill and drama in equal measure, with eight teams battling for gold at the new Hockey Centre in the Olympic Park.

The Basics
Matches are played between two teams, each with four outfield players and a goalkeeper. The outfield players are visually impaired, and wear eyeshades to ensure fairness; however, the goalkeeper may be fully or partially sighted. The pitch is surrounded with a rebound wall; the sport is played with no throw-ins and no offside rule, which ensures non-stop action. Matches are played over two halves of 25 minutes each, plus 10 minutes for half-time.

The Paralympic tournament will feature eight men’s teams, initially two groups of four teams in a round-robin format. The top two teams in each group will qualify for the semi-finals, with the winning semi-finalists going head to head for the gold.

Paralympic Games Football 5-a-side - Past & Present
5-a-side Football made its Paralympic debut at Athens in 2004. At London 2012, all matches will be played at the brand new Hockey Centre in the Olympic Park, which will stage both the 5-a-side and 7-a-side Football competitions on alternating days.

Jargon buster
- Countdown: During the last two minutes of each half, the clock is stopped for free kicks, kick-ins, goal clearances and corner kicks.

-Extra time: If a match in the knockout stages is tied at the end of 50 minutes, the teams play 10 minutes of extra time in a bid to find a winner.

- Guides' areas: The pitch is divided into thirds, with each team allowed one guide for each third of the pitch to call out instructions: the attacking third; the midfield third, for which the team’s coach is the guide; and the defensive third, for which the goalkeeper serves as the guide.

- Pitch: The playing area, measuring 42m x 22m.

Courtesy of http://www.london2012.com

Paralympic Games 2012 - Equestrian

2011-10-13T10:32:00.000+01:00

Where: Greenwich Park 
When: Thursday 30th Aug – Tuesday 4th Sept 2012 
Medal Events: 11 
Athletes: 78

Athletes with a disability have long taken part in Equestrian activities, originally as a means of rehabilitation and recreation. Para-Equestrian Dressage developed in the 1970s, with the first events held in Great Britain and Scandinavia. The multi-disability sport has since spread around the world, and athletes from more than 40 countries now compete on a regular basis.

The Basics
At the Paralympic Games, athletes compete in three Dressage tests: a Team Test (with three to four riders per team), an Individual Championship Test, and a Freestyle Test, for which athletes choose their own movements and music. Through the tests, horse and rider must be in harmony, and the overall picture must be of lightness and rhythm.  The results of the Team and Individual Championship Tests are then added together to make the Team score, with the best three scores of a team of four counting. Individual medals are also awarded on the merit of both the Individual Championship Test and the Freestyle Test. All riders, whether competing in a team or not, may ride in the Team Test.  The athletes are classified across five grades, which determine the complexity of the movements that the riders perform with their horses.

Grade Ia is for athletes whose impairment has the greatest impact on their ability to ride, through to Grade IV for athletes whose impairment has the least impact on their ability to ride.  These grades ensure that the tests can be judged on the skill of the rider, regardless of their disability. Riders may use permitted assistive devices such as dressage crops, connecting rein bars and the like; visually impaired riders are permitted to use ‘callers’ to help them navigate around the arena. 

Paralympic Equestrian - Past & Present
Equestrian events first appeared on the Paralympic programme at the 1984 Games held in Stoke Mandeville (UK) and New York (US), and have featured at every Games since Atlanta 1996.

For London 2012, the Equestrian competition will be held in the beautiful surroundings of Greenwich Park. Dating back to 1433, it is the oldest Royal Park in London, part of the Maritime Greenwich area that has been designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Jargon Buster
- Canter: A steady controlled gait for which three of the horse’s legs are off the ground at once.
 - Full-pass: When a horse moves sideways, bent in the direction of movement.
 - Half-pass: When a horse moves forwards and sideways at the same time, bent in the direction of movement.
 - Self-carriage: When a horse moves in balance without support from the reins

Courtesy of http://www.london2012.com

Paralympic Games 2012 - Cycling Track

2011-10-10T08:59:00.006+01:00

Where: Olympic Park - Velodrome
When: Thursday 30th Aug – Sunday 2nd September 2012
Medals Events: 18
Athletes: 225 - 155 men, 70 women (across Road and Track)

Paralympic Cycling was originally developed as a sport for blind athletes, who first competed using tandem bicycles. Technological advancements have since opened up the sport to a wider range of athletes; as a result, it is now the third largest sport on the Paralympic programme. At London 2012, athletes will race on both the road and the track in a series of events that should draw massive crowds.

The Basics
The 50 medal events that make up the Paralympic Cycling competition feature athletes with a visual impairment, cerebral palsy, amputations or other physical disabilities competing on bicycles, tricycles, tandems and hand cycles.
At London 2012, there will be 18 Paralympic Track Cycling events (10 for men, seven for women and one mixed event), which test speed, endurance and teamwork.

At the Paralympic Games there will be 12 classes in Cycling. Tandem has one class, handcycle has four classes, tricycle has two classes and bicycle has five classes. The lower the athlete’s class number, the greater the impact of their impairment on their ability to cycle.

There are four types of cycles used in Paralympic Cycling:
– A tandem is used by athletes with visual impairment; the athlete sits on the back of the tandem with a sighted pilot at the front.

– A handcycle, as the name suggests, has pedals operated by hand. It has two wheels at the back and one at the front.

– A tricycle is normally used by athletes whose balance would make them unable to race on a two-wheeled bicycle.

– A bicycle is used by all other athletes, often with modifications.

Paralympic Track Cycling - Past & Present
The first Track Cycling races at the Paralympic Games took place at the Atlanta 1996 Games. At London 2012, when the programme will feature more medal events than at any previous Paralympic Games, the Track events will be held at the brand new Velodrome in the Olympic Park.

Jargon Buster-
Road Race: For the Road Races, all riders start together, and the first to cross the finish line wins gold.

- Time Trial: The Road Cycling Time Trials differ from the Road Races in that the riders set off at intervals, and the winner is the rider with the fastest time over the course.

Courtesy of http://www.london2012.com

Paralympic Games 2012 - Cycling Road

2011-10-06T09:41:00.005+01:00

Where: Brands Hatch
When: Wednesday 5th Sept – Saturday 8th Sept 2012
Medal Events: 32
Athletes: 225 - 155 men, 70 women (across Road and Track)

Paralympic Cycling was originally developed as a sport for blind athletes, who first competed using tandem bicycles. Technological advancements have since opened up the sport to a wider range of athletes; as a result, it is now the third largest sport on the Paralympic programme.

The Basics
The 50 medal events that make up the Paralympic Cycling competition feature athletes with a visual impairment, cerebral palsy, amputations or other physical disabilities competing on bicycles, tricycles, tandems and hand cycles.

At London 2012, there will be 32 Paralympic Road Cycling events, with the Road Races and Time Trials supplemented by the Team Relay.

At the Paralympic Games there will be 12 classes in Cycling. Tandem has one class, handcycle has four classes, tricycle has two classes and bicycle has five classes. The lower the athlete’s class number, the greater the impact of their impairment on their ability to cycle.

There are four types of cycles used in Paralympic Cycling:

– A tandem is used by athletes with visual impairment; the athlete sits on the back of the tandem with a sighted pilot at the front.

– A handcycle, as the name suggests, has pedals operated by hand. It has two wheels at the back and one at the front.

– A tricycle is normally used by athletes whose balance would make them unable to race on a two-wheeled bicycle.

– A bicycle is used by all other athletes, often with modifications.

Paralympic Road Cycling – Past & Present
Road Cycling was introduced as a Paralympic sport in 1984. At London 2012, the Paralympic Road Cycling will be held at Brands Hatch. Athletes will race in a series of events that should draw massive crowds.

Jargon Buster
Road Race: For the Road Races, all riders start together, and the first to cross the finish line wins gold.

Time Trial: The Road Cycling Time Trials differ from the Road Races in that the riders set off at intervals, and the winner is the rider with the fastest time over the course.

Courtesy of http://www.london2012.com

Paralympic Games 2012 - Boccia

2011-10-03T10:38:00.004+01:00

Where: ExCeL 
When: Sunday 2nd Sept – Saturday 8th Sept 2012 
Medal Events: 7 
Athletes: 104

Believed to have Ancient Greek origins, Boccia is a tough test of nerve, tactics and skill. Played on a rectangular court by individuals, pairs and teams, the sport offers both tension and excitement, as athletes aim to land balls close to a target ball, across a series of demanding ends.

The Basics
The aim of the sport is to propel balls so they finish as close as possible to a special white target ball, known as the ‘jack’. Each player, pair or team gets six balls on each end. At the close of each end, the athlete, pair or team whose ball is closest to the jack scores one point, and receives an additional point for every ball that sits closer to the jack than the opposition’s closest ball. Individual and pairs matches consist of four ends, while team events are held over six ends.

Boccia is played by wheelchair athletes with cerebral palsy and related locomotor conditions, with players required to be in a seated position within a throwing box at one end of the playing court. The classification system ensures an even playing field for athletes to compete against others with similar disabilities.

There are four classes in total. BC1 class athletes may have an assistant to perform actions such as handing them the boccia balls, BC2 class athletes require no assistance on court and BC3 class athletes deliver each ball by using a ramp and have a sports assistant who they instruct to position the ramp for each delivery. BC4 athletes often use an underhand pendulum swing to release the ball.

Paralympics Boccia – Past & Present
Boccia was introduced to the Paralympic programme at the New York and Stoke Mandeville 1984 Games. Today, there are seven medal events on the programme, all of which are open to athletes of either gender. The sport is currently played competitively in more than 50 countries worldwide.

For London 2012, the Boccia competition will be held at ExCeL, a multi-purpose events venue that will also host a number of other Paralympic and Olympic sports.

Jargon Buster
Court: The playing area, measuring 12.5m x 6m. 
End: A passage of play that features six balls per athlete, pair or team. 
Jack: The white target ball; competitors aim to land their balls as close to the jack as possible. 

Courtesy of http://www.london2012.com

Paralympic Games 2012 - Athletics

2011-09-29T10:08:00.008+01:00

Where: Olympic Stadium (track and field events); The Mall (road events)
When: Friday 31 August – Sunday 9 September 2012
Medal Events: 170
Athletes: 1,100 (740 men, 360 women)

With 1,100 athletes competing for 170 gold medals, Athletics is the largest sport on the Paralympic programme. There are various different strands to the competition: track events, in distances from 100m to 5,000m; field events, which include the High Jump and Shot Put; and the Marathon, which is held on the roads. Some athletes compete in wheelchairs or throwing frames, others with prostheses, and others with the guidance of a sighted companion.

The Basics
Staged in the brand new Olympic Stadium, the track events will be held over distances ranging from 100m to 5000m. Track events may begin with heats, with the best athletes eventually qualifying for the finals.

The field events broadly fall into two categories. The list of throwing events includes Discus, Javelin, Shot Put and Club Throw, while the programme of jumping events includes High Jump, Long Jump and Triple Jump.

The men’s and women’s Marathons will be held on the streets of central London on the 9 September, and will be straight finals.

As well as having the largest number of events and athletes at the Games, Athletics also has the largest number of classes. Each athlete is given a two-digit number: the first digit indicates the nature of the athlete’s impairment while the second indicates the amount of functional ability the athlete has. The lower the number, the greater the impact that the athlete’s impairment has on his or her ability to compete.
• Classes 11-13 are for athletes with visual impairment.
• Class 20 is for athletes with an intellectual impairment.
• Classes 31-38 are for athletes with Cerebral Palsy, with classes 31 to 34 using a wheelchair to compete.
• Classes 40-46 are for athletes with a loss of limb or limb deficiency.
• Classes 51-58 cover wheelchair racers or field athletes who throw from a seated position.
A ‘T’ or an ‘F’ before each two-digit number shows whether the athlete is competing on the track or in the field.

Paralympics Athletics - Past & Present
Part of the Paralympic programme since the first Games in Rome in 1960, the sport of Athletics has produced some of the most iconic images in the history of the Paralympic movement, with legendary figures such as Louise Sauvage, Baroness Grey-Thompson and Oscar Pistorius making their names before a worldwide audience.

For London 2012, all track and field events will be held at the Olympic Stadium in the new Olympic Park. This state-of-the-art venue, which will have a capacity of 80,000 during the Games, will also host the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

Jargon Buster
Cage: The area from which competitors throw a discus or club. The mouth of the cage is 6m wide, and sits 7m in front of the centre of the throwing circle.

Countback: The process used to determine the winner of any field event in which two or more athletes are tied.

Guide runner: Visually impaired runners use a guide runner, usually someone from their own country, to assist them in completing the course of a race safely and as quickly as possible by running alongside them during the race and ‘guiding’ them to stay in their lane.

Lifting: When throwing from a throwing frame, seated athletes sometimes finish in a standing position before releasing the implement. This is called ‘lifting’, and is against the rules if the athlete doesn’t have a foot on the ground.

Points score: In field events that are contested by athletes from different classification groups, a points score will be used to determine the winners.

Courtesy of http://www.london2012.com

Paralympic Games 2012 - Archery

2011-09-27T09:41:00.004+01:00

Where: The Royal Artillery Barracks
When: Thursday 30 Aug – Wednesday 5 Sept 2012
Medal Events: 9
Athletes: 140 (88 men, 52 women)

Although Paralympic Archery was originally developed as a means of rehabilitation and recreation for people with a physical disability, it rapidly evolved into a competitive sport.

At London 2012, athletes will compete in three classes: Standing (ST), Wheelchair 1 (W1) and Wheelchair 2 (W2), with W2 athletes’ impairments having less of an impact on their ability to compete at Archery than a W1 athlete. There are medal events for both the Compound and Recurve bow as well for individuals and teams.

The Basics
The object of the sport is simple: to shoot arrows as close to the centre of a target as possible. Paralympic Archery targets are 122 centimetres in diameter, with the gold ring at the centre (worth a maximum 10 points) measuring just 12.2cm. Archers shoot at the target from a distance of 70 metres.

At the Paralympic Games, the individual competitions will be played in a knockout format. Matches will be played over the best of five sets, with each set consisting of three arrows per archer. The winners of each match will qualify for the next round, until the last two archers go head to head in the gold medal match. A knockout format will also be used for the men’s and women’s team competitions, which features teams of three archers competing against each other in a best-of-24-arrows format.

Paralympic Archery – Past & Present
No sport has as great a Paralympic history as Archery. It featured at the first Stoke Mandeville Games in 1948, the direct precursor to the Paralympic Games, and has featured on every Paralympic programme since the first Games in 1960.
At London 2012, the Paralympic Archery competition will be held at a truly historic venue: The Royal Artillery Barracks. Its rich heritage dates back to 1716, when a Royal Warrant authorised the formation of two artillery companies at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich. The current building was constructed between 1775 and 1802.

Jargon Buster
Boss: The target, usually a square black block made of compacted foam, to which the target face is attached.
Bowman: An archer.
Draw: The act of pulling back the bow string in preparation for shooting.
Nock: A notch at the end of an arrow that rests against the bow string.

Courtesy of http://www.london2012.com

The History of the Paralympic Games

2011-09-22T10:00:00.006+01:00

We all know that the Paralympic Games takes place in conjunction with the Olympic Games but what is the true history of the Games and how have they developed over the years to become the international multi-sport event that they now are?

The first organized athletic event for disabled athletes was really a small gathering of British World War II veterans. On the opening day of 1948 Olympic Games, Dr. Ludwig Guttmann of Stoke Mandeville Hospital hosted a sports competition for the war veteran patients with spinal cord injuries. These first games were called the 1948 International Wheelchair Games. Dr. Guttman's aim was to create an elite sports competition for people with disabilities that would be equivalent to the Olympic Games. The Games were held again at the same location in 1952, and Dutch veterans took part alongside the British, making it the first international competition of its kind. These early competitions were known as the Stoke Mandeville Games and were the starting point of the international Paralympics Games that we see today.

The Paralympics Games has changed somewhat since that time and it was in Rome in 1960 that we first saw Games that were open for all athletes and not just war veterans - 400 athletes from 23 countries competed. However, the Games remained limited to those athletes in wheelchairs. It was not until the Summer Games in 1976 that the Games became open to all disabled athletes and this impacted on the number of participants with 1600 athletes from 40 countries.

In 1988, for the first time, the Summer Paralympic Games were held directly after the Olympic Summer Games and used the same host city, Seoul in South Korea, and the same sporting facilities. These Paralympics Games continued in 1992 and 1996. Finally, in 2001 an agreement between the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was reached that safeguarded all future Paralympics Games.

The development of the Winter Games was slightly slower than that of the Summer Games and it was not until 1976 that we saw the first Winter Paralympic Games in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. The Winter Games were celebrated every four years on the same year as their summer counterpart, just as the Olympics were. This tradition was upheld until the 1992 Games in Albertville, France; after that, beginning with the 1994 Games, the Winter Paralympics and the Winter Olympics have been held in those even numbered years separate from the Summer Games.

As we look forward to the Paralympic Games 2012 we must salute the development of the Games from their humble beginnings to the truly international event that they have now become recognised the world over. The Summer Paralympic Games has increased from 400 athletes in Rome in 1960 to over 3,900 athletes from 146 countries in Beijing in 2008 highlighting the elite disabled athletes from all over the globe.

We have many events to look forward to in next year’s Summer Paralympic Games 2012 and over the next few weeks I will be exploring each in more detail and I look forward to sharing with you the facts and intricate rules that make each event unique.

Paralympic Games

2011-09-19T10:15:00.004+01:00

So the ticketing process for the Paralympics Games 2012 is now underway – I have submitted my choices and wait with bated breath to see if (a) I have been successful in securing some and (b) if so, for which events!

It is hoped that by using the same ticketing process as London Olympics 2012, the events will be a sell-out – the first time in their history. Increased television coverage (which in the past has been fairly lacklustre and made the event seem like an also-ran) will also bring the Paralympics Games 2012 to a much wider audience. But what do we truly know about the Paralympics Games? What events are included and more importantly what are the rules?

Over the coming weeks, I will be looking at the history of the Games, the individual events in detail and maybe one or two more unusual facts. After all, did you know that the last time the Paralympics were held in Britain was in 1984? Yes, that’s right the VII Summer Paralympics were held in both Europe and North America. After much wrangling about the event, it was decided that the American National Wheelchair Athletic Association (NWAA), an affiliated organization to the International Stoke Mandeville Games Federation (ISMGF), would hold its own Games for wheelchair athletes at a separate venue. As a result, the other three disability groups combined their efforts and chose New York as their Games venue. Amputee and les autres athletes, cerebral palsy athletes and visually impaired athletes competed in New York, USA, while athletes with spinal cord disabilities competed in Stoke Mandeville, right here in England.

The Games in Stoke Mandeville were held from 22 July to 1 August. The British Paraplegic Sports Society (BPSS) organized the Games at the Stoke Mandeville Stadium and more than 1,100 athletes from 41 countries competed in 14 events.

I do hope that as we look forward to next Summer you will join me in my journey to understand the Paralympics Games 2012 more.

Come back soon when I will be looking into the history of the Paralympics Games in more detail.............

Reform is needed for improved employment!

2011-07-13T11:55:00.007+01:00

I have a keen interest in employment opportunities for disabled people so am encouraged by the recent consultations regarding how as a society we can move forward with increasing employment choice for disabled people. For far too long there has been a preconceived notion that disabled people cannot work and do not want to work. I have been further exasperated by the idea that disabled people are happy to fulfill mundane or menial roles. Yes some disabled people do want these roles but there are far more of us that want meaningful employment and career development.

Even worse, disabled people should not be used as some sort of “trophy” to employers. Yes it does happen! Daniel Biddle is a 7/7 survivor – his employers kept a position open for him but not the same role. He returned to work but found it difficult not to be in the same role and therefore decided to seek alternative employment. Daniel took on a number of positions but was unhappy with the amount of emphasis some employers put on him firstly being a 7/7 survivor and secondly being disabled. Fortunately, he is now employed with an organisation that is more interested in his skills and personal qualities.

Speaking at a meeting with Minister for Disabled People, Maria Miller MP, he said: “After the bombing I realised it wasn't the end of my life. I can still do the same as everyone else in my job and travel round the country visiting clients.

“There are real benefits of employing disabled people. We are good at problem solving skills, as we overcome different challenges in our everyday lives.

“I think the idea that disabled people are only capable of menial work is an outdated post-WWII view of disability. Why should we just do menial work because we are disabled when we are capable of so much more?”

It is interesting to note that at the current rate of progress it will be 2070 before the employment rate of disabled people catches up with that for non-disabled people. Disabled people's employment has crept up slowly – from 41% in 1998 to 47% in 2010. There are currently over 3 million disabled people in paid work but what about the 53% that are not?

Liz Sayce, chief executive of disability charity, Radar, has said that “a personalised approach to employment support be extended to disabled people, rather than subsidising separate work places. If the government implements my recommendations to support disabled people to "get in, stay in and get on" in employment, it would make a significant difference.

Disabled people's aspirations have changed. We want the opportunity to work in every sector from hairdressing to engineering, to "get in" through apprenticeships and work experience, and to "get on": progress in our careers and set up our own enterprises. We want to contribute to the economy. The only adjustment most of us need is a fair chance, or low cost flexibilities (such as not travelling in rush hour) – but some need support, extra training or equipment. The support must focus on the person so we can move from job to job and take our support with us”

I agree with Liz but reform in the broadest sense must take place to push forward this ideal. The Access to Work Scheme needs to be addressed. It needs to be publicized more broadly so that both disabled employees and potential employers are aware of the support that is available. There needs to be a more holistic approach to how the funding is allocated. Benchmarking everyone the same does not work and therefore Access to Work needs to focus more on the individual and their specific requirements. It should be easier to move your support with you should you change your employment. The uncertainty of whether the Access to Work Support will continue often results in disabled people being unconfident about seeking alternative employment opportunities.

Disabled people want to work – they recognise the value of being part of the working society and like all people they have personal aspirations. For us as a society to see better employment and career opportunities for disabled people, reform is imperative and must be something that is addressed sooner rather than later for us to see a serious improvement of employment rates of disabled people.

Disabled People in Politics

2011-05-16T11:20:00.005+01:00

I was not surprised recently to read that the number of disabled people in politics is extremely low and this does need to be addressed if we are to have a clear and true voice within our political system. I am sure that if you were to ask the everyday man in the street to name a disabled politician their answer would be either David Blunkett or Gordon Brown.

Why are so few disabled people actively involved in politics?

On current figures, the House of Commons would need to have at least 65 disabled elected representatives to truly reflect our society. However, those standing for election in local or national elections do not have an obligation to disclose a disability.

In research conducted by University of Plymouth and its elections centre, surveys in 2008 and 2009 showed very low numbers of disabled people – it even dropped in 2009! Their research showed that in 2008 out of 1,000 local election candidates only 2.8% described themselves as “permanently sick or disabled. This figure reduced in 2009 to just 1.3%.

Is it possible for disabled people to be included more within our political system? And if so, how?

Well at last the Government are looking to change this and have implemented The Access to Elected Office for Disabled People project which includes plans for a £1m fund to help disabled politicians meet costs. All political parties will be encouraged to improve their disability policies and to work closely with the Local Government Association, and disabled organisations to develop a cross-party network of disabled councillors and MPs. It is hoped that these will become role models for aspiring candidates.

David Blunkett has said "Obstacles arise out of fear or ignorance of disability, people not knowing what is possible or how best to help," he says, "with occasional paternalistic blips where individuals have been disquieted by the thought that someone with a major challenge could work not just on equal terms, but succeed in the same professional sphere that they are in. Much of this is covert rather than overt."

Lady Jane Campbell, a wheelchair user, says we need more imaginative ideas for overcoming problems. "Many disabled people would want to get out on the street and knock on doors and canvass but, for some, like me, it would be impossible. It might be that we find other ways of engaging the public." She further states “If you can change hundreds of years of tradition you can do anything, and we do need to change to include disabled people because it's not a democracy if we don't."

There is no doubt that disabled people need to be more engaged in our political system but the reality is that there is no short-term solution. Prejudices still exist largely within our society and until these fundamental attitudes are changed than the voters will just not be there in large enough numbers to make real differences.

So let’s get our message across – we want involvement, we can have involvement, we just need to make it happen!

The Hardest Hit March & Lobby

2011-05-12T13:29:00.000+01:00

Yesterday saw more than 8000 disabled people take part in the Hardest Hit March & Lobby. A direct demonstration against the Coalition austerity cuts that will affect disabled people far more harshly than any other group in our society. The message was clear – the proposed cuts are unjust and will take away real independence from many of the most vulnerable people in our communities.

The March was organised by the UK Disabled People's Council and the Disability Benefits Consortium, and was supported by many disability organisations including Mind, Mencap , RNIB and Sense.

Richard Hawkes, the chief executive of the charity Scope, said that he hoped the march would give disabled people a sense that they were not alone - "We know there's a deficit, but government has said we're in it together. Taking away the DLA mobility allowance for people in residential care, which means that they can't go out, is not a sign that we are all in it together."

In comparison to recent demonstrations, the turnout might have seemed quite low but we need to remember the barriers faced by all those that did attend; inaccessible transport links, practicalities of health issues and, more importantly, the high cost of rail travel for those dependent on disability benefits.

The March brought a uniqueness to demonstrating – there was no angry clashes, no fire-bombing or vandalism of prominent buildings and no reported arrests. Just a dignified showing of opposition to the proposed cuts.

The steady stream of wheelchairs users moving alongside cane users and other disabled people supported by their families, friends and carers with innovative placards in Braille held aloft and sign-language chants highlighted the real challenges disabled people face every day.

Let’s hope that the politicians take note of the concerns raised and address the real issue - "act now to make sure that disabled people are not the Hardest Hit”.

The Hardest Hit March & Lobby - 11 May 2011

2011-05-09T10:09:00.004+01:00

On Wednesday of this week (11th March 2011), thousands of disabled people will be demonstrating at Westminster and Parliament to express solidarity and anger at the cuts threatening benefits, services, jobs and rights.

This demonstration is widely supported by many disabled groups and organisations and is being overseen by the UK Council of Disabled People, the Disability Benefits Consortium and the Disability Charities Consortium.

The march will begin on Victoria Embankment between Horseguards Avenue and Bridge Street and will assemble at 11.30am. There will be a rally on Victoria Embankment with speeches between 12 noon and 12.30pm before the march sets off. The march will then begin at 12.30pm taking in Victoria Embankment, Parliament Square and Millbank and will finish in Dean Stanley Street.

Following the march the group will be lobbying MPs as the Welfare Reform Bill reaches its critical stage in the House of Commons. The aim is to make sure that Parliamentarians understand the combined impact of the cuts on the lives and futures of disabled people.

Crucially, they will be asking MPs to challenge policies that will push disabled people further into poverty and isolation. The lobby will take place in Westminster Hall and Methodist Central Hall between 1.30pm and 5.30pm.

I fully support this demonstration and hope that the policymakers not only listen to, but actively embrace, the true concerns of disabled people.

Disabled Children let down by NHS

2011-03-10T10:52:00.002Z

Disabled children across the UK are being left in pain and the need for operations due to ill-fitting wheelchairs and the excessive waits experienced within the NHS. Many children have to wait for over a year for a new wheelchair whilst undergoing an average of 32 assessments. Those in East Lancashire have to wait an average of two years – the longest in the UK – for specialist electric wheelchairs.

At present there are 70,000 disabled children in the UK waiting for wheelchairs and the NHS currently only provides the most basic models due to lack of resources. Many parents are being forced to look away from the NHS in order to meet the needs of their children. Many rely on charities, who’s funds are being stretched to the fullest, whilst others take out huge loans to buy the correct equipment themselves.

A report by Whizz-Kidz and Barnados recommends that the Government should:-

* End the "postcode lottery" of wheelchair provision for children
* Make sure that the forthcoming spending review specifically addresses the issue of wheelchairs for children
* Establish and enforce a set of standards for wheelchair provision
* Work with partners to commission services more strategically
* Act on the recommendations contained in the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit Report -Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People - to provide disabled children and their families with appropriate equipment without undue delay

The Department of Health says its 2004 10-year plan for child health services advocated designing and delivering services around the needs of children.

"The plan includes a chapter devoted to children with disabilities and stresses the Primary Care Trusts need to consider a child's needs and their future development when deciding what equipment they provide," a spokesperson said.

"We expect health, social and educational services to meet the core standards in the plan and offer the best possible solutions for all children by 2014."

As a wheelchair user I know from experience that an ill-fitting wheelchair impacts greatly on your day-to-day life. Living in constant pain and losing your independence is intolerable. However, the right wheelchair can transform your life; providing you with greater mobility, more independence and greater self-confidence.

Provision of a wheelchair should not be detrimental to the health and well-being of anyone especially children. Early intervention is paramount to how a child goes on to live their life. This outrageous situation needs to be addressed now and the bureaucracy and red-tape should be lifted to ensure that our children have the proper care they rightly deserve.

Can you afford to be ill if you live in England?

2011-03-07T12:06:00.004Z

From 1st April 2011 the cost of prescriptions in England will rise by 20 pence to £7.40 per item! Whilst on the same day, Scotland will scrap all prescription charges to fall in line with Wales and Northern Ireland which already see free prescriptions.

Can this be fair to those living in England?

Surely as a nation, all prescription charges within the UK should be standard for all. Why do we have this postcode lottery whereby you can only truly afford to be ill if you live in certain areas of the country? Why should one area pay for the luxury of all other areas to be exempt from charges?

This can only be seen as inequality within our NHS service.

The Department of Health said removing charges in England would cost too much. A spokesperson from the Department of Health said: "The extensive exemption arrangements we have in place mean that in England, around 90% of prescription items are already dispensed free of charge.

"The price of the 12 month prescription pre-payment certificate will be frozen for the second year running. This allows people to get all the prescriptions they need for an average cost of £2 per week.

The government went on to say that the NHS would be left with a shortfall of more than £450m per year if prescription charges were removed altogether in England.
"This is valuable income - equivalent to the salary costs of nearly 18,000 nurses, or 15,000 midwives, or over 3,500 hospital consultants. This income helps the NHS to maintain vital services for patients," the Department of Health said.

Dr Hamish Meldrum, chairman of BMA Council, which has been asking the government to abolish prescription charges, said: "Patients in England have to pay, while those in Wales and Northern Ireland do not. From 1 April Scotland will completely scrap its charges, a move that further exaggerates the absurd postcode lottery that exists in the UK".

"The bureaucracy needed to administer prescription charges is cumbersome, many of the exemptions are confusing and unfair. Patients with disabling long-term conditions still have to pay them despite a recent report recommending they be phased out."

Dr Meldrum added that the principle of charging for prescriptions runs counter to the founding principle of an NHS that is free at the point of use.

"The BMA understands that we live in financially difficult times, but this is a tax on the sick that contributes only a modest amount to the NHS budget and does not offset the unfair disadvantage of asking the ill to pay for their medicine," he said.

I personally think it is ridiculous that we have a system which discriminates on the grounds of where you happen to live!

There are two fair systems for these charges; all prescriptions are free or the cost is reduced and levied equally across the whole of the UK.

I know which option I support..................

Cuts to Disability Living Allowance (DLA) - Outrageous

2011-02-11T14:31:00.006Z

It is well known that Government and political parties like to “hide away” bad news in the hope that little will find its way into the wider spectrum of reporting. So it was therefore not surprising that the Coalition Government announced proposed changes to the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) in a similar fashion.

Hidden away on page 69 of the comprehensive spending review in October 2010 was the announcement that the mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) would be removed from people living in residential care. During his explanation to Parliament, George Osborne omitted to explain this benefit reduction and it has slipped under the radar of most of the media who have been far more interested in the other spending cuts announced. Therefore, in our world of “who shouts loudest is likely to be heard”, it remains a much hidden element of the public spending cuts. For those unconnected with disabled people, it will seem irrelevant and unimportant but for those disabled people it will impact on, it will have drastic affects. It could fundamentally revert our care system back to the dark ages of institionalisation. Scaremongering – I think not.

The DLA mobility component allows disabled people in residential homes to meet some of the extra costs incurred when they travel – be it to see family, friends or just a trip to the theatre. The government proposal to cut this element for those who are living in residential care will affect in the region of 60,000 to 80,000 disabled people taking away some of their independence. It is therefore hard to believe that during the election process both David Cameron and George Osborne were keen to assure the public that the most vulnerable people in our society would not be affected by potential benefit cuts.

The government has stated that this allowance will be removed in October 2012. Their explanation is simply that they believe that it is a duplication of funds already allocated by local authorities to fund transport needs. Their shortsightedness does not reflect the fact that funding to local authorities is also being cut and therefore funds are already being stripped to the bare minimum.

Richard Hawkes, Chief Executive of Scope, has called the decision "callous" and has questioned its fairness. "Disabled people and their families do not have 'broad shoulders', so why are they bearing the brunt of these cuts?" he asked.

In a statement, the Department for Work and Pensions said: "Currently some people in residential care receive support for their mobility needs through disability living allowance and mobility support funded by their local authority. We want to remove that duplication and make sure that the system is fair. These changes won't come into effect until October 2012 and we will continue to work with disabled people and organisations to ensure benefits meet the needs of disabled people. The government expects that the cut will save £135m a year by 2014-15."

In the scheme of things, this saving to the Government is a small drip from a tap but the affects are like a tidal wave. For those affected, this removal will reduce their independence and quality of life – a significant change for those already marginalised by society as a whole.

I, like many other disabled people and disability charities, can only urge the Government to rethink this proposal. This is definitely a cut too far for many and I suspect will remain under the radar for many people until it is too late. Now is the time for the shout of disabled people to be heard above the crowd.

Reality TV – Does it fuel prejudice and inequality?

2011-01-31T09:19:00.003Z

Television is a major part of all our lives and can both entertain and educate but are we seeing an increase in negativity?

I have written before about the manner in which disabled people are often portrayed and the lack of disabled presenters on our mainstream television. There has been positive changes in this with the introduction of more disabled characters in our soaps and I hope this will continue particularly with the news this week that Channel 4 is well on its way to selecting its presenters for The London Paralympics 2012 – all of which will be disabled. However, I am becoming particularly concerned about the number of reality TV programmes there are on our screens and the way they portray people. Don’t get me wrong I am not saying for one moment that they should all be banned but I like television and I know what genres of programmes I enjoy and tend to steer clear of those that I know will probably not interest me and many of the reality TV programmes fall into that category. My main issue is the manner in which they edit themselves. Yes I know they want to be entertaining but it would appear that the producers of these shows feel that the only way to achieve that is to shock us with the extremes. There is no doubt that reality TV is big business at the moment but are the way they portraying people creating a negativity that could increase prejudice and inequality? I believe so.

On many occasions, these programmes appear to be full of misconceptions and biased editing to only show the extremes. Take for instance “My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding” – for many this is highly entertaining offering a level of hilarity and horror. The promotion of the programme has led us to believe that we will learn something about the traditions of the “Gypsy” community. Unfortunately, it is my opinion that they are misleading the viewing public and in turn fuelling a unwarranted prejudice.

Historically, there has been a long standing discrimination against “Gypsy” communities and, like many minority groups, everyone is lumped under one umbrella. The producers of this programme could have taken a very different route and allowed the viewers a true insight in the lives and traditions of these communities thereby educating us more and dispelling the myths. However, for “entertainment” value they chose to do otherwise.

Little has truly been learned about these communities. The very title of the programme is misleading. To date, they have failed to distinguish between two very different groups namely Romany Gypsys and Irish Travellers. So far, they have solely concentrated on Irish Travellers. Why is this important I hear you cry? Fundamentally, they are two different groups of people with different traditions and customs. Imagine if you will an ice-cream and sorbet – yes there are similarities but they are unique in their own way.

It is a shame that the programme has yet to show the true differences and so far neither culture has been seen in a positive light. It is my opinion that the programme has achieved nothing except put up even more barriers between these cultures and our own. What you see on television is the extremes of a travelling community and a media hype at its very worse.

History, traditions and values of all communities can be beautiful, respectful and interesting. It is a shame that the producers feel that this would not make “good” television.

It would be terribly naive of us all to judge on this programme format alone and allow an irresponsible representation of any group be our sole educator. Prejudice is born from ignorance and unfortunately reality TV does little to remove this. Producers have to start taking responsibility for their programme making otherwise we will see steps backwards instead of forward in our search for true equality for all.

Equality within my Borough (Part 3)

2011-01-28T11:50:00.001Z

Have you faced discrimination within the London Borough of Sutton and if so, what were the circumstances?

I believe that in everyone’s life education is paramount and is the most important starting block for life’s journey. Changes have taken place within the Borough and I would hope that a similar scenario would no longer take place. My own experience was based around my secondary school education. At the age of 14 years, my school in Sutton took the decision that it was no longer viable for me to continue my education with them and steps were taken to transfer me to a “special school” in Kingston. I do not want this and with the backing of my parents, I was able to appeal against this decision and continued my education at my mainstream secondary school. This situation arose purely by my London Borough of Sutton school not recognising the minor changes that needed to be implemented i.e. ensuring that all my classes were on the ground level etc. It was almost as if myself and my parents had to educate my educators!

Another way in which I have experienced discrimination is within the workplace and I truly believe that this still exists today and that the London Borough of Sutton should be doing more to educate and advise employers within the borough. As I entered the world of employment, I applied for many positions both locally and throughout London. I was rejected time and time again often with the organisations giving me feeble excuses by way of an explanation but it was very clear to me that these decisions were taken due to my disability and amounted to indirect discrimination. At the time, laws were not in place that allowed me to challenge this and today it is a very different story. However, there still exists within the London Borough of Sutton the opportunity for disabled people to engage in “meaningful” employment mainly due to lack of understanding and knowledge of the true access requirements of disabled people. I do feel that not only the London Borough of Sutton but also London as a whole should be addressing this.

Do you live your life in a way that others may consider as different?

My initial response would be “no” – I live, work and socialise just like everyone else. However, on reflection I suppose the true answer would be “yes”. I do live life just like everyone else but the manner in which I do it is somewhat different. I do not think of this as being different merely as a change in the way of working or accomplishing things. These so called differences are purely my uniqueness just like someone picking up the telephone and calling a friend – I would rather grab my phone and text instead which is actually more in line with the youth of today!

Equality within my Borough (Part 2)

2011-01-24T13:52:00.002Z

What are you views on discrimination within the London Borough of Sutton?

There are many different strands of equality and as a disabled person living within London Borough of Sutton I feel that the approach to equality in the borough is not always very equal.

With regard to race discrimination, the London Borough of Sutton has historically been a “white” area i.e. approximately 87% of the boroughs population is “White British” as opposed to 50% in some of the other London Boroughs.

In relation to “Sex Discrimination”, I do not believe there is a major issue with discrimination within Sutton and I am aware of any initiatives and schemes aimed at gender issues particularly relating to the number of women’s groups etc in all areas of the community.

Obviously disability is very personal to me and it was not until the beginning of the 21st Century that I began to feel that discriminatory barriers were being removed within the borough. At this time, disability appeared fairly high on people’s agendas and disability issues began to be taken more seriously. Unfortunately, I do now feel that after this initial appreciation of the issues it has somewhat abated and is not being treated as importantly as race and sex discrimination within the Borough.

I do not believe that there are that many experiences of discrimination within the Borough in relation to other equality strands such as Age, Sexual Orientation, Religion and Transgender.

Equality within my local borough

2011-01-19T12:50:00.006Z

I was recently asked to be interviewed by a colleague's daughter in relation to a project she is taking part in which focuses on Equality within the borough I live namely The London Borough of Sutton. This project will culminate in an exhibition within Sutton and also at a wider exhibition for the London Olympics 2012. The questions that were asked of me made me think about my own views on equality within my immediate community and I thought these may be of interest to you and therefore the next few entries on this blog will detail each question. I hope you find the questions and my responses of interest!

What are you views on discrimination and equality?

I believe it is important for us to have a fair and equal society that allows everyone to fully participate in mainstream activities and to maintain equality throughout life’s journey - from childcare, to education and to employment. It is important that all people be given the same access to opportunity to allow them to live their lives fully and to reach their individual aspirations and ambitions.

To be continued next time............

Unstaffed stations will stop older and disabled people travelling

2011-01-06T17:24:00.002Z

Transport for All spoke out angrily today about revelations from London Underground documents that a third of stations would be left unstaffed as a result of job cuts.

Lianna Etkind, Campaigns and Outreach Coordinator, said:
“Many of our members quite simply cannot use the tube without assistance from staff.

“Whether it’s helping a blind person on stairs and escalators, advising a wheelchair user on step-free routes or stations with toilets, or supporting someone with a learning disability to use an automatic ticket machine, safe levels of staffing on the Underground is absolutely essential for the ability of thousands of Londoners to travel in the capital.

“Accessibility on the Tube still lags a long way behind other world cities. Unstaffed stations will mean that more and more often, disabled and older people say no to a job, a night out with friends, a trip to see family, because the risk of being left stranded on the platform is just too great.

“LU’s plans to cut staff are an attack on disabled and older people’s independence.”

Youcef Bey-Zekkoub, caseworker at Transport for All, said:

“As a wheelchair user and I use the tube quite regularly. But most of station have no step-free access and I usually ask for assistance to get on the train, as 9 out of 10 of the step-free stations have a gap between the train and the station.

“Although I was terrified of using the underground, staff members at LU stations have increased my confidence by the help they provided to me.

“Without the support of staff members I will not be able to use the Tube.”

Notes to Editors
Lianna Etkind can be contacted on 07913 777 076

Youcef Bey Zekkoub can be contacted on 020 7 737 2339

Transport for All have been campaigning to keep stations safely staffed.

http://www.transportforall.org.uk/news/tfa-flashmob-for-staffed-stations
Transport for All is a disability rights group that campaigns for accessible transport across London.

Spending Cuts

2011-01-05T09:47:00.003Z

David Cameron says the government has a "credible plan" for restoring economic confidence – let’s hope so!

The government's spending cuts are necessary and not driven by ideological zeal, Prime Minister David Cameron has insisted in his new year message. He said the economy was now out of the danger zone, but warned of much "heavy lifting" ahead in 2011. In his message, Mr Cameron said: "We have a credible plan for restoring confidence in our economy, but we have to see it through. A lot of the heavy lifting will happen in 2011.

The cuts we have all witnessed recently have been tough and I think we will continue to see the harsh reality of them over the coming months. In addition, the affect of the VAT rise yesterday from 17.7% to 20% will hit all of our pockets.

As a small VAT-registered business, I certainly understand the implications this rate rise will have on the financial security of my business. Small businesses have been hit particularly hard during the downturn and many have struggled to keep on an even keel. Like households, it is the hidden costs that will hit the small businesses the most – the increased VAT on our utilities i.e. telephone costs and supplies of electricity and heating. It is also inevitable that some businesses will be forced to increase costs due to the recent rise in fuel costs which have been hit not only by the VAT rise but also the added duty tax – as many of our goods rely on the transportation system, the operating costs of many companies continue to rise whilst the take-up of services and goods continue to plateau or in some cases decrease.

Whilst I do accept that the cuts and VAT rise is necessary as part of the Government’s plans to tackle the deficit, I, like many other small business owners, realise that hard-hitting challenges are ahead for this year and the first quarter of the year may well determine just how tough things are going to be.

Councils paying for disabled people to have sex! - Part 2

2010-08-24T15:02:00.001+01:00

Following on from my previous blogs, I have been somewhat intrigued by the level of interest that has been shown in the subject matter, namely disabled people and sex. Normally, I would be pleased to hear that disabled issues were being discussed but unfortunately most of what I have heard has not been very positive.

Having listened to a discussion on this subject on BBC Radio 5 Live it is evident that the topic is not as clear cut as everyone thinks and I feel that there are three main issues/questions that are raised by my blogs and I wanted to clarify these.

If a local authority is paying in full for a disabled person together with the support that is needed to go to Amsterdam to have sex, then I think that this is quite questionable and is something that I do not entirely agree with.

If a local authority is paying for the disabled person to have sex in Amsterdam due to the barriers faced by the disabled person that impacts on their ability to form personal relationships including those of a sexual nature, then we have to look at the motives further. Is it that Holland has been chosen because they have a more liberal attitude towards sex and a better level of disability equality? If so, then this argument would be extremely questionable and we have to ask ourselves whether the local authority would pay for a non-disabled person to travel to Amsterdam for sex purely because they may find it equally challenging to form personal relationships. I suspect the answer to this one would be a resounding no and therefore taking a different view towards the disabled person is clearly discriminatory against the non-disabled person.

If a local authority is purely paying for the support that enables the disabled person to travel to Amsterdam for sex but the disabled person meets the cost of the actual sex service and their travel etc, then this is more understandable and one that I would fully endorse. This option can be seen as an extension of independent living and disability equality. The fact that the act itself takes place in Amsterdam is irrelevant as the venue has been chosen as it is legal there and is not so in the UK.

It is extremely concerning that we may all be making assumptions on this subject without being in possession of the full facts but the attitudes and solutions to this difficult issue must be examined closely to ensure that a fair and understandable outcome is attained. I do feel it may be almost impossible to find a solution that is beyond scrutiny and the moral outrage of many.

Councils paying for disabled people to have sex!

2010-08-18T12:36:00.004+01:00

A recent story caught my eye in the Daily Mail and whilst I have to be mindful that this particular paper has a history of sensationalism when reporting disability issues, I did think it tied in with my previous blog.

The headline and the story itself will cause a certain amount of controversy particularly at this moment in time when all benefits are being heavily scrutinised to weld the axe on the cheats and it will be seen by those who have no real experience of disability as society gone mad! However, we need to look at the genuine facts behind the story.

The emphasis of the story is that some Local Authorities are paying for fun and frolicking in Amsterdam for sexual pleasure but this is most misleading. The person in question is in receipt of a Personal Budget from their Local Authority and has made an informed choice and that choice should be theirs alone. The only thing that is important here is that they have a personal need and the need can be met – the actual need is irrelevant and should not be questioned.

The Personal Budget scheme is in place to empower the independence and well-being of disabled people and let me tell you the process for applying for a Personal Budget is not easy. Every aspect of your life and needs are delved into. At times the process is extremely intrusive and for many this can deter them from continuing with any application but it does identify the genuine needs of the disabled person and identifies clear outcomes.

Personal Budget funds provide a disabled person with independence and an enhancement to their lives. If we want to look at this fully, we need to understand and be broadminded enough to accept that disabled people do have sexual needs and for some, establishing committed relationships can be difficult. Therefore, paid sex can seem the only option.

More importantly, we need to remember that like everyone disabled people have Human Rights, namely the freedom of choice i.e. how to spend their personal budgets and freedom to have a sex life in whatever form they choose.

Yet again the headlines do not convey the true facts behind the story and another negative representation of disabled people hits the streets fuelling the moral outrage against disability.

Disabled People & Sex

2010-08-09T14:14:00.002+01:00

Sex is always a sensitive subject to talk about and disabled people engaging in sex is even more so. However, everyone has the right to sexual expression but the way we act as a society often makes it difficult to speak about and many disabled people feel they have no right to speak about this very subject but this is precisely what I, and many others, who are Social Model Practitioners, are trying to change.

As a disabled person, if I mention the subject of sex than many people will gasp aloud or giggle outrageously but why? Disabled people like all others should have the right to a sex life! It is after all human nature. Admittedly there may be challenges, things may be more difficult and even time-consuming but the end result is a feeling of satisfaction and emotional enhancement that everyone deserves.

Let’s get one thing straight – disabled people are very interested in sex and surprise surprise can enjoy sexual activities just like non-disabled people.

There are a number of widely misconceived notions around this subject. For many, there is this myth that disabled people lose all interest in sex, particularly if the disability is caused by injury, but disabled people have healthy sex lives and most, if not all, of the myths out there should be dismissed as nonsense.

Many of the myths can be linked back to this unfounded belief within society that disabled people are somehow dependent and should be protected at all costs. We need to remember that whilst there may be some limitations, a disability does not make you any less of a person and most disabled people remain independent for most of their daily living and that includes sexual activity.

Disabled people have all the regular aspirations, expectations and desires that everyone else has. Therefore, please remember that a disabled person still has the fundamental features and qualities that make him or her attractive at some level. Sexual attraction comes in many guises; a simple look, a gentle touch, some loving words or that certain smile. Love and lust happens for disabled people just as it does for non-disabled people and with a little imagination you never know what might happen!

FIFA World Cup 2010 - Accessibility

2010-06-17T09:49:00.005+01:00

World Cup fever is definitely upon us! From the horrendous noise of the Vuvuzelas to the expectations for the England team, we have all been caught up in the spectacle of South Africa.

As a keen football supporter - a season ticket for Fulham FC - and a member of the FA London Advisory Group, I am passionate about making football inclusive for all. It is therefore disappointing to note that The South African Disability Alliance Group has stated that thousands of disabled people will not experience the 2010 FIFA World Cup live due to a lack of seats.

All 10 World Cup stadiums were jointly meant to have over 2800 seats allocated specifically for wheelchair spectators, but only just over a 1000 seats have been made available. The Cape Town Stadium was meant to have 340 seats for disabled people but will only have 110. Phillip Thompson, spokesman for The South African Disability Alliance Group has said there had been minimal effort to increase access for the disabled - “There are serious deficiencies in the various stadiums. There has been no undertaking from any of the stadiums to actually meet these adjusted figures. In Soccer City where we require 435 seats, it will be impossible to achieve 297," says Thompson.

I am afraid that FIFA must accept some of the blame for this unacceptable situation - they should have been monitoring the position and taking action to ensure that the promises of accessibility were met by South Africa. It is hoped that should England be successful in its bid for the 2018 World Cup, more will be done to be truly inclusive.

NHS Car Parking Charges

2010-06-11T10:08:00.007+01:00

Having recently spent some time in my local hospital, I was shocked to see the recent findings by Which and the excessive charges made for use of hospital car parks. For patients a stay in hospital is fraught but it would now appear that family and friends wishing to visit are also subjected to stress due to the charges being applied across England and the unfair economic strain placed on long-term patients is unjust. Research into these charges have previously shown that parking made hospital visits more stressful for 49% of people.

My local NHS Trust, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals Trust, clamped a staggering 1,671 cars and made an unbelievable £1,851,271 profit from its car park in just one year! These figures placed it in the top four biggest offenders for clamping, fining, charging and complaint generators according to research by Which.

The Which research rated hospital car parks according their capacity, convenience of payment methods, frequency and type of penalties, charging structure and profits, and communication with patients.

From their research, Which were also able to identify that Leeds General Infirmary issued 10,330 fines generating £142,000 from April 2008 to April 2009 and Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS trust has the highest minimum charge at £4 for two hours of parking (a tad expensive if your appointment only lasts half an hour).

The Trusts have all stated that they do not make a profit on car parking, but aim to cover the costs of providing and running these facilities including security and CCTV. They point out that without these charges the car parks would have to be subsidised by their patient-care budget. They also state that a number of groups are exempt from paying parking charges. These include people receiving cancer treatment, people with a family member who is critically ill, as well as parents of children who are staying overnight in hospital. In addition, drivers with disabled parking badges are exempt from paying charges, as are volunteers for the Trusts.

Peter Vicary-Smith, Which chief executive, said: "Visiting hospital is stressful enough without having to worry about being clamped or getting a ticket. Now we know which hospitals are scoring badly, they must take action and improve their parking services."

It is also worth noting that currently very few hospitals in the devolution governments i.e. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland apply these charges. Taking into account that prescription charges have been abolished in both Northern Ireland and Wales and cut to just £3 in Scotland, it would seem that within the UK we now have a two tier health service with England being placed firmly at the bottom. In such a vital service, can we afford to allow such segregation to take place?

It is a sorry state of affairs when you now have to consider the cost of a visit to your local hospital! All charges for use of NHS services and medication should be standard with no one area bearing the brunt of the costs. We must all insist that a just and fair system is rolled out across the UK to ensure that undue stress and worry do not become entangled with medical treatment.

What does the Human Rights Act actually mean?

2010-05-28T09:01:00.003+01:00

I recently wrote about the Human Rights Act 1998 and my belief that it is the interpretation of the Human Rights Act that is the problem not the Act itself. The current interpretation of the Act seems to manifest itself as an abuse to common sense which has resulted in the extreme negative reaction given by many people when it is discussed. In its purest form, the Human Rights Act is a worthy legislation that can provide a strengthen legal foundation for many.

Prior to October 2000, it was necessary to go to the Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg to claim your human rights. Cases were long and drawn out and the expense to do this were high and for many this option was beyond their financial means. However, the introduction of the Human Rights Act 1998 ensured that the human rights contained within the European Convention became enforceable in UK courts. Whilst procedures may still be long and drawn out, the costs have been somewhat lowered and it has given more people access to claim their rights.

As highlighted in my earlier blog, for many the Act is open to extreme abuse and this has resulted in a negative acceptance of the Act but what does the Act actually ensure? Many people do not know or do not want to understand the Act in its simplest form and, therefore, I felt it would be interesting to go back to the basics of the Act.

The rights under the law are:-

Articles:
The right to life;
The right not to be tortured, also not to be treated or punished in a degrading or inhuman way;
The right not to have to do forced labour or be a slave;
The right to liberty and security of person;
The right to a fair trial;
The right to freedom from retrospective penalities or laws;
The right to respect for private and family life, home and correspondence;
The right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion;
The right to freedom of expression;
The right to freedom of assembly and association; and
The right to marry and have a family.

Protocols:
The right to peaceful enjoyment of possessions;
The right to education;
The right to free elections at regular intervals; and
The abolition of the death penalty.

At the present time, it is fair to say that the Human Rights Act does not have a particularly good public image mainly due to the fact that the true and honest cases do not make as clever headlines as when the act is abused by criminals or by those charged with upholding the law. To try and rebalance this I show below some positives that have come about because of the Human Rights Act and I hope it may just sway you to see the benefits of this legislation.

Rachel Gunter is severely disabled and requires constant nursing. After caring for Rachel 24 hours a day for 6 years, her parents were no longer able to give her the physical support and mental stimulation she required. Mr and Mrs Gunter approached the Primary Care Trust for help. The Trust, reluctant to provide care in the Gunter's home, hoped to put Rachel into a residential facility. However, Rachel’s parents felt this would deprive her of the mental stimulation that they could provide, and that had already increased Rachel’s confidence and communication skills. In 2005, the courts ordered that the Trust reconsider its decision on the grounds that taking Rachel from her home would infringe on her right to family life under Article 8.

The right of same-sex couples to succeed to a tenancy in the event of the death of a partner was established in the case of Antonio Godin Mendoza in 2004. The House of Lords concluded that the less favourable treatment of the survivors of long-term homosexual partnerships resulting from the literal reading of the Rent Act provisions could be remedied by altering the definition of ‘spouse’ to include persons of the same-sex. This would be to ‘read and give effect to’ the Defendant’s right to respect for private life (Article 8) and the prohibition on discrimination (in Article 14).

Smith v Oxfordshire Coroner 2009 defined that British soldiers were protected by the human rights act and that a government was therefore under a duty to take all reasonable steps to protect them. The ruling doesn't mean that soldiers can't go in to battle and risk their lives, but it does mean the government is under a legal obligation to properly equip soldiers and can be held responsible for their deaths if a soldier dies when the government could so easily have prevented that death.

Last year the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the UK government CANNOT keep DNA records of innocent people - it also put a time limit on the DNA records of "minor criminals".

Prior to a woman taking action against the British government, rape victims in England were subject to lengthy cross-examination in person by men who were alleged to have violated them. As a result of a judgment protecting her right not to be subject to "inhuman and degrading treatment", the law in this country was changed.

In fact in the last few weeks those of you who voted in the General Election benefitted from the Human Rights Act. That is the right to vote in free elections.

And every one who enjoys slating the Human Rights Act is doing so under the Human Rights Act - the right to free expression.

Maybe we should all take another look at the Act in its purest form and be proud that we respect the human rights of people, even if they don't, at times, strictly "deserve" it.

Human Rights Act 1998

2010-05-24T09:00:00.004+01:00

The Human Rights Act 1998 received Royal Assent on 9th November 1998 and, for the most part, came into force on 2nd October 2000. Its aim of this Act is to "give further effect" in UK law to the rights contained in the European Convention on Human Rights. The Act, therefore, makes available in UK courts a remedy for breach of a Convention right, without the need to go to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

From its introduction the Human Rights Act 1998 has been somewhat controversial and there have been many high profile cases that, through media exposure, have given the Act a bad name. For many, the Human Rights Act has been seen to be legislation that helps only the villain to the detriment of hard working honest citizens.

Cases such as:-

Venables and Thompson v. News Group Newspapers – The James Bulger murder case tested whether the Article 8 (privacy) rights of Venables and Thomson, the convicted murderers of Bulger, applied when four newspapers sought to publish their new identities and whereabouts, using their Article 10 rights of freedom of expression. Dame Butler-Sloss granted permanent global injunctions not to publish the material because of the disastrous consequences such disclosure might have for the former convicts, not least the possibility of physical harm or death;

Afghan hijackers 2006 - In May 2006, a politically controversial decision regarding the treatment of 9 Afghan men who hijacked a plane to flee from the Taliban. It was ruled by an Immigration Tribunal, under the Human Rights Act, that the hijackers could remain in the United Kingdom; a subsequent court decision ruled that the government had abused its power in restricting the hijackers' right to work;

and most recently

Abid Naseer and Ahmad Faraz Khan - won the right to stay in Britain even though the court accepted they were planning an “imminent” attack in Manchester when they were arrested last year. The judge said he was “satisfied” that ringleader Naseer, in particular, “still poses a serious threat to the national security of the United Kingdom” but his hands were tied by the Human Rights Act because the two men might be tortured if they were sent home to Pakistan;

have done little to enhance the general opinion of The Human Rights Act.

However, in my opinion, it is the interpretation of the Human Rights Act that is the problem not the Act itself. In its purest form, the Human Rights Act is a worthy legislation that can provide a strengthen legal foundation for many. It is unfortunate that abuses of its aims have occurred but the law will always be tested to the extreme.

As our Coalition Government begins its working partnership, it will be interesting to see how they address the Human Rights Act. In the past, David Cameron and the Conservatives have stated that they want to see the Act scrapped and replaced with a Bill of Rights but Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats oppose this idea.

One thing is for sure, they need to work on improving the image of the existing Act and we need to see more positive stories of how the Act has been implemented.

The New Equality Act 2010

2010-05-19T12:46:00.007+01:00

Within the UK there is specific legislation on equality that outlaws discrimination and provides the mechanisms for individuals to address issues through the courts when they experience unlawful discrimination. At the present time, the legislation focuses on specific areas of equality and as such there are a number of different Acts in place i.e. The Race Relations Act 1976, The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and, of course, Disability Discrimination Act 1995. However, during this year changes will take place that will result in all the equality strands being dealt with under one new Act – The Equality Act 2010.

This fundamental change will mean that existing legislation will no longer apply. Many people seem to be unaware of the changes and the impact it will have. Most people have a generalised understanding of The Race Relations Act 1976 or The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 but very few understand the intricate measures that are addressed by the lesser known Acts such as The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 or Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006. It may be that these lesser known Acts lose some of their identity when encompassed within the new Equality Act and we need to ensure that this is not the case.

The Equality Act itself was passed through Parliament on 6th April 2010 and received Royal Assent on 8th April 2010. The time line for introduction of the Equality Act 2010 is as follows:

October 2010: the main provisions of the Equality Act will become law and the DDA will no longer have the force of law.

April 2011: the integrated public sector Equality Duty, the Socio-economic Duty and dual discrimination protection apply.

2012: the ban on age discrimination in provision of goods, facilities, services and public functions applies.

2013: the private and voluntary sector gender pay transparency regulations (if required) and political parties publishing diversity data applies.

In the meantime, the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) and other existing legislation still effectively applies until October 2010. Don’t let ignorance be an excuse – take a little time to find out how the changes to the existing legislation will impact on every aspect of life within the UK.

Should you wish to find out more about the new Equality Act 2010 feel free to contact Oisin@dpconsulting.org.uk who will be happy to provide details of workshops currently being run to enhance your understanding of the Equality Act and its application.

Coalition Government

2010-05-18T14:38:00.003+01:00

Well what a couple of weeks it has been in politics! I have to admit I was a little frustrated with all the Hung Parliament business as it seemed to take an age to sort although in truth it was only five days. Many seemed to agree with me as over 58% of the electorate were disgruntled with the situation we faced but we only had ourselves to blame – after all we were the ones voting.

So what now for the UK Parliament.........

Our new Prime Minister, David Cameron has set out his government which has included Nick Clegg as the new deputy prime minister and several other Lib Dems. Whilst I appreciate that no party gained a majority, it does seem somewhat weird to have the leader of the party that came third and his ministers in such key positions. Of course, this coalition is the first time there has been a Conservatives and Liberal Democrats power-share at Westminster and the first coalition in the UK since the Second World War so we will all have to wait and see how it works in practice.

As I listened to Gordon Brown’s resignation speech last week, I have to say I did feel a little compassionate for him. It seems to me that for once we had a leader that actually told it how it was without the spin but his downfall was somewhat governed by global events and his prickly personality. It was quite nice to observe him as he spoke about his family – he seemed totally relaxed and far more approachable than I had ever seen him. I wish him the very best for the future and hope that he does not disappear completely into obscurity – after all there are many areas in which he can still excel in - maybe a role within the International Monetary Fund beckons.

As we move forward into our new Parliament we can only hope that in-party squabbles are kept to a minimum and that the Coalition Government can offer our country some stability and solid foundations to move firmly out of recession. No-one can deny that the priority of the new Coalition Government must be to cut our national debt but any cuts must go hand-in-hand with measures and incentives that will boost growth and confidence within our businesses.

We must all play our part and heed the words of our new Prime Minister when he said “If we pull together, we can do it.”

Economic Plans

2010-05-04T11:47:00.000+01:00

UK GDP only grew by 0.2% in the first quarter of 2010, lagging behind the predicted 0.4% growth rate widely expected by many. This minute growth shows that we are far from being out of woods where economic growth is concerned. This country now needs strong economic strategies to increase the growth and to prevent a further dip back into recession.

At present, the country’s deficit is some £167 billion this year. In 1997 when Labour came to power our national debt stood at £350 billion – today it has more than doubled and stands at £776 billion with interest rising at a rate of £5,000 per second. Frightening figures to say the least!

As we enter the last days before the General Election on 6th May, we need to be considering the main issues that any future Government must address:-

• This country currently has a high unproductive public sector with high finance leaks and little accountability;

• This country currently has a small wealth-generating private sector which constantly has its hands tied by taxation;

• This country has an aging population, which will only increase, who are struggling to survive on low pensions forcing many onto the poverty line;

• This country has a million unemployed youngsters who feel despondent about their futures and are empathic to the political arena as politicians fail to engage with them.

The future of this country is very much dictated by implementing the correct economic policies that will not only see us through the current economic climate but also steer us into a brighter and more stable growth pattern.

Our political parties now need to define clearly their strategies and plans for this future growth to ensure that the voters can make an informed decision when casting their votes.

Labour have failed to give a clear and workable recovery plan to date – it would appear that their policy is more of the same which has clearly not worked.

Conservatives sprout figures convincingly but do seem to be relying on huge cuts in public spending – let’s hope this does not mean poorer service levels across the board. They have also failed to see the advantages of tax increases and closing of tax loopholes that only benefit the wealthy within our country.

Liberal Democrats seem determined to trash the pound and join the Euro. As Greece tips over into bankruptcy their economic situation can only have a negative effect on the Euro. Timing for the Liberal Democrats could not be worse as entering the Euro at the present time can only spell disaster for our fragile economy.

Let’s stop the chat and the bickering and see some strong and workable economic policies that will nurture our economy and see the national debt decrease and confidence increase.

Labour's Shocking Insensitivity!

2010-04-29T10:15:00.002+01:00

Many things incense me and few things surprise me! Both these comments can apply to the information sent to me recently by a friend relating to a poster posted on The Labour Party website. She was so shocked that she rang her local Labour Party to complain and then contacted me.

Such was my rage that I needed several minutes to calm down from a raging storm to a heavy shower!

Over the years there have been many distasteful and ridiculous advertising misdemeanors but this one from The Labour Party must surely jump to the top of the list. Over the past months, the Labour Party has displayed pretty poor judgment but allowing such a poster to appear within their election campaign advertising is a disgrace. You cannot tell me that no-one within their marketing department raised the issue of just how offensive this poster would be to wheelchair users.

Following a number of complaints, The Labour Party has now removed it from their website but surely the question must be who in their right mind allowed it to be there in the first place?

As I deliberate who to vote for on May 6th, I will consider the attitudes of all the political parties towards disability issues and I must say that this certainly does not give me the impression that The Labour Party understands and comprehends the issues disabled people face on a day-to-day basis.

My blood is still boiling over at the insensitivity they have shown.

Election Fever & Voting

2010-04-27T09:00:00.003+01:00

Election fever has hit us – well the politicians at least. For most there is a sense of empathy hanging in the air and I feel this is probably because most of us cannot make head nor tail of the real actual policies of the different parties. I have now assumed that where the main three political parties are concerned, they do not want us to know their policies as, in truth, they haven’t actually developed them!

I felt certain that the live television debates would give the general public a clear idea of what each party stood for but alas the only subject that seems to make the headlines are the popularity polls. Unfortunately being popular because you wore a nice tie or you talked into a camera does not necessarily mean you are fit to be Prime Minister and that you can deliver the strategies your party feel are best for the country.

For most, visiting the polling booths on 6th May will involve remembering where you put that damn voters card that was sent to you weeks ago in the post, going to your correct polling station and putting your cross in your chosen box. However, disabled voters need to be more aware of the assistance that is in place to help them cast their vote. Below is a brief overview for you if you are not fully aware of the arrangements.

Polling stations and local information

Under the Disability Discrimination Act (1995), service providers are legally obliged to make any 'reasonable' physical adjustments to their premises to make them accessible to disabled people. This legislation covers polling stations.

Local councils should provide information about polling stations, including details about physical access - disabled parking spaces and entrance ramps; low-level polling booths and equipment such as magnifying glasses for voters with a visual impairment.

If you need help on polling day, you can apply to the presiding officer asking them to mark your ballot paper for you. Alternatively, they should allow you to vote with a companion's help.

Visually Impaired Voters

All polling stations must provide a tactile voting device and at least one large print display version of the ballot paper. This makes it easier to vote without another person's help if you're blind or visually impaired. You can also ask polling station staff to read the list of candidates and their details to you.

Ways to vote

If you find it difficult to get to your polling station, you can vote in a different way.

Postal voting
Postal voting is open to everyone and you don't have to give a reason to vote by post. You must apply to vote by post well in advance of the election.

Voting by proxy

If you can't vote in person, you can apply to vote by proxy. This means that you appoint someone else to act as proxy to vote on your behalf. Contact your electoral registration office at your local council for an application form.

With all this information to hand, I urge you to make your vote count on 6th May – that is, of course, if you can make out the differences between the political parties!

Happy Voting.........

National Care Service could mean Disability Cuts!

2010-04-01T14:25:00.003+01:00

The National Care Service being proposed by the Labour Government caused even more controversy with the publication of a white paper that revealed a possible £100m annual cut to disability benefits. Page 132 of the white paper contained an admission by the health department that spending on disability benefits will be cut in order to help pay for the free care pledge.

The Government, of course, have denied that they will effectively be waving a machete to the disability benefits to fund their proposed social care plans.

Andy Burnham, Health Secretary published the Government’s social care proposals yesterday and indicated that Labour aims to have the social care proposals in place by 2015 but investigations seem to point towards £100m being cut from the Attendance Allowance for disabled people in order to help pay for this policy.

Underhandedly, it should be noted that a draft of the white paper issued on Tuesday had the content of page 132 missing with a statement merely saying that “wording to be agreed by the treasury, No.10 and special advisers later today”.

The revelations of page 132 seems to negate the assurances given by the Labour Government that benefits would not be cut and their actions can only be viewed as sneaky and beyond belief.

Conservative Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley MP said that “Labour's health plans seemed to have fallen apart in disarray”

Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb, has said "Labour promised to protect disability benefits from any future cuts, but it looks like they're going to have to raid budgets to pay for their free care plans.”

It seems to me that not only were there huge potholes in the Budget figures recently but we are now seeing further evidence that financial planning by the Labour Government is awash with enormous black holes. Time after time they have failed to set out strategies that shows how their policies will be funded in the future and yet again disabled people are being seen as the easy targets. Shame on you Labour!

Gordon Brown says the national care service will be founded on labour's enduring belief in fairness and responsibility yet their actions do not demonstrate this ethos. Cutting budgets from those that are in desperate need of them is not fair and does not show a responsible attitude to their plight.

Care services minister Phil Hope pledged the creation of a national care service was "to provide care for people free, when they need it - and that includes adults with disabilities as well as older people”. He strongly denied that the government planned to change any of the rules affecting attendance allowance but their own white paper seems to indicate otherwise.

Call that a Budget?

2010-03-25T12:30:00.002Z

As you are aware yesterday was Budget Day for the UK and probably one of the most important days of the last thirteen years for the Labour Government. Yes – it truly was a make or break day and I am sorry to say everything broke for them.

In light of the current economic situation, the vast debts Britain currently has and the prediction that by 2015 the country will be in the red to the tune of £1.4trillion, I for one, was hoping for a show of strength, for Alistair Darling to finally show us the plans the Labour Government have for steering us out of the recession and into more stability. Unfortunately what they gave us was a Budget with more potholes than our roads!

No surprise that Alistair Darling hit the usual money-grabbers such fuel, alcohol and cigarettes (luckily I don’t drive, smoke or drink Cider) as you can always depend on them to be at the forefront of any Government’s stealth tax plans but the real shocker was how badly the figures seemed to add up.

One example of this is the plans to abolish Stamp Duty for first-time buyers up to purchases of £250,000 and the respective introduction of a new 5% tax for homes sold for £1million. On the face of it this can only be good news can’t it? – surely it’s going to kick-start the property market? No – when you look a little deeper the expected figures are miles apart with the expected Stamp Duty break costing £550million by 2012 and the expected income from the “Mansion Tax” only generating some £390million – leaving us with a colossal shortfall.

For the small business owner like myself the figures are still as frightening and I can still see no long term strategy in place to assist me in keeping my business up and running. Yes, the Chancellor did announce a £2.5billion package and around 500,000 companies may benefit from a one year reduction in business rates but the increase in Employers’ National Insurance rates in 2011 will costs companies around £10billion.

Tax for the hardworking ordinary people also took an indirect hit. Whilst there was no tax increase, and for small things we have to be grateful, Darling did freeze the threshold levels. In real terms when this is related to the current rate of inflation of 3.7%, the Government will still manage to raise some £2.2 billion from us.

As I sit here pondering over the finer details of yesterday’s Budget, I shake my head in dismay. There are no positives here, there are no long term solutions here and there is no light shining at the end of the tunnel here. Darling and Brown have tried to temporarily fix the pot-holes and tried to keep the staunch Labour voters on board for the election but this budget had more water leaks than many of the London roads. Labour may well have hammered the final nail into the coffin – we will have to wait until May to see the real reaction from the voters.

The Jobs Assistant

2010-03-17T21:22:00.002Z

From my own personal experiences, I know just how difficult it can be for disabled people to secure meaningful employment. Unfortunately there is a long held myth that disabled people cannot or do not wish to work. In truth it is the exact opposite – many disabled people can and do wish to work. Unfortunately finding meaningful employment within mainstream society can prove extremely frustrating.

I see two main barriers for employment opportunities:- know-how and attitude. Let me explain......

Know-how – Many disabled people do not know where to source employment opportunities and many of the traditional methods such as Job Centres and Employment Agencies do not have the know-how to support them fully in their quest for employment. Now don’t get me wrong, I am sure these organisations do try to help but they do not understand how to provide the correct support and in many cases disabled people are merely encouraged to contact one of the many disability organisations for assistance. In turn, these organisations are inundated with potential candidates and their resources are stretched to the limits.

Attitude – As I have already stated, there is a long held myth concerning disabled people and employment and this misguided myth is, to this day, the main barrier for disabled people seeking employment. In addition, many potential employers are misguided in their attitudes as to what is involved in employing disabled people. Many see a disabled applicant and their first thoughts run along the lines of “we are going to have to make changes – how much is that going to cost the company” or “that person has a disability, so will probably need a lot of time off for sickness”. There is a need within the UK to re-educate employers. Whilst some changes may be necessary, it does not mean that there is a financial implication – it may just mean adapting the work patterns i.e. allowing flexible working hours etc and if there are financial implications, there may well be grants available that can assist with this. As for sickness, there is strong evidence to show that disabled people tend to take less sickness than non-disabled colleagues!

My company employs a number of disabled professionals and it was with this in mind that I began to consider what real opportunities there were for others seeking employment. Unfortunately, with all the best will in the world I cannot employ everyone! After careful consideration an idea formulated in my mind - why not set up an employment agency for disabled people. The idea took on a life of its own and in a very short timescale, I was able to set up a social enterprise called The Jobs Assistant which had a very successful launch in January 2010.

Since its launch The Jobs Assistant team have been busy putting in place the mechanisms that, I hope, will ensure its success. Contacts have been made with both applicants, partners and potential employers and we are still working steadily through these. The team are now entering the second phase of its launch – creating a strong presence in the marketplace.

To this end, I am delighted that The Jobs Assistant will be taking part in the Routes to Work event taking place on Tuesday 23rd March 2010 at the Europa Gallery, Sutton Central Library, St. Nicholas Way, Sutton, Surrey SM1 1EA.

This event will provide an opportunity for The Jobs Assistant to strengthen its presence in the marketplace, publicise our services and generally meet valuable contacts.

The Jobs Assistant team would welcome the opportunity to meet with you if you are planning to attend this event.

Assisted Suicide - New Guidelines

2010-03-04T10:44:00.004Z

I have written a number of times over the past year regarding the issue of assisted suicide. This emotive topic always raises a number of opinions and whether you agree or disagree, I feel that having a clear understanding of the implications, particularly for the loved ones left behind, is long overdue. Therefore, like many others, I was pleased to see that clearer guidelines have now been set out and loved ones will know those implications which may impact on them.

For those who choose assisted suicide it has been a difficult decision as to whether they involve loved ones or not out of fear of prosecution. This fear has now been somewhat removed by the guidelines – helping a loved one to commit suicide out of compassion will no longer result in prosecution.

The Law Lords requested that guidelines be drawn up following their ruling last summer in the case of Debbie Purdy, who campaigned for dignity-in-dying (she had asked the courts for guidance on whether her husband would be prosecuted if he travelled to the Dignitas Clinic in Zurich with her). The guidelines set out by Keir Starmer effectively means the law will turn a blind eye to assisted suicide.

Mr Starmer said yesterday that mercy killing remains murder and that all cases where someone is suspected of assisting a suicide will be fully investigated.

‘The policy is now more focused on the motivation of the suspect rather than the characteristics of the victim,’ he added. The policy does not change the law on assisted suicide. It does not open the door for euthanasia. It does not override the will of Parliament. What it does do is to provide a clear framework for prosecutors to decide which cases should proceed to court and which should not.’

However, the guidelines are not supported by many and some Disability charities are concerned that the guidelines could be used to pressure the vulnerable into death.

Richard Hawkes, of Scope, said: ‘We understand that assisted suicide is a complex and emotional issue. However, we do not support any weakening of the protection offered under the law on assisted suicide, which is exactly what these new guidelines do. Many disabled people are frightened by the consequences of these new guidelines and with good reason. There is a real danger these changes will result in disabled people being pressured to end their lives.’

I do agree with Richard Hawkes and I certainly feel that the guidelines should not be used as a tick box. Each case still needs to be handled with sensitivity but investigated to the fullest.

Disabled Parking at Supermarkets

2010-02-25T11:32:00.003Z

A long time ago, I decided that I really could not be bothered with going to the Supermarket. I was fed up with the rude people who rush around as if the place is their own, the staff who cannot answer the most simple of questions and I absolutely hated the queues! I now choose to do all my shopping online - be it my groceries or my luxury items!

So you can imagine my pleasure when listening to a BBC news report recently on Supermarket parking, that I discovered that I was one of the lucky ones that did not have to worry about parking but once my initial self-satisfaction subsided I took a longer look at the issue and discovered that I was actually quite irate at the current practices operating within our major Supermarkets.

The BBC identified that the four major chains all impose parking limits on their customers in most of their Supermarket car parks. A survey by the BBC revealed that 124 large Supermarkets from the big four do not allow extra parking time for their disabled customers. It also revealed that the big four are opting more to use private firms to enforce their parking rules meaning that disabled customers are becoming increasingly easy targets for these overly-keen patrols. By not allowing extra time for their disabled customers, all of the big four supermarkets are breaking the current disability discrimination laws.

Neil Coyle, from the charity Disability Alliance, told the BBC “Supermarkets need to acknowledge there is a problem, and secondly, very quickly they need to ensure their car parking procedures conform with the law”. He also added that the supermarkets need to end the “unfair charges” or “they can wait until someone takes a legal case and potentially face a considerable compensation case”.

I know many drivers already feel that they are an easy cash-cow for raising revenue but for the Supermarkets to sit back and allow this outrageous practice to continue is unacceptable. They must ensure their parking controls conform with the law and make reasonable adjustment for their disabled customers.

After all, these disabled customers are only there to buy the products they sell!

Baroness Grey-Thompson

2010-02-09T11:18:00.004Z

My hearty congratulations and a big round of applause must go to Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson on the announcement of her peerage to the House of Lords.

Baroness Grey-Thompson will put her considerable skills and intellect to the areas of sport, disability and youth.

On her appointment Baroness Grey-Thompson said “I feel incredibly honoured to have been considered for this, and to have been accepted into the House of Lords. I went through great nerves as an athlete, but I’ve had sleepless nights about my first speech there,”

By her last Paralympic Games in Athens in 2004, Baroness Grey-Thompson had amassed 16medals (11 gold, four silver and a bronze) and 13 World Championship medals (six gold, five silver and two bronze) - certainly an inspiration to us all!

Baroness Grey-Thompson is a non-executive director for UK Athletics, sits on the board of the London Marathon and the Board of Transport for London (2008). She is also Chair of the Womens Sports and Fitness Foundation Commission on the Future of Womens Sport. She is also patron of a number of charities and is vice-chairman of the Laureus World Sport Academy, a trustee of the Sport for Good Foundation, a Council Member for the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, and a UNICEF International Inspiration Ambassador.

Out of recession - I don't think so.............

2010-02-06T20:43:00.003Z

January saw us mark the end of the recession – the longest economic downturn on record.

Whilst our Government will surely be patting itself on the back and thanking their lucky stars that we stayed out of depression, I and many others will have little faith in this news. We would be wise to remember that during this recession we have seen the economy reduced by over 6 percent and unemployment rise to 7.8 percent.

I do believe that this may be a temporary step forward. We have to remember that the figures used are for the last financial quarter which includes increased employment of temporary Christmas staff, increased purchases of luxury goods before the VAT rise took effect, the car scrapage scheme coming to an end and people spending slightly more in order to enjoy the festive season.

In April we may well see a step backwards as we see taxes rise as income tax and national insurance rise. As inflation rears its ugly head we may also see an increase in interest rates.

As I write I can see little is being done to stimulate the economy for growth and I do not see a sustainable economic strategy. We are unprepared to take full advantage of the small GDP figures and should not confuse the end of a recession with a start of growth.

We are a long way from seeing real evidence of our recovery and ordinary folk will see little evidence of the end of the recession in their everyday lives.

Christmas Greetings

2009-12-16T09:26:00.004Z

It’s been a great year here at PureshPower and I wanted to thank all of you for your continued support and readership. I have enjoyed sharing my views on all things disability – both the good and the not so good!

Real inclusive change will happen but the road is still long and we all have much to do throughout the journey. I hope you will continue to join me in supporting the efforts of all those pushing for positive change.

I hope you all have a wonderful festive season and that Santa brings all your Christmas wishes. May the New and Coming Year bring you every happiness and success in all your endeavours.

See you in 2010..............

Disabled Students

2009-12-04T13:24:00.005Z

Back in August, I wrote about the issues that need to be addressed by disabled students who wish to attend University i.e. accessibility, access to appropriate care options etc.

On top of all these issues, it would appear that their worries are now being further complicated by the Student Loan Company (SLC).

Figures show that in addition to giving out £43m less in funds this year, they have also failed to provide the vital funding to disabled students with only one in every five receiving the appropriate funds needed for specialist equipment and assistants. Many disabled students are now struggling to cope and many see “dropping out” as a real threat. Yet it would appear that there is still tens of millions of pounds sitting unallocated some two months into term-time.

In real terms, this allocated funding means that approximately 12,000 disabled students are waiting for funds to support their learning needs as only 3,294 applications have been processed out of the 15,371 submitted. Campaigners believe it will take some 75 weeks to clear the backlog of claims.

The president of the National Union of Students, Wes Streeting, has said "This is a staggering amount of money and reveals how big the problem is. Students can't get by without that money. It's disgraceful that so many disabled students are waiting for their allowances."

Unlike previous years, the processing of applications, which are complex and need medical evidence, has been taken over by SLC and they are failing to deliver this vital funding. SLC have apologised to those students caught up in these delays and have said "We recognise that the work is more complex than general loan application processing, and so over the last two months we have doubled the size of the team working on the cases."

Unfortunately apologies will not help those disabled students struggling to cope without the specialist equipment and support they need – only real action can do that and therefore SLC need to sort this issue now and learn from their mistakes in preparation for the next academic intake.

International Day of Disabled People

2009-12-03T08:54:00.002Z

Today is the United Nations International Day of Disabled People which aims to promote an understanding disability issues, the rights of disabled people and the benefits that inclusion of disabled people in all aspects of life may have on our society.

Important facts to remember are:-

1. Almost one in ten people are disabled
2. 20 per cent of the world population living in poverty are disabled
3. Exclusion of disabled people is still prevalent in the world denying many
the basic rights of food, education, employment and access to health
services.

The United Nations International Day of Disabled People was originally instigated to commemorate the anniversary of the UN General Assembly’s adoption of the World Programme of Action in 1982 regarding disabled people.

The theme for this year’s International Day of Disabled People is “Making the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) inclusive”

Social change can be achieved through various means but adopting the Social Model of Disability is paramount as this is a more modern approach to viewing disability than the Medical Model.

I ask three things of you today:-

1. You help celebrate the achievements of disabled people across the globe.
Disabled people make a rich and diverse contribution to the communities in
which they live and work;

2. You consider whether you are doing enough to support an inclusive society;
and

3. You reflect on how far the disability movement has come and yet how far we
still have to go in making long lasting changes.

Happy United Nations International Day of Disabled People to you all!

Cuts in Education Funding

2009-11-25T09:35:00.005Z

The affects of a recession are numerous and can take its toll in many forms often hitting the most vulnerable within society.

As the Labour Government struggle to take control of the recession and its long-term affect, harsh decisions have to be made but some are just unacceptable!

It is with dismay that I learned of the plans of Lord Mandelson’s department – the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. These plans will see budgets slashed for courses aimed at both people with learning difficulties and evening classes for the elderly. Instead funds will be directed towards re-training opportunities for people hit by the recession.

Now please don’t get me wrong, I fully support our need to re-train people where appropriate but not at the expense of others.

It was not a shock to see that these plans were published quietly and without fanfare as the affect they have will be extremely detrimental to those people seeking qualification-free courses which are most commonly people with learning difficulties and the elderly. The budget cut of £150m in reality will see the student numbers shrink from 583,000 this year to only 213,000 next.

Nick Clegg, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, told the Guardian: "These plans will come as a bitter blow to the hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people who will see their courses disappear. It is incredibly cynical of the government to slip this news out in an obscure policy document and not be upfront about the impact that these cuts will have.

"While it is vital that we take a strategic approach to skills, it is absurd to stop funding courses which bring a range of benefits to individuals and wider society. Not only are they important in keeping people active but they can also work as an important stepping stone back into education for those who may have had a poor experience at school."

Lord Mandelson’s department have tried to divert criticism by saying that priority will be given to courses for people with learning difficulties but many within the disability rights arena see this as a continuation of previous longer term cuts in dedicated courses. I have to say that I wholeheartedly agree with them!

David Congdon, Head of Policy at the charity Mencap, said: "We have strong evidence that courses are already being cut. If they reduce the funding further, it will have a devastating impact. These courses are vital to people's quality of life and if they are cut we are doing them a great disservice."

It is imperative that learning opportunities are maintained and, indeed, increased for all disabled people particularly in view of the Labour Government’s aim to reduce the number of claimants of incapacity benefit. Many disabled people already find it a big enough challenge to find employment opportunities so to reduce any form of educational funding will only hinder that process.

Disabled People on Television

2009-11-20T09:27:00.005Z

I have spoken often about disability within media, particularly the near non-existence of disabled people on television. Over the past few months it has been encouraging to see a few characters appearing in our popular soaps such as Eastenders and Emmerdale. However, on many occasions, TV production companies lean towards employing non-disabled people to take on disabled roles.

Why?

Surely the best person for such a role would be a disabled actor – and rest assured, there are many out there. By employing a non-disabled actor in a disabled role the TV companies are in some way hoodwinking the general public and we are often left with the stereo-typical portrayal of disability. A non-disabled actor can never inject the true emotion and understanding of living with a disability no matter how good an actor they are.

Entertainment has come a long way over the decades and mindless stereotyping and discrimination are, on the large part, unacceptable to the viewers. Whilst in the 1920s and 1930s the public were willing to watch Al Jolson playing a “black” character in the film The Jazz Singer, it would most definitely be scorned upon now. Similarly, the public are no longer willing to accept the stereo-typical characters seen in the 1970s in shows such as Mind Your Language. Therefore, this attitude must now also be adopted for disabled roles and it can no longer be acceptable to push disabled people’s involvement to the background.

Research conducted by the Independent Television Commission showed that 79% of TV viewers would not mind if a disabled person read the evening news. In addition, six in every 10 viewers stated that disabled people should be seen in a wider variety of roles including that of presenters. Many viewers would also welcome better inclusion of disabled people within television advertising, particularly where it actively promotes positive images of disabled people.

Whilst these statistics indicate that the television audience show a very high and real acceptance of disabled people on screen, it would seem that the broadcasters must shed aside their shackles that make them more cautious and must be less concerned with the perceived audience prejudices, ratings and other constraints.

A sensible approach would not only give a fairer reflection of today’s society but also help educate on the real issues faced by disabled people in everyday life.

Mental Wellbeing

2009-11-16T12:04:00.001Z

We have all had to deal with stress within our daily lives and many of us have felt the effects of stress at work but did you know that recent research has estimated that the cost to UK employers for work-related mental health conditions such as stress, anxiety etc is placed at £28.3bn per year and an estimated 13.7 working days per year are lost.

On this evidence all employers must make a conscious effort to improve the mental wellbeing of its workforce. In turn, the benefits to the employers will not only be financial but also productive.

For many employees, there remains a stigma to admitting they feel stressed by their work obligations and workload. Many will suffer in silence rather than admit that they feel overwhelmed. It is therefore important for employers to recognise the signs of stress and offer help where necessary.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has recently issued guidance for employers on how to promote mental wellbeing at work and it is important that employers take a more proactive approach to this subject. It may be that the little things like introducing flexible working will make a major difference to the lives of employees.

As a summary, the recommendations made for employers include:

• Promote a culture of participation, equality and fairness that is based on open communication and inclusion.

• Create an awareness and understanding of mental wellbeing and reduce the potential for discrimination and stigma related to mental health problems.

• Ensure systems are in place for assessing and monitoring the mental wellbeing of employees so that areas for improvement can be identified and risks caused by work and working conditions addressed. This could include using employee attitude surveys and information about absence rates, staff turnover and investment in training and development, and providing feedback and open communication.

• If reasonably practical, provide employees with opportunities for flexible working according to their needs and aspirations in both their personal and working lives.

• Different options for flexible working include part-time working, home-working, job sharing and flexi-time.

• Strengthen the role of line managers in promoting the mental wellbeing of employees through supportive leadership style and management practices.

Is your employer doing all it can to nurture an environment of mental wellbeing?

Feeling Poorly!

2009-11-09T10:24:00.000Z

Hello everyone, sorry for not blogging recently but I have been unwell of late but I’m fine now – recuperating at home. Unfortunately, I was admitted once again to St Helier Hospital, Carshalton. Treatment was generally better than in the past but far from ideal. I will update you with all my news and views over the coming week.

Understanding Disability - Physical Impairment

2009-10-09T09:10:00.004+01:00

A physical impairment is the most visible of all disabled people and it is for this reason that people with a physical impairment often suffer from the most obvious discrimination.

A physical impairment can be defined as any condition which limits the physical function of limbs or fine or gross motor ability. Partial or total paralysis, stroke, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, amputation are just some examples of physical impairments.

It is not necessary to discuss with a person the cause of their impairment but it useful to be aware of the barriers that people may experience. For example, people may have: tremor or shaking; weakness; pain; reduced control of limbs; inability to sit upright or short or missing limbs.

Physically impaired people may use mobility aids such as wheelchairs or crutches. They may have assistance from other people in daily life and may use a range of assistive devices to control the environment, to manipulate objects or carry out tasks.

Misconception: People with a physical impairment are brave and courageous.
Truth: Adjusting to a physical impairment requires adapting to a lifestyle, not bravery and courage. Going to university, having a family, participating in sporting events and working in a job are normal not heroic activities for people with physical impairments just as they are for non-disabled people.

Misconception: People with physical impairments have lower IQs or cannot be educated.
Truth: People with physical impairments have a full range of IQs and academic abilities. The degree of the physical impairment has no bearing on a person’s mental capacity.

Misconception: People who use wheelchairs can’t get around
Truth: It may well be a fact that some people using wheelchairs cannot walk but others can. Many people who use wheelchairs do so because they tire easily or because their strength is limited and using a wheelchair makes it possible for them to travel longer distances, or to be ‘out and about’ for longer periods of time.

Misconception: People with a physical impairment always need help.
Truth: Many people with physical impairments are independent and do not always require assistance. And while anyone may offer assistance, most people with physical impairments prefer to be responsible for themselves.
There are many obvious things that society can implement to increase access for people with a physical impairment such as ramps, accessible transport links etc but it is often the hidden barriers that get forgotten.

Let’s think about this logically a ramp is of little use if the doorway is too narrow or if once inside, the area is not accessible i.e. no turning space for wheelchair users etc. An access requirement for a person with a physical impairment may be as simple as providing a comfortable chair or a wrist support for computer use.

As with all disability issues, it is best to ask the individual what access requirement they have – they know better than anyone else what is best suited to their needs.

Understanding Disability - Learning Difficulties

2009-10-09T09:04:00.004+01:00

Learning Difficulties covers many different conditions including people with Dyslexia, Downs Syndrome and some behavioural difficulties.

A big part of the misconceptions surrounding Learning Difficulties is due to misinformation. Some of the common misconceptions are:-

Misconception: Learning difficulties are in some way environmental and therefore the parents are to blame.
Truth: Learning disabilities are not due to parental neglect. They are genetic, and therefore they are an inherited characteristic just like height, skin tone or eye colour. Just because a child's parent is dyslexic doesn't mean that a child will be.

Misconception: Learning Difficulties are all the same.
Truth: Not all Learning Difficulties are the same as there are many different types. Some of the most common include dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, auditory and visual perception impairments, and memory conditions. Some may well face similar barriers but that does not automatically mean they are linked to one another and therefore there is no uniformed approaches. In many cases, people with the same Learning Difficulty respond differently to learning, life scenarios etc. Therefore, it is important to focus on the individual rather than the Learning Difficulty.

Misconception: People with Learning Difficulties require special education.
Truth: This is not the case and a broad assumption should not be made. The type of learning required is very dependent on the person and in many cases learning within the mainstream schooling system is more beneficial. For those with mild to moderate academic requirements simply providing class-room assistance may be all that is needed.

Misconception: Learning Difficulties indicate a lack of intelligence.
Truth: Definitely not! Many people with Learning Difficulties are just as intelligent (if not more so) as everyone else. Whilst some people with Learning Difficulties may find it harder to process different types of information i.e. letters, numbers etc they may be more creative or possess improved memory skills. Learning Difficulties have absolutely nothing to do with intelligence just the way in which information is processed.

Looking beyond these misconceptions to the access requirements, it is important that we think less about the Learning Difficulties and more about the individuality of the person.

There are some access requirements that generally cover most people with Learning Difficulties i.e. ensuring information is presented in an easy way to understand; whether it is large and clearer print, easy read documents or pictorial. As well as this there are some people with Learning Difficulties who do not read and use an audio tape and for this we must ensure that the wording is easy to read and therefore easily understandable.

The best advice that we can heed when considering access requirements for people with Learning Difficulties is to remember that Learning Difficulties vary across the board and even though there are general things society can do, they do not catch everyone in the net. The surest way of being fully accessible to people with Learning Difficulties is to ask them and listen to what they have to say.

Understanding Disability - Hearing Impairment

2009-10-07T14:24:00.004+01:00

1 in 7 people in the UK experience some form of hearing impairment so it is important that we understand what this means and how access requirements can be met.

People who are deaf or hearing impaired may be affected in many ways and losses may range from mild to profound. They may be conductive i.e. as a result of impairment to the outer or middle ear, sensorineural as a result of impairment to the inner ear or be a combination of the two. People with a hearing impairment may find that they have difficulty hearing in crowds or in group conversations or they may hear but not understand what is being said as they may find that words seem to be jumbled or just run together.

Some interesting statistics are that 71.1% of over 70-year-olds will have some kind of hearing loss; 41.7% of over 50-year-olds will have some kind of hearing loss and approximately 2,474,000 people aged 16 to 60 experience a hearing impairment.

Misconception: All hearing impaired people live in a world of silence
Truth: There are approximately 8,945,000 hearing impaired people in the UK with 688,000 of these people having a severe to profound loss of hearing.

Misconception: All hearing impaired people can lip read.
Truth: Only 30% of English words can be read accurately on the lips. For clear, concise and effective communication many hearing impaired people will use many techniques such as sign language/interpreters, lip readers, lip speakers and speech to text.

Misconception: All hearing impaired people can “sign”
Truth: There are approximately 8,945,000 hearing impaired people in the UK but only around 75,000 people in the UK use British Sign Language (BSL) as their first language.

Misconception: Hearing impairment cannot be helped.
Truth: A large number of individuals with hearing impairment can be helped through amplification. In the UK today there are approximately two million people with hearing aids and 1.4 million people using them regularly. However, it is thought that another four million people could benefit from a hearing aid.

Access requirements vary and therefore it is important to remember to discuss directly with the person their individual requirements. However, some general guidelines would be:

• Before speaking attract the person’s attention unobtrusively i.e. by moving into their line of vision

• When speaking face the person so they can lip read and avoid moving around too much

• Speak clearly, don’t shout or over enunciate as this distorts sound and lip patterns and remember to give a clear view of lips: avoid covering the mouth with hands

• Use gesture and facial expressions

• Use normal language i.e. use short sentences rather than single words; use normal speech at a normal rate

• Try to understand and act upon the requirements of a person with a hearing impairment; this is one of the most supportive strategies you can adopt.

Understanding Disability - Mental Health Issues

2009-10-02T12:42:00.004+01:00

There is a stigma attached to the subject of mental health which is mainly due to ignorance and the negative portrayal of people with mental health issues by the media. Here are some common misconceptions about mental health:

Misconception: Mental health issues only happen to other people.
Truth: 1 in 4 of the adult population will experience mental health issues in their lifetime.

Misconception: People with mental health issues are violent and dangerous.
Truth: The risk of being killed by a stranger with a mental health issue is roughly 1:10,000,000 which are about the same probability as being struck by lightning.

Misconception: People with mental health issues are poor and/or less intelligent.
Truth: Mental health issues, like any physical issues, can affect anyone regardless of intelligence, social class or income level demographic.

Misconception: Mental health issues are caused by emotional weakness
Truth: People do not choose to have mental health issues and it has nothing to do with being weak or lacking will-power.

Misconception: Once you’ve had a mental health issue, you never recover
Truth: People can and do recover from mental health issues. Medications, psychological interventions, a strong support network and alternative therapy treatments from cognitive behavioural therapy to improved diet and exercise habits are also very effective in leading to a complete recovery.

Access requirements are varied for people with mental health issues and it is important to ask the individual the exact requirements they feel will assist them. However, on a general note the following access requirements may be necessary:-

Time - Allow more time - a person with a mental health issue may need more time to process information etc. They may become confused or anxious about being given too much information at one time and how to prioritise the information.

Allow flexible working hours as a person with a mental health issue may have limited timescales. They may need to work part-time or it may find working afternoons and not mornings more preferable.

Regular Breaks/Quiet Time – it may be beneficial for a person with a mental health issue to take regular breaks in order for them to gather their thoughts together. Providing a quiet and relaxing room may be greatly appreciated.

Support Worker – the provision of a support worker can be very advantageous and will be able to assist with things like prioritising etc.

Understanding Disability - Visual Impairment

2009-09-21T12:27:00.005+01:00

There are many misconceptions about people with visual impairment.

Misconception: Visually impaired people see nothing.
Truth: The majority of Visually impaired people have SOME useful vision - distinguishing between light and dark and only about 18 per cent of visually impaired people are totally without useful vision.

Misconception: Visually impaired people have special gifts and a “sixth” sense.
Truth: There are no special gifts or “sixth” sense and many visually impaired people have a poorer sense of hearing or touch than sighted people particularly as they grow older. It is just having the appropriate support and training together with good old fashioned common sense and practice that makes all the difference.

Misconception: All Visually impaired people feel other people’s faces.
Truth: A very small number of visually impaired people use touch to identify people. 77% of visually impaired people retain enough sight to recognise family and friends close up.

Misconception: All Visually impaired people can read Braille.
Truth: It is estimated that approximately only 13,000 Visually impaired people can read Braille fluently. Far larger numbers rely on large print and audio instead of Braille.

Misconception: All Visually impaired people own guide dogs.
Truth: There are approximately 4,800 guide dog users in the UK. This is a tiny percentage of the estimated two million Visually impaired people in the UK.

Misconception: Visually impaired people cannot work.
Truth: Due to the advances in new technology, such as speaking computers etc, there are very few jobs that a visually impaired person cannot do.

There are many things society can do to increase access for Visually impaired people. These include:-

* The use of large print and font size – best practice recommends Ariel 14
* Colour contrasting and tactile markings
* Use of audio

These are only a few general examples and you should NEVER assume. ALWAYS ask about access requirements – i.e. those things needed to enable us to take part in something.

Understanding Disability

2009-09-16T12:50:00.003+01:00

As highlighted in my earlier blog, it is concerning to note that 53% of society view disabled people in a negative way. From my own personal experiences and through my work, it is clear that many people have misconceptions about disabled people and particular conditions. These misconceptions are usually formed from ignorance, fear, the traditional medical model and, most importantly, the media (at times they have a lot to answer for).

I truly believe that highlighting the positives of disability and re-educating people can, and will, make a huge difference to the lives of disabled people.

Over the next few blogs, I will take a look at several areas of disability and highlight the myths and misconceptions generally held within society. My hope is that this will help readers to understand these areas more and take a new look at their own misjudgements.

Often, when thinking of disabled people, society thinks firstly of those with a physical disability i.e. a wheelchair user but many fail to realise the broad context of disabled people and the conditions that they live their lives with. It is imperative that we first understand what the definition of “disability” is. This word that we hear so much about and which society bases judgements on seems to mean different things to different people.

So how do we define a disabled person?

The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) defines a disabled person as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

However, defining a person by a condition/impairment is based on the Medical Model of Disability. Although this is the traditional way of defining disability, it is not very helpful and does not answer what we need to know i.e. how do we assist the person. The definition that I use is based on the Social Model of Disability which states that it is a person who has the loss of opportunity due to the barriers put up by society. There is a slight difference between the two definitions in that the former focuses on the individual’s inability to do things as opposed to the later which focuses on the barriers that are put in the way.

Arguably there is a need to group various disabled people together and the general groups would be people with physical impairments (including wheelchair users), people with visual impairments, people with hearing impairments, people with Learning Difficulties and people with mental health issues. It is useful to know the general access requirements for people within a group i.e. offering large print, Braille or audio tape etc to people with visual impairments. However, I must stress that these are only basic guidance and in all cases you should establish the access requirements of the individuals within their group.

I hope over the coming blogs that you will gain a better insight in to the various areas of disability and those access requirements that society needs to adopt.

London Fire Safety Week

2009-09-14T10:23:00.005+01:00

The London Fire Brigade kicked off its first ever Fire Safety Week which will run from 12th to 18th September 2009. It is hoped that this initiative will raise fire safety awareness within the London area.

One area that the London Fire Brigade is hoping to highlight is the fire safety for high risk groups i.e. older people and disabled people.

London Fire Commissioner Ron Dobson said: “Our first Fire Safety Week will provide us with an excellent opportunity to get our safety messages across to those who are most at risk from fire. Our research and experience tell us that certain behaviours and social circumstances make some Londoners more vulnerable than others and we want to target those people so that we get to them now – before they have a fire”.

During the course of last year, the London Fire Brigade were called out to over 130,000 incidents in which 39 people lost their lives - 60% of those people were within the high risk groups. Even one death is too many!

From a business perspective, many business owners are not aware of the current fire legislations. In October 2006, The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 came into force and with it came the largest change to fire safety legislation for over 35 years.

One of the main changes was that the RRO places a responsibility on management to ensure the fire safety, including the safe evacuation, of all users of premises and there is a duty to carry out a Risk Assessment for all non- domestic premises and common parts i.e. within blocks of flats etc.

It is important to note that the RRO moves the responsibility for evacuation away from the fire service to the employer/service provider.

All procedures should ensure the safe evacuation of disabled people, with assistance where required but many do not know what procedures should be in place. For example, there may be the need to ensure that Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPS) are in place. In addition, equipment such as evac-chairs or life-sliders may also be required especially in environments such as railway stations etc.

For many, when thinking about fire safety, their thoughts go no further than that of a smoke alarm but it is imperative that all businesses carry out risk assessments to ensure the safe evacuation of all – be it staff or visitors.

Is your organisation doing enough?

Scope Research

2009-09-07T09:20:00.003+01:00

Research by Scope, published in June 2009, has thrown up some disturbing statistics with regard to the perception of disability and with over 2000 people taking part, the views cannot be ignored.

From their research, they have ascertained that:-

* 53% of society view disabled people in a negative way;

and

* 38% believe that disabled people are a drain on resources

Worrying to say the least and it is clear to me that these figures are borne from ignorance and stereo-typing of disabled people.

On a positive, we must take note that their research also found strong support for tackling disability with accessible transport, access to public buildings and tougher action for Blue Badge abuse being cited as areas for improvement.

I believe that the attitudes of society can be changed and we may all be surprised with the speed these changes could happen if only the right resources were available. Unfortunately, disabled issues always seem to be in the background and we all need to start pushing them through to the foreground.

Disabled Students and University

2009-08-28T12:27:00.005+01:00

Record marks again in A-levels and yet more news that there are not enough university places for all the applicants.

Being an A-level student is never easy – you spend hours studying, even more hours worrying that you may not get your grades and then you have the daunting task of securing a university place! But take a moment to imagine you are a disabled student.........

Not only do you have to deal with all of the above but you have the added issue of ensuring your choice of university has suitable accessibility, that you can have access to appropriate care and that a support network can be to hand. No problem I hear you cry but don’t forget that the clearing system allows you less than a month to choose your preferred course and appropriate university together with looking at your access, accommodation and care requirements.

It can come as no surprise then that many disabled students feel they are at a disadvantage and are left floundering at this daunting prospect.

I can relate in many ways to this. I was lucky enough to attend the University of Brighton and I had no problems securing an offer of a place on the academic side. However, on a personal level, my parents had to sign a letter of declaration stating that they would be responsible for finding me suitable accommodation during the first two years of my study as the University did not have accessible accommodation until my final year. This was back in 1994 and obviously pre-dates the DDA and SENDA (which came into force in 2001). It is therefore disappointing to see that nothing has really changed.

A recent survey by Trailblazers revealed that:-

• One in four universities do not have rooms for hired carers, forcing disabled students to live at home rather than with their fellow students.
• 30% of university inter-campus transport is inaccessible to disabled students and, despite having disability advisors, one in ten universities do not have good links with local care agencies and support services.
• One in ten students will not have accessible accommodation, cooking and dining facilities which are fully integrated into mainstream university life.
• Only just over half of all UK university teaching rooms, study rooms and libraries are fully accessible to students with a disability.
• Nearly 40% of universities do not provide a freshers' guide to the university for disabled students.

As part of my business, I have worked with many universities to ensure that the full understanding of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (SENDA) which came into force some 8 years ago is fully implemented. Unfortunately, I can only advise and recommend – I cannot force them to make all the changes that are needed. From this experience, I can safely say that many apply the gloss without the undercoat i.e. they may put in the signage and ramps but they forget about the hidden barriers.

There is a responsibility for all educational institutions to ensure that they look further than the physical environment. They must take into account attitudinal issues and be seen to actively promote disability equality in all areas.

Disabled students are frequently on the peripheral of educational life and are often made to feel “separate”. Drastic measures need to be taken to ensure that they are included into mainstream student life and can reap the just rewards of our educational system.

Unacceptable Care at St Helier Hospital

2009-08-14T13:21:00.006+01:00

I spoke recently of my visit to the Accident and Emergency Department of St Helier Hospital and I thought I would talk some more about this and the unacceptable level of care I received.

After I went to A&E, the hospital decided to admit me for tests and they moved me into the clinical assessment unit (CAU) where I would stay for 24 hours to be observed and to undergo tests. However, after 24 hours, I was then moved to one of the general wards where I was welcomed in the most appalling manner.

First thing they wanted was to transfer me to one of the ward beds which did not have cot sides and these are essential for me as it puts me at risk of falling out of the bed if these are not in place. Eventually after about an hour of shouting and generally annoying them, I was finally allowed to stay in the bed that I came up to the ward in. Why could the medical staff not see the risk that was right in front of their eyes? Are they so blinkered as to forget common sense?

The second issue that occurred happened shortly after I was settled. The Ward Sister came into my room without even bothering to introduce herself or even talking to me at all. What ever happened to common courtesy?

She proceeded to tell a Staff Nurse “well actually he should be nil by mouth because that’s what his notes say”. I listened in horror as in fact, my notes did not say this at all. I had been removed from nil by mouth earlier in the day! Pointing this fact out to her resulted in the Sister looking at me in a condesending way, issuing me with what can only be described as a growl and then walking out of the room only to reappear half an hour later and state “well actually his notes say he does not need to be nil by mouth”.

Thirdly, and probably more worryingly, I require assistance with personal care including going to the toilet etc. However, the nurses would not offer assistance with this, nor feeding me food or giving me a drink or suchlike. They never once offered to assist me with any task apart from the usual dispensing of medication etc. I had my own personal assistant with me but this should not change the duty the nurses have to provide individual care based on the patients needs. This has been brought up in my earlier blog regarding Disability Equality Duty as the NHS are bound by this.

All in all, I was glad to be finally discharged but there are serious questions that the NHS and St Helier Hospital in particular need to address. Level of care must be to the highest standards for all patients alike and on this occasion, as in many in the past, they were sorely lacking.

A Recent Experience of Accident & Emergency

2009-08-14T13:13:00.002+01:00

Following a recent incident, I had to go to St Helier Accident and Emergency department in Carshalton, Surrey where it took considerable time (well over an hour) to move from an ambulance stretcher to one of the A&E beds. However, I do use the word "bed" loosely as it was little more than a trolley with a bit of padding on it!

Whilst I do understand about the use of limited resources and lack of funding within the NHS, surely A&E beds should be one of the most important things that should be addressed. In fact, I feel it is a priority and certainly a necessity.

The other harrowing thing I found about lack of resources was that they had no spare pillows! Even I would have thought that funds were available to supply something so simple. This sort of practice is appalling and has given me an even worse of impression of St. Helier Hospital than I had in the first place.

UK ratifies the UN Disability Convention

2009-06-30T14:32:00.002+01:00

At long last the UK have finally ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

After much stalling on the part of our Government, Jonathan Shaw, Minister for Disabled People announced on 8th June 2009 that the convention had been ratified and that the government were fully committed to its full implementation. In a statement to the House of Commons, he said:

"I am delighted to announce that later today the UK will ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in New York. In addition, we aim to start the Parliamentary process for ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention shortly.

"There are an estimated 650 million disabled people in the world, including over 10m in the UK. The UN Convention is a powerful and explicit statement that they have – and must be able to enjoy on an equal basis – the same human rights as others. The Convention is therefore a very significant landmark, both for disabled people and for Government and society as whole.

"Ratification of the Convention is further demonstration of the Government’s commitment to equality of human rights for disabled people, and of our determination to achieve equality by 2025."

The Convention is a major landmark as it is the first human rights treaty of the 21st Century and will hopefully ensure equality for all 650 million disabled people across the world. The convention focuses on ensuring that all disabled people are able to enjoy fundamental human rights and thus participate fully in society.

It is my opinion that the UK government took far too long in agreeing this Convention and I wholeheartedly supported the criticism directed at them for seeking a number of opt-out clauses regarding immigration, education and the armed forces. It would now seem that by ratifying this Convention, the Government has accepted their legal obligation to ensure that all necessary laws are passed.

Implementation now looms and this will be a challenging process that must involve the disabled community as a whole. Their voices must be heard in ensuring that equality becomes a standard rather than a privilege.

A Newsletter of Worth

2009-06-22T13:45:00.002+01:00

My company, DP Consulting (Disability Equality Services) Limited regularly assesses how it can increase inclusion to mainstream activities and I believe that raising awareness of disability issues does just that.

As a new medium we have implemented an innovative E-Newsletter which, in our first issue focuses on Disabled People and Work. Firstly, we take a look at the situation with the Incapacity Benefit Reform. And the second article examines Disabled People's Job Prospects in a Recession.

As disability equality consultants, we are very keen for disabled people to live and work on an equal footing with their non-disabled counterparts. So these issues are very important to us.

Please take a look and I do hope you find this informative. If you wish to receive our E-Newsletter on a regular basis please contact murali@dpconsulting.org.uk with E-Newsletter in the subject line.

Disabled People’s Voice Becomes No More Than A Whisper – The Danger of The Equality Bill

2009-06-17T14:34:00.000+01:00

The Government has published a single Equality Bill for the UK. If passed, this will bring disability, gender, race and other strands of discrimination within one piece of legislation. The proposals for the Bill also include some major changes to disability discrimination law but not necessarily for the better.

For many disabled people, the Equality Bill is oppressive and demeaning to disabled people. Our voice is lost in the confused and incoherent message caused by the integration of equality under one heading. What the Equality Bill fails to recognise is that whilst the strands of equality have a common aim, they are all very different and require many different approaches. The understanding of discrimination on the grounds of race or gender is far more known in the public domain than that of disability and under the Equality Bill, we have a real danger of the disabled people’s voice becoming little more than a whisper.

It has taken many campaigners many years to get where we are today with disability discrimination and changes have been slow to come. I, like many, doubt that I will see true equality for disabled people in my lifetime but I am determined to do all that I can to raise inclusion for all. The UK was very much forced to bring in the DDA but it has its limitations i.e. a requirement to make buildings accessible, but there was a more than liberal get-out clause and even more liberal lead-in times which allowed business managers to skirt around the issues. There has been little decisive action taken against offenders and we are still in a position whereby large areas of goods and services are unavailable to disabled people - some by direct discrimination i.e. non-accessible buildings and others by indirect discrimination such as no dropped kerbs etc.

The proposed Equality Bill attempts to level the playing field for all inequalities but somewhat leads to inconsistencies and there are ‘priority battles’ that have not been properly ironed out. The Equality Bill fails to address the many areas that disability reform requires and in doing so can only push back disabled equality rather than move it forward.

Assisted Suicide - A Personal View

2009-06-12T10:45:00.004+01:00

“Assisted Suicide” is the process by which an individual, who may otherwise be incapable, is provided with the means (drugs or equipment) to commit suicide. In some cases, the terms aid in dying or death with dignity are preferred. These terms are often used to draw a distinction from suicide”

Another emotive subject to say the least and this issue always provokes persuasive arguments on both sides of the debate with the difficult subject of disability and assisted dying often being raised in the media.

In 2008, the number of assisted suicides in Holland went up by 10% when compared to 2007. An annual report by five regional euthanasia vetting committees stated that 2,300 cases had been reported and that they expected a further increase in 2009. This clearly shows that there is a demand for this type of policy but is it right for us as a society to be accepting of this practice?

Often the pro-sided will argue that this allows someone to end their life with dignity and we should respect their decision. However, the issue with this type of policy is that you are effectively asking someone, usually a doctor to kill you and therefore the decision can no longer be just about “your choice and your life”. It very much involves other people namely a doctor, your family & friends and indeed society as a whole. Has society become that heartless that we allow a life to end under the disguise of compassion?

Looking deeper, as a society we have to establish why people consider this action and ultimately decide it is right for them. I understand and support every person’s right to choice and the freedom to live their lives how they see fit but I strongly believe that assisted suicide poses a real danger to disabled people. The focus has to be on the disabled person’s quality of life and who has the right to make decisions about their importance to society. It is a real concern that pressure or intimidation may be used to “force” disabled people to consider assisted suicide when we should, in fact, be supporting them to understand how invaluable they are and how they can reach their true potential.

Quality of life is very individual and ultimately it is more about our frame of mind rather than the things we have but this is not unique to disabled people but all of society. As we travel through the journey of life, as humans we regularly re-assess our lives and our priorities change – what once seemed important becomes less so and things we thought we had plenty of time to do suddenly become imperative.

Living with a disability needs a time of reflection but no more than experiencing a divorce, the death of a loved one or even redundancy. The timescale of this reflection is personal with some needing longer than others but after this process we are left with a sense of our own self-worth – of knowing our own importance – and re-defining our self-esteem.

It is easy during our darkest moments to look for a “get out” clause and I believe that assisted suicide may just be that. The sad and cold hard fact is that once you take this route there is no turning back. It will be too late to realise just how we impact on those we care about and society in general.

In an ideal world, we would all be able to be “James Stewart” living “Our Wonderful Life” moment and seeing how our very existence is intricately woven into the lives of others but in real life this does not happen and we have to embrace the challenges that life throws at us – the very good and the very bad.

Grab life and live it to its fullest.

Stem Cell Research

2009-06-03T09:40:00.009+01:00

Stem Cell Research is a very emotive subject and for many it falls down to the ethics of the research but I want to look at the idea of this type of research from someone living with a disability namely ME!

Firstly, we have to establish what Stem Cell Research actually is;

“Stem cells are thought to hold huge potential for treating a wide range of disease and disability. Scientists around the world are working on techniques to refine stem cell therapy. Theoretically, it should be possible to use stem cells to generate healthy tissue to replace that either damaged by trauma, or compromised by disease.

Among the conditions which scientists believe may eventually be treated by stem cell therapy are Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, diabetes, burns and spinal cord damage”.(Source)

Secondly, we have to establish a view point. Whilst I appreciate the advantages of this research for people who wish to benefit from this type of change, for me personally, I am “against” the idea. But why?

Surely this type of research may find a treatment to my condition?

Stem Cell Research falls very definitely into that of the Medical Model of Disability. The perception is disabled people experience a medical condition and medicine is for treating people who experience illness. As a disabled person, I am perceived as being ill and must be treated. The Medical Model of Disability creates the perception of ‘normalcy” but why should we all be the same?

What it fails to consider is that my disability is me. Without it I would not be who I am or why I am. My disability has developed my personality and the growth of me as an individual. I am part of a community and part of a culture. Stem Cell Research may well be able to “cure” me but I don’t want to be “cured” and I do not want to see the eradication of the disability community.

Instead of Stem Cell Research, we should be trying to establish the Social Model of Disability and Accessibility far more widely in our society. The support of equal rights for all disabled people is a far more worthy direction to take than Stem Cell Research.

I find myself unable to support Stem Cell Research for the very reason that my disability is ME. Take away my disability and you take away the very essence of who I am.

Why Businesses Need to Understand the Disability Discrimination Act

2009-05-29T18:20:00.005+01:00

One of the main services my company offers is that of “Access Auditing” for all manners of organisations be them small, medium, large or public/private sector and it always amazes me just how little many businesses know about the Disability Discrimination Act and their requirements. It is somewhat worrying that many do not understand that they do have a duty under this Act and that they are often placing themselves in a position where they could face legal action.

So what should all businesses know about the Disability Discrimination Act............

Firstly, all businesses must wake up and realise that they need to know about the Disability Discrimination Act and that ignorance could mean they face a legal action for misconduct in the future.

From the personnel stance, the main thing to consider is that any business with less than 15 employees must not and cannot refuse employment to someone due to disability. It is a requirement that all reasonable adjustments are made to your business premises and business practice to ensure that it is accessible to all.

From the customer stance, making your business accessible can only be good. Recent research by the Equality & Human Rights Commission found that whilst 1 in every 10 businesses would prefer not to alter their premises to make them suitable, 8 in every 10 believed that by doing so they would have a positive impact on their business. Figures also show that the spending power of disabled people is estimated to be around £80 billion per year (Source DWP). Can you, as a business, afford to discriminate against potential customers?

As a business, the best and most effective action to take is to conduct an Access Audit by a qualified Auditor. This will result in a full report that will highlight what barriers exist and what action needs to be taken.

Concerns about adjustments are usually founded on misconceptions – the main one being that implementation of adjustments will cost a lot of money. However, this is rarely the case and simple and effective changes can be made at little or no cost at all. An effective Auditor will take into account your business annual turnover and all recommendations will take into account what will be deemed reasonable for you and your business.

As an idea, adjustments can be made simply by:-

1. Removing barriers i.e. removing an unnecessary step etc

2. Alternatives to existing i.e. adding a ramp, providing clearer signage etc

3. Avoid a potential barrier i.e. a simple change to the internal premises

4. Provision through other means i.e. larger print, web accessibility etc

There are very few exceptions to the Disability Discrimination Act and you are required to make reasonable adjustments even if your business has no disabled employees or customers. Whilst some buildings may have restrictions on alterations i.e. listed buildings, they are not completely exempt and solutions are expected to be found.

Like many, you could choose to ignore the Disability Discrimination Act but the consequences are far reaching as the Act makes it unlawful to treat a disabled person less favourably and DDA claims are on the increase and figures show that last year an average of over £33,000 was awarded (Source: Employment Tribunal Services).

Can your business afford to do nothing?

And the Winner is......................

2009-05-21T13:40:00.004+01:00

Last night’s awards managed to both dazzle and impress me .The size of the event - the décor, attendees and the presentations – far exceeded my expectations, and really displayed the high calibre of businesses within our area.

One highlight of any black tie event is the dinner. There is almost something deliciously indulgent about sitting down at a table with white tablecloth and gleaming glassware/cutlery. As the servers began to weave their way through the throng of tables, the distinct aroma of each course signalled that moment of unadulterated escape for our taste buds, from the light Pimms dressing on the Poached Scottish Salmon to the Chicken wrapped in Parma Ham and finally the pleasure of the Trio of Cheesecakes (pecan, raspberry, double chocolate). Delicious!

People watchers were in their element. The men in their black-ties all appeared so dignified but there were also one or two that tried to add their own flair of individuality be it with a bright coloured bow-tie or an elaborate cumbabund.

The women were dressed to impress with an equal balance of short cocktail dresses to long gowns. Whilst the majority were black, a glimpse of colour regularly caught your eye to brighten the event.

And so on to the Awards themselves...............

Cheers rang out around the marquee as each category and the relevant short-listed finalists were announced by the Capital Gold DJ, David Jensen. With 12 categories and mine being the eleventh, nerves did begin to settle in but finally the “Entrepreneur of the Year” sponsored by South London Business was being called. All of the short-listed companies:- Alchemy Events, Boogles, DP Consulting (Disability Services) Ltd, Independent MindBodySoul Ltd, JP Creative and Le Cassolet were introduced.

Unfortunately, I did not win but was awarded “Highly Commended”. The winner of the “Entrepreneur of the Year” category was awarded to Independent MindBodySoul Ltd.

Whilst I would have been delighted to win, I am both extremely pleased to have been short-listed and to have been awarded “Highly Commended”. Myself and my team work hard to promote our company ethos of “inclusion for all” and whilst at times it is challenging to make the improvements we envisage, it is most definitely worthwhile and awards such as these reinforces our belief in what we do.

The awards presentation was followed by a prize draw, photographs and strutting our stuff on the dance floor – though not everyone had the natural ability of John Travolta!

May I say congratulations to all those companies throughout the night that were short-listed, awarded Highly Commended and the actual Winners. Well done!

An excellent evening all round.

South London Business Awards - Tonight!

2009-05-20T13:20:00.001+01:00

Tonight is the night for the South London Business Awards Ceremony which is being held at Selhurst Park Stadium and as you all know, I am a finalist. As you can imagine I am both excited and nervous. Excitement about the event as a whole but nervous about the result!

For the gentleman, our black ties are at the ready and a more dapper group of men you will never find and for the ladies, their posh frocks have been chosen and their shoes and handbags co-ordinated.

With our fingers and toes crossed, we all look forward to a splendid evening and I will of course let you all know the result!

Equality Bill 2009 & the Existence of Inequality

2009-05-19T10:10:00.002+01:00

On 27th April this year, the current Government released the Equality Bill 2009 with the intention of simplifying and harmonizing existing legislation such as the Disability Discrimination Act, Race Relations Act, the Sex Discrimination Act, the Equality Act 2006 and many other anti-discrimination legislation.

With so much equality legislation in force, it is sad to see that we still have an increase in terms of actual inequality.

Ronald Dworkin, a political theorist, based his theory of equality on the principle that “every person is entitled to equal concern and respect in the design of the structure of society” and “real equality of opportunity can only be measured by its success in creating equality of outcome”.

He further argues that if everyone, regardless of physical and mental ability, are to have genuine equal opportunities, then an equal opportunity must exist for all participants to end the race at the same time whether they need more considered or continued support or not.

The Disability Discrimination Act is currently the only equality legislation that requires anyone to invest financially into real equality of opportunity but this in reality is minimal as the Act states that only “reasonable” changes can be expected at a “proportionate” cost.

For many employers and service providers accessibility is considered low down on their list of priorities and even the simplest of adaptations such as ramps, induction loops etc are rarely considered.

Only time will tell whether the new Equality Bill will make significant changes to providing genuine equality of opportunity to people with disabilities but it is my belief that until fundamental changes are made to people’s perception of disability, we will not see true equality.

Those MPs and Their Expenses Claims

2009-05-15T13:24:00.003+01:00

Wow what a week or so it has been for our elected Members of Parliament!

As expressed by many living in the real world, the expenses situation is out of control and needs drastic action to take place immediately.

As the Director of a small business, I cannot see how the present system has been allowed to exist as there are clear and concise rules as to what can be legally claimed in expenses. The system is somewhat complex and dealing with it can take a lot of effort. Myself and all my employees know that no expenses will be paid unless receipts and a full justification is present – I have no choice but to make sure everything is in perfect order as if not, as the Company Director, I could end up in prison for tax fraud.

All our salaries are liable for income tax and the existing rules clearly define that we can only be reimbursed for genuine expenses incurred when carrying out our contracted jobs i.e. travelling expenses, hotel costs when working away from home and so on. These expenses do not have a net income and therefore they cannot be taxed. You cannot claim travel between your home and your regular place of work i.e. your commute and personal vehicle use is regulated and limited to 40 pence per mile and claiming for anything above this is illegal under the tax office rules. Any provision of goods deemed to be beyond what is reasonably needed for your actual work falls into the category of “payment in kind” and therefore becomes taxable. May I suggest that the Inland Revenue make arrangements as quickly as possible to investigate underpayment of tax from those Members of Parliament that have flouted these rules.

Whilst many of the items these MPs have claimed for are verging on the ridiculous, I suspect it is the rules that are at fault and not necessarily all of the claimants. They just took advantage of the situation and therefore their ethical and moral judgements must be questioned.

Unfortunately, it is clear that if the expenses policies had not been created by the MPs themselves, many of them would not be in the chaos that they are now.

Breakfast Speech by Dr Vincent Cable MP

2009-05-05T10:41:00.005+01:00

What a week I have had last week! Busy to say the least.

On Monday, I had the pleasure of attending a Business Breakfast Budget Briefing hosted by our local MP, Paul Burstow. Our guest speaker on this occasion was the Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Dr Vincent Cable MP and I really enjoyed his insight into what this quasi recession mess that we are in means, why we are in it and how we can get out of it.

It was refreshing to hear that Vince truly understands what it is like ‘on the ground‘ and he proposed changes that would make a real difference. Some harsh decisions are necessary and in particular an holistic approach to cutting public spending is required.

A Questions and Answers session took place after his talk and an enthusiastic audience of local business owners posed many fascinating questions for Dr Cable – he dealt with these very effectively and his answers were clear and concise.

Whilst it is clear that some businesses have continued to trade effectively, the vast majority face new struggles on a regular basis ranging from cash flow pressures to retaining/obtaining banking facilities. We are all having to make decisions to ensure the survival of our businesses in these difficult times and with a deluge of information being thrown at us about how long this economic climate will last and how best to survive it, we sometimes struggle to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I cannot provide any pearls of wisdom that will prove enlightening to all, other than to hunker down and just wait out the storm. Plan now for after the upturn so that you are in the perfect position to make strategic growth decisions and re-embrace the marketplace when the “sunnier” days come back.

The Hillsborough Disaster

2009-04-15T13:53:00.006+01:00

On 15th April 1989, an FA Cup Semi-Final being held at Hillsborough, home to Sheffield Wednesday, between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest was abandoned six minutes into the first half. What is now known as the Hillsborough Disaster resulted in the deaths of 96 football fans and it remains one of the worse stadium-related disasters in Britain.

Today, marking the 20th anniversary, the fans of all sides will gather at Anfield to pay their respects and at 3.06 pm there will be a two minute silence in remembrance of this tragic event.

As a football fan myself, I too will be thinking of this tradegy.

Today we have to remember that football is fairly insignificant in life but it can produce events that stay with us our whole lives. My thoughts, as I am sure those of every football fan in the country, go out to Liverpool today - the club, the players past and present, the fans and most importantly those families who had their lives ripped apart by a simple game of football.

Easter

2009-04-09T14:30:00.006+01:00

At Easter, we are lucky to have two public holidays: Good Friday and Easter Monday. This gives us all time to enjoy a long week-end with our family and friends.

For the young Easter is all about chocolate and bunnies whilst for the “young at heart”, we forget the bunnies and gorge on the chocolate!

Being a mind of trivia, I thought I would share with you some facts about this celebration:-

• Easter always falls between March 22 and April 25.

• The name Easter owes its origin from Eastre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess who symbolizes the hare and egg.

• From the earliest of times, the egg has been considered to be the most important symbol of rebirth.

• Originally, Easter baskets were made to look like bird’s nests.

• The original recipe for chocolate eggs originated in Europe in the 19th Century

• Every year over 90 million chocolate bunnies are made.

• In a recent survey, 76% of people said they preferred to eat the ears of chocolate bunnies first.

• If you have time on your hands, Pysanka is the specific term used for Easter egg painting.

Whatever your understanding of Easter is, be it religious or cultural, may it remind you of the beauty, joy and peace of the Easter Season. It is a time of hope and often starts new beginnings in life.

RBS South London Business Awards

2009-04-07T14:36:00.002+01:00

Exciting news – I have been shortlisted for the Entrepreneur of the Year Award at the RBS South London Business Awards.

This recent piece of good news is the latest in a series of successes for me on a personal note. Last December I was shortlisted for the Radar Disabled Entrepreneur of the Year Award but missed out in a very competitive field. And earlier this year I was appointed a member and an ambassador for the London Football Association Equality Advisory Group. So this shortlisting is another feather in my cap.

The winners of the RBS South London Business Awards will be announced at an Awards Dinner and Ceremony at Selhurst Park Stadium on 20 May.

I will keep you updated on the event and of course, the result!

Event - Railtex 2009

2009-03-19T13:56:00.002Z

I attended the Railtex 2009 conference held on Tuesday 9th March 2009 at Earls Court Two.

Although the basic access was acceptable, I must point out to you that I feel strongly that I was discriminated against on the grounds of my disability. As a wheelchair user, I had a very difficult and troubling experience when I went to purchase and consume my lunch at lunchtime.

Firstly, my colleague and I walked around the whole exhibition hall (taking approximately half-an-hour) and noticed that the vending counters were all on the ground floor together with very limited seating(for between 5 and 10 people). All the counters had signs pointing towards a stairway stating that additional seating was available upstairs. On further investigation i.e. walking around the exhibition hall again and asking a number of staff at various vending counters where the lifts were, I received a negative response. I went on to ask a further six venue staff who like the vending staff, did not know the location of an appropriate lift. The outcome of this situation resulted in me being unable to have lunch and drew a very poor picture on Earls Court which is meant to be one the world’s leading exhibition centres. This is a clear issue where disability equality training and access auditing are needed. Although I am not legally qualified, this would appear to be a violation of Part III of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 which makes it clear that reasonable steps (including physical alterations) should be made to enable disabled people to access goods and services to the same standards as any other person.

Taking into account the numbers of people attending events within Earls Court and bearing in mind the minimal amount of resource needed to rectify this situation, I can see no obvious reason why these access works have not been implemented.

I have written to both Earls Court and to the Railtex organisers, asking for an urgent reply.

Watch this space!

Disabled People and TV

2009-03-19T11:50:00.004Z

I thought I would repost a previous blog which may be of interest. Cherrie Burnell appeared on the One Show on BBC1 last night and spoke about the lack of disabled people on television and her recent experience of discrimation from some parents.

Official statistics show that 98% of British homes have a television and the average adult spends approximately 24¾ hours per week watching - be it the soaps, quiz shows or current affairs.

But how are disabled people represented on our screens?

There is a general lack of representation of disabled people from mainstream programming and when they are, it is usually in the role of a disabling stereotype. Many current affair programmes concentrate on issues related to the traditional medical treatment or look at stories under the banner of “triumph over adversity”. Many of our fictional programmes portray disabled characters as being powerless and victims further reinforcing the misconceptions of disabled people.

I strongly believe that better representation of disabled people in all forms of the media would provide an instant educational tool and provide an ideal opportunity for people to learn more about disability. Genuine portrayal of disabled people would remove the many myths and stereo-typing associated with disability.

In the 21st century it is hard to comprehend the small-mindedness that still exists in our society and I was shocked to learn that the introduction of a disabled television presenter could cause the floodgates of complaint to open.

Cerrie Burnell is a children’s television presenter who recently joined the CBeebies channel. The important questions here should be “can she do her job?” and “does she entertain the children?” Unfortunately, these seem to have taken a sideline to “but she is disabled” and a vicious campaign has begun.

Parents across the country are complaining about her role and claim their children are traumatised by her disability. The BBC has been accused of “political correctness” and “trying to meet employment quotas”. Both statements are extremely wrong on all counts. How can a disability be classed as “political correctness” and there is no such thing as “employment quotas” any more.

There are many things in our world today that can and do cause worry to children but disability should not be one of them. Parents must have a duty to educate their children and instead of using Cerrie Burnell as someone to be vilified they should be using this opportunity to remove the “stigma” of disabled people. Children are now introduced to all manner of information from an early age and why shouldn’t disability be one of them?

I do hope that the BBC treats this matter with the sensitivity it deserves and continues to support not only Cerrie Burnell but many other disabled people. On many occasions, disabled people are introduced not because they are ordinary but precisely the opposite and for this reason we need to change our mindset.

I have been accepted on to The London Football Association Equality Advisory Group.

2009-03-16T21:15:00.004Z

Good News!

I am a Director and Senior Disability Equality Consultant in a Cheam-based disability equality practice, DP Consulting and I have just been appointed a member and an ambassador for the London Football Association Equality Advisory Group.

I set up DP Consulting (Disability Equality Services) Ltd with a view to increasing the inclusion of disabled people in mainstream activities, so this latest appointment is very much in keeping with my core values and my desire to see disabled people play a greater role in society on an equal footing with their non-disabled counterparts.

In addition to my work at DP Consulting – whose main disability equality services include access auditing and mystery shopping – I will now have a say in how the County Football Association plans to deliver equality in London.

As a Disability Equality Consultant and an avid football fan, I am delighted and honoured to be a part of the London Football Association Equality Advisory Group.

Gordon Brown, His Recession Plans and Access

2009-03-11T12:42:00.002Z

Previous recessions have been dealt with by different governments in different ways. I am not alone in saying that the depth and predicted duration of the current recession is extremely severe. In the past, as they were minor in comparison they were dealt with by changes in fiscal policy i.e. changes in interest rates, VAT, income tax rate, personal allowances and so on. It has been clear that changes to fiscal policy alone would not work to get us out of this hole we are in. Therefore, further stronger and what can be seen as more radical tools need to be used.

In Gordon Brown’s latest effort to boost the economy he has decided to spend billions of pounds of the tax payers monies on not only “bailing out” the banks but also trying to bring forward public expenditure on capital projects but in the spirit of my blog, I need to bring this into the access arena.

I am concerned that when these projects are being forward, often and more so recently, the access considerations are being scrutinised even more closely and then cut back or not done at all. Therefore, it is all well and good saying build these millions of buildings but then the developers look at where they can trim their costs. Once again access issues get overlooked and disabled people are again pushed to the sidelines. This is a clear issue which needs to be addressed and the Government must spell this out and if necessary the force of the DDA needs to be felt by the violators. Maybe this is a topic that the Equality & Human Rights Commission needs to look into.

Artwork by Disabled Artists

2009-03-06T12:23:00.001Z

The final piece in our series of artwork by disabled artists is "A Representation of Disability" by Andrew Milne.

Andrew is a member of the local arts group run by Sutton Centre for Independent Living and Learning.

Disabled People & Television (Part 2)

2009-03-03T13:42:00.004Z

In a previous blog, I bemoaned the fact that disabled people are sorely under-represented on our goggle-boxes. And this is still the fact but I was delighted to hear that a presence will be seen in one of our soaps shortly.

Actress and comedienne Kitty McGeever, is to be introduced to the prime-time soap Emmerdale, which can be seen on ITV1, as a character called Lizzie Lakely. Her remit is to bring “remorseless bad behaviour and mischievous antics” to the village.

With Kelly Marie-Stewart now established in Hollyoaks, we can only wait to see which of our remaining soaps follow suit.

I have only two wishes on this:- firstly that all characters are given more realistic and dramatic roles; and secondly, that one of them introduces a disabled male character.

Whilst it may seem that the introduction of only two disabled characters into programmes that are seen by millions is small, we must ensure that programme makers take note and dip their toes in the water!

Artwork by Disabled Artists

2009-02-27T08:46:00.002Z

The next in our series of artwork by disabled artists is "A Representation of Disability" by Linda Marshall.

Linda is a member of the local arts group run by Sutton Centre for Independent Living and Learning.

Disabled People and Television

2009-02-24T13:20:00.001Z

Official statistics show that 98% of British homes have a television and the average adult spends approximately 24¾ hours per week watching - be it the soaps, quiz shows or current affairs.

But how are disabled people represented on our screens?

There is a general lack of representation of disabled people from mainstream programming and when they are, it is usually in the role of a disabling stereotype. Many current affair programmes concentrate on issues related to the traditional medical treatment or look at stories under the banner of “triumph over adversity”. Many of our fictional programmes portray disabled characters as being powerless and victims further reinforcing the misconceptions of disabled people.

I strongly believe that better representation of disabled people in all forms of the media would provide an instant educational tool and provide an ideal opportunity for people to learn more about disability. Genuine portrayal of disabled people would remove the many myths and stereo-typing associated with disability.

In the 21st century it is hard to comprehend the small-mindedness that still exists in our society and I was shocked to learn that the introduction of a disabled television presenter could cause the floodgates of complaint to open.

Cerrie Burnell is a children’s television presenter who recently joined the CBeebies channel. The important questions here should be “can she do her job?” and “does she entertain the children?” Unfortunately, these seem to have taken a sideline to “but she is disabled” and a vicious campaign has begun.

Parents across the country are complaining about her role and claim their children are traumatised by her disability. The BBC has been accused of “political correctness” and “trying to meet employment quotas”. Both statements are extremely wrong on all counts. How can a disability be classed as “political correctness” and there is no such thing as “employment quotas” any more.

There are many things in our world today that can and do cause worry to children but disability should not be one of them. Parents must have a duty to educate their children and instead of using Cerrie Burnell as someone to be vilified they should be using this opportunity to remove the “stigma” of disabled people. Children are now introduced to all manner of information from an early age and why shouldn’t disability be one of them?

I do hope that the BBC treats this matter with the sensitivity it deserves and continues to support not only Cerrie Burnell but many other disabled people. On many occasions, disabled people are introduced not because they are ordinary but precisely the opposite and for this reason we need to change our mindset.

Artwork by Disabled Artists

2009-02-20T12:30:00.005Z

Continuing our series of artwork by disabled artists from a local arts group run by Sutton Centre for Independent Living and Learning, I give to you "A Representation of a Tea Lady" by Julie Killick.

I do hope you are enjoying this series of work and would welcome your comments.

Local Authority and Services for Disabled People

2009-02-18T11:47:00.008Z

At this time of year, we see local authorities and companies alike start to announce their budgets for the forthcoming year. Whilst sometimes any reduction in spending can be quite minimal, it is in times of recession where these cuts make a real impact particularly on services.

It would seem that the standard for local authorities is to slash services whilst upping our council tax revenue. We often hear them bleating on about the demand on their revenue and how services need to be reviewed or cut to balance their books. Invariably the services affected are those for the most vulnerable within our society and therefore, disability services are always hit the hardest.

My own local authority, London Borough of Sutton, have already begun to enforce cuts. The most recent being to reduce transport services for disabled children. They stress that there is a need for costs to be re-assessed as the spend value for this service in 2005/2006 was £2.8 million but in 2008/2009 this will have increased to £4.3 million.

When looking at these figures, it is easy to say “wow that cost has increased” but we all need to look at the historical facts on local authority spending. Every year, we see huge reductions in services for the disabled and elderly. Do the local authorities see these groups as easy targets or do they look at their spending objectively?

Sorry to say but I feel it is the former.

Past spending by London Borough of Sutton include:-

• £600,000 on a bus stop
• £20,000 on two totem poles in a public park
• £4 million on building a “Sutton Life Centre” when no funds are available to run it

It would seem that objectivity does not come into it.

It is estimated that London Borough of Sutton has £5.5 million frozen in Icelandic accounts and an additional £11 million sitting in its purse for a rainy day. May I suggest they take a look out the window – the rain is torrential!

Instead of cutting services for disabled people, it may be the case that better money management is needed.

Artwork By Disabled Artists

2009-02-13T09:10:00.004Z

Our series of artwork continues today with “A Representation of a Man Crossing the Road” which was produced by Michelle Pollard.

I do hope you enjoy this, and indeed, all our artwork that was produced by a local arts group run by Sutton Centre for Independent Living and Learning (SCILL). All artwork in our series were produced by disabled artists.

You have all heard the word “accessible” but what does it truly mean?

2009-02-12T13:47:00.005Z

In my day-to-day life, I often come into contact with businesses, organisations, societies etc that state that they are “accessible” without them really understanding this term. So what does “accessible” actually mean and does the understanding of non-disabled people comprehend the need for increased accessibility?

In its simplest term, “accessible” means that a service is useable but does this cover it?

As an example, I regularly see guides, be it a hotel guide or maybe even a restaurant guide that list wheelchair accessibility but in practice this is, in fact, at a minimum and rarely looks beyond the obvious.

As a wheelchair user myself, I have visited many a place where I can't get in – yes they have a ramp but no door widening has taken place. If I do manage to enter, can I be certain that there is an accessible toilet or more importantly, is there a sufficient turning circle.

Take the term “accessible” away from restaurants to your average high street shop. Am I able to browse or are the racks too tightly packed together that even a size zero would struggle to negotiate their way through. How about paying? – are the tills lowered and, as recently highlighted on a previous blog, are the chip and pin machines available?

And what about the staff and their attitude? Are they aware of the needs of disabled people or will they try everything to avoid speaking to you?

How different the term “accessible” would be if a more prominent role in such matters was taken by disabled people. It is increasingly more obvious that the true meaning of “accessible” is not understood by most people and certainly not in the context that I use it.

What use is there for a ramp to an entrance if at the doorway there is a step?

What use is there for an accessible parking bay if there are no dropped kerbs?

A step, no turning circle or even an ignorant member of staff only equates to “inaccessible”

What Price Would You Put On A Life?

2009-02-09T11:18:00.005Z

Have you ever thought about what value you would put on the life of a loved one?

Not a particularly pleasant topic to consider is it?

On Monday of last week (2nd February 2009) a meeting was scheduled to discuss this very topic but unfortunately nature interrupted proceedings and the meeting was cancelled due to the adverse weather conditions. As of today, no re-scheduled date is available.

So who was it that was going to decide what price a life is worth?

Quite simply it was the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE).
If you haven’t heard of them, NICE work with the NHS to decide what expenditure there can be for all drugs including those for life-threatening conditions.

I am sure you have read or heard numerous stories of patients being denied drugs that could prolong and indeed improve their lives. So how do we put a value on life?

NICE currently use a system called “Quality Adjusted Life Year” or “QALY” for short. Under this system, the values are currently set at between £20,000 and £30,000. Disturbingly, these figures have been in place for over a decade and take no account of inflation or increases in NHS spending.

Patient groups have long argued that the current system is totally inadequate and needs a complete overhaul. Research would indicate that the general public feel the same as they indicate the values to be between £35,000 and £70,000. In addition, the public are confused by how living in one region affects these vital decisions. As an example, late last year, Carol Rummels won the right to have South Glocestershire Primary Care provide Tarceva, a cancer drug which will cost £1,500 per month. This was originally denied by NICE. The stupidity of it all was that if Carol had lived in Scotland, this drug was and still is, available free!

Helen Mason, lead author of a Newcastle University report, has said: "For the first time we have some estimates of what the public values most. While the methods need to be refined, it is important to get the public involved because, after all, it is their money. Quite soon there will be a body of evidence which will influence the way NICE and similar bodies across Europe make decisions."

Let’s hope NICE make the right decisions as it can only be seen as morally wrong of them to deny life-extending drugs to anyone who needs them and systematically impose a death sentence on those most vulnerable within our society.