Popular topics
Popular topic: Equality
-
Disabled people excluded in Wales
September 4th, 2010
Posted by James Lahey
Disabled people living in Wales are often excluded from the democratic process and left isolated by a lack of tailored services, it has been revealed.
According to a forum commissioned by the National Assembly, many people are not involved in national life due to fears over speaking out about hate crimes, Wales Online reports.
The forum found that disabled people in Wales are sometimes too intimidated to report incidents, while many do not believe police officers respond effectively or promptly to reports.
It also highlighted the need for political parties to provide all information in Braille and British sign language, as well as improving access to voting for disabled people.
Dafydd Elis-Thomas, the Assembly's presiding officer, told the news source: “One of our key strategic aims is to increase participation in the political process among the people of Wales - including under-represented groups such as disabled people.”
Commenting shortly after the general election, Ruth Scott of Scope said people with disabilities should be able to cast their vote online.
- 0 Comments
0 Ratings, Not yet rated
-
Mind backs new mental health strategy
September 3rd, 2010
Posted by Charlie Powell-Brett
Mind has welcomed the government's plans for a new mental health strategy in the UK.
Responding to an article written by care services minister Paul Burstow for Community Newswire, in which he said the NHS must give mental health parity with physical health, the charity said the announcement was “encouraging”.
Mind chief executive Paul Farmer stated that any changes in the approach to mental health issues must be made in all areas of government and will only come through collaboration with public services.
Mr Farmer emphasised the importance of early intervention in minimising mental stress and saving money on treatment.
“While we appreciate that in the current financial climate there is a need to look at savings, it is imperative that mental health is protected from cuts and that investment in this area continues,” the chief executive said.
He added that tackling stigma and public misconceptions is also vital in refining services and attitude towards mental health in the UK.
Mind recently expressed concerns over the exclusion of a woman with a history of mental health problems from the X-Factor TV talent show, stating that people should not be automatically barred from the programme due to their mental health.
- 0 Comments
- 0 Ratings, Not yet rated
-
Disabled people remain “invisible”
September 1st, 2010
Posted by Ben Jones
Disabled people remain hidden in day-to-day life despite the majority of people being in full support of their independence and equality.
According to figures released by Scope, 40 per cent of people who are not disabled and do not have a disabled family member do not know any disabled people, while nine out of ten have never had a disabled person in their house for a social event.
Despite this, 91 per cent of respondents to the ComRes poll believe disabled people should have the same opportunities as everyone else in society.
Scope chief executive Richard Hawkes said the “shocking evidence” shows how individuals with disabilities remain “invisible” in everyday life.
“We are deeply concerned that the government's spending cuts will end up pushing disabled people even closer to the fringes of society,” Mr Hawkes said.
He added that the government should carry out a full impact assessment before making moves to slash disability living allowance and incapacity benefit, since this could further marginalise the disabled population.
The chief executive recently warned that government cuts to benefits are a false economy and could create “greater levels of dependency” among claimants.
- 0 Comments
- 0 Ratings, Not yet rated
-
Theatre company tackles disability myths
August 31st, 2010
Posted by Ben Jones
Eight people with learning disabilities are poised to perform two musicals based on the experience of living with a disability.
Entitled Duck and What's Up Doc, the musicals were born out of personal accounts, interviews and workshops with disabled people, Community Newswire reports.
The Twisting Ducks Theatre Company will perform both shows at a launch night next week (September 7th) at the People's Theatre in Jesmond near Newcastle upon Tyne.
It is hoped that the musicals will help dispel myths and popular misconceptions about adults with learning disabilities.
Twisting Ducks member Kylie Wightman told the news source: “Some people might think that people with learning disabilities can't do the things that we can do. We make people aware of the challenges that people with learning disabilities can face.”
Ms Wightman added that she hopes the shows will make “real changes” to how disabled people are treated within healthcare and other services.
The theatre company also offers bespoke training and workshops centred around improving people's understanding of disabilities.
- 0 Comments
- 0 Ratings, Not yet rated
-
Disasters ‘tough on disabled people’
August 28th, 2010
Posted by Charlie Powell-Brett
Dealing with the effects of disasters is particularly hard for people with disabilities or mental health problems, it has been indicated.
According to research published in the American Psychological Association, disabled people faced “considerable barriers” to support services, housing and transportation in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Survivors with disabilities were found to be less likely to own their own home than those without disabilities, while they were also more likely to be unemployed.
Meanwhile, individuals who lived through the Oklahoma City bombings in 1995 were found to have suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and major depression.
Fran Norris PhD, director of the National Center for Disaster Mental Health Research at the Dartmouth Medical School, stated: “Community programmes should reach out to injured people for early mental health and functional assessments. Follow-up support services that address mental health and functional problems could be part of the treatment plan for those people treated for disaster-related injuries.”
The National Center for Disaster Mental Health Research is supported by funding from a number of institutions, including the University of Michigan.
- 0 Comments
- 0 Ratings, Not yet rated
-
More Changing Places toilets opened
August 16th, 2010
Posted by Ben Jones
There are now more than 200 Changing Places toilets available to the public across the UK.
According to Mencap, the specialist toilets - which offer extra space and features for disabled people - have taken off since their initial launch and are being backed by local authorities.
Aimed at the 40,000 people with profound and multiple learning disabilities currently living the UK, the toilets feature a height-adjustable seat, a hoist, a changing bench and a privacy screen.
The charity notes that the 200th Changing Places toilet was unveiled in Scotland last month (July), while 20 more are currently in the planning stage.
“The new facilities opened this year include a Changing Places toilet at George Best Belfast City Airport, the first at an airport in the UK. A Changing Places toilet will also be available at August's V Festival,” the organisation reports.
Sponsored by Clos-o-mat, the accessible toilets scheme offers a location map on its website, allowing users to search for their nearest Changing Places toilet using their address.
- 0 Comments
- 0 Ratings, Not yet rated
-
Many in UK ‘do not understand learning disabilities’
July 28th, 2010
Posted by Frances Sullivan
People in the UK do not properly understand the symptoms or consequences of having a learning disability, new research indicates.
According to survey figures published by Turning Point, almost a quarter (23 per cent) of respondents said disabled people lived in care homes, while one in three thought they could not live independent lives or have jobs.
On top of this, many grouped mental illness and dementia with learning disability.
Rosa Monckton, whose daughter has Down’s syndrome, observed that many respondents failed to recognise the positive qualities of people with learning disabilities, choosing to focus instead on negative characteristics such as poor social skills and slurred speech.
Adam Penwarden, director of learning disability services at Turning Point, commented: “People often think individuals with a learning disability are ‘different’ and discriminate against them because of this.
“In fact, they can make a great contribution to society when given the right support.”
Turning Point provides specialist and integrated social care services across England and Wales.
- 0 Comments
- 0 Ratings, Not yet rated
-
Sniffing device helps disabled communicate
July 27th, 2010
Posted by Ben Jones
New technology could enable severely disabled people across the world to communicate through sniffing, it has been revealed.
According to a team of Israeli researchers, the device has enabled more than a dozen quadriplegic people to write and guide a wheelchair using only their nose.
Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the report outlines how the technology senses pressure built up and released in the nose to control an assistive computer system.
The team revealed the device is controlled “with speed similar to that of a hand using a mouse or joystick”, enabling paralysed people to write text and move around through a series of sniffing and exhaling commands.
Researchers concluded that the new technology “may provide a host of viable solutions for the growing population of individuals who are severely disabled”.
The device has so far been tested on 15 disabled people and 96 non-disabled people.
It could be used to support the ten million disabled people in Britain.
- 0 Comments
- 0 Ratings, Not yet rated
-
Guide Dogs questions Kettering design award
July 27th, 2010
Posted by James Lahey
A national charity has expressed alarm that a multi-million pound development it considers inaccessible to blind and partially sighted people has been given a design award.
Guide Dogs reports that the Market Place project in Kettering triumphed in the pedestrian environment category of the Local Government News Street Design Competition despite the site being “potentially inaccessible” for blind people.
The charity notes the space could present serious problems for visually impaired people, including the risk of trips and falls caused by tapering ramps, irregular step heights and a recessed water feature.
Graham Kensett, Leamington Guide Dogs district team manager, said the design would make access “very difficult” for blind people.
“We would strongly recommend that the route is either pedestrianised or designated a vehicular only route - not both,” Mr Kensett commented.
Guide Dogs recently confirmed plans to work with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea on the redevelopment of Exhibition Road in London after the charity challenged shared surface design plans.
- 0 Comments
- 0 Ratings, Not yet rated
-
Time to Change anti-stigma campaign ‘reducing discrimination’
July 8th, 2010
Posted by Charlie Powell-Brett
The Time to Change campaign to end mental health stigma has reduced discrimination in the UK, it has been indicated.
People with mental health problems have reported four per cent fewer incidences of discrimination in the past year, while discrimination against those looking for employment fell nine per cent during the same period, figures from the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College London reveal.
On top of this, there has been a six per cent drop in the number of people losing their jobs due to a mental health issue.
Time to Change aims to reduce mental health discrimination in the UK by five per cent by 2012.
Professor Graham Thornicroft, part of the campaign evaluation team, said: “This raises the intriguing possibility that we may be approaching a tipping point at which more and more people feel able to speak about their own experience of mental ill health.”
He added that this could lead to greater “public acceptance and social inclusion”.
The Time to Change campaign has been backed by a number of celebrities, including Stephen Fry, Ruby Wax and Patsy Palmer.
- 0 Comments
1 Ratings, Good
