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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.
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Burstow: We must address the UK’s mental health problems
September 2nd, 2010
Posted by Charlie Powell-Brett
There is a strong link between poor mental health and poverty in the UK, care services minister Paul Burstow has claimed.
Writing for Community Care, the minister stated that mental health problems exacerbate existing social issues, often contributing to a cycle of worklessness and poverty.
Mr Burstow highlights the fact that unemployed people are four-times as likely to experience a mental health issue than individuals in work, while mental health costs the economy some £77 billion every year.
“What we really need is a wholesale shift in emphasis to give mental health parity with physical health in the NHS,” the care services minister stated.
“We must also draw on a broader canvas in preventing people from developing mental illness,” he added.
The minister concluded by stating that the Department of Health is set to reshape mental health strategy in the coming months.
Mental health problems affect one in four people at some point in their lives.
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Services for young adults with complex needs ‘not appropriate’
September 2nd, 2010
Posted by James Lahey
Young adults with disabilities often feel abandoned when making the transition to adult services in the UK, it has been reported.
According to a report published by Young People in Focus (YPiF), young people with complex needs are not being adequately supported - a fact that is leaving them isolated and unable to cope socially.
Community Newswire notes that the Made to Measure report is based on a series of interviews carried out with service users, many of whom were not referred to new counsellors after turning 18.
One young person stated that there was “no preparation” for her leaving support services.
Rob Allen, chair of the Transition to Adulthood (T2A) Alliance, of which YPiF is a member, told Community Newswire: “Adult services in a lot of cases are simply not appropriate for the 18 to 24-year-old age group.
“We need a systematic and tailored approach across the board for this age group.”
The T2A coalition also includes the Prince's Trust, the Criminal Justice Alliance and Young Minds.
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Problems with benefits increase
September 1st, 2010
Posted by James Lahey
There was an increase in the number of benefit problems during the second quarter of 2010, it has been revealed.
According to Citizens Advice, a general lack of understanding of employment and support allowance (ESA) rules among Jobcentre Plus and Department for Work and Pensions medical staff has led to issues surrounding the benefit.
Combined with the “crude nature” of work capability assessments, this caused problems relating to ESA to rise 77 per cent compared with April to June 2009.
On top of this, issues surrounding carers allowance and disability allowance rose 17 per cent and 11 per cent over the same period.
Gillian Guy, chief executive at Citizens Advice, said that claimants on incapacity benefit will be moved to ESA this autumn.
“With so many flaws in the current system we predict the number of people who come to us for advice on this benefit will only continue to increase,” Ms Guy added.
ESA replaced incapacity benefit and income support for new claimants from October 27th 2008.
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Blind man backs dangerous dogs petition
August 29th, 2010
Posted by Ben Jones
A blind dog owner has spoken out in favour of tougher penalties for the owners of dangerous dogs.
Barrie Hopcroft and his guide dog Bailey attended the media launch of a new petition calling for harsher sentencing for owners of out of control dogs, Guide Dogs reports.
Organised by deputy mayor of policing Kit Malthouse, the event took place in Battersea Park on Wednesday (August 25th).
Mr Hopcroft was himself the victim of an aggressive dog, when Bailey was attacked in the street by a pitbull, throwing the owner to the ground and causing a bite wound that required 24 stitches.
The owner of the pitbull left the scene on a nearby bus.
The guide dog owner told the charity: “Even now, over a year later, Bailey is wary when approached by the same type of pitbull terriers. These dogs need to be on leads and muzzled in public.”
Mr Malthouse called for a “hard-line approach” to dangerous dogs that allows police to seize animals responsible for attacks on private property.
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Clegg visits Sheffield autism support service
August 23rd, 2010
Posted by James Lahey
Nick Clegg has visited an autism support centre in South Yorkshire.
The deputy prime minister paid a trip to Autism Plus in Attercliffe, Sheffield over the weekend (August 20th), meeting disabled people who have received advice and support through the initiative, Community Newswire reports.
The scheme is partnered with Jobsteps Employment Service, which supports disadvantaged disabled adults who are in search of paid employment.
Eight service users also gave a theatrical performance during Mr Clegg's visit after being inspired to form the group by a Channel 4 programme on autism.
The minister was shown how Autism Plus is still supporting people with complex conditions through new initiatives, despite the withdrawal of large amounts of government funding.
“We believe in empowering our customers, giving them choice and responsibility and getting them involved in the community through volunteering and paid work in our social enterprises,” Philip Bartey, chief executive of Autism Plus, told the news source.
Jobsteps has supported a total of 850 people through its network of services in the past year alone.
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Mencap cautiously welcomes benefit reform
August 22nd, 2010
Posted by Charlie Powell-Brett
Mencap has cautiously welcomed the coalition government's plans to reform the benefits system, warning that disabled people must not lose their financial support.
Last month (July) saw work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith unveil the new approach in a paper entitled 21st Century Welfare.
It outlined plans to make the benefit system simpler and easier to understand, as well as protecting it from fraudulent claims, and will be followed up by a white paper next year.
The charity praised the new approach, but brought up issues surrounding disability benefit.
“Mencap is concerned that some people with a learning disability will not continue to receive disability living allowance (DLA),” said Esther Foreman, Mencap campaigns and policy manager.
“We want to ensure that any medical assessment does not unfairly squeeze people with a learning disability out,” she added.
The organisation is currently carrying out an online survey to find out how disabled people spend their DLA.
The benefit is made up of two parts - a care component and a mobility component.
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EDCM welcomes end to PCT nappy restrictions
August 20th, 2010
Posted by James Lahey
Every Disabled Child Matters (EDCM) has welcomed a move by David Cameron to stop primary care trusts (PCTs) limiting the number of nappies available to disabled children.
The prime minister wrote to the organisation and online forum Mumsnet after both campaigned to end the practice, stating that “arbitrary ceilings are inappropriate”.
Mr Cameron added that the secretary of state for health has now asked the chief executive of the NHS to tell PCTs to end limits on nappies, instead encouraging them to assess each case according to need.
Christine Lenehan, EDCM board member and director of the Council for Disabled Children, said: “We look forward to receiving further information on the intervention by the chief executive of the NHS and urge all PCT chief executives to respond by lifting any blanket restrictions on nappy provision.”
She added that some PCTs currently offer just three or four nappies per day per child.
The EDCM and Mumsnet campaign began after Mr Cameron agreed to address the restrictions during a webchat in the lead up to the general election.
EDCM is operated by Mencap, Contact A Family, the Special Educational Consortium and the Council for Disabled Children.
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Capability and GCIL launch disability housing project
August 19th, 2010
Posted by James Lahey
A new project has been launched to give disabled people in Scotland greater access to housing.
The scheme is a collaboration between Capability and the Glasgow Centre for Independent Living (GCIL) and was launched today (August 19th) with seven events tailored to disabled people who have experienced housing problems.
A nationwide poll will also aim to build up an accurate picture of how housing issues affect disabled people in Scotland.
Richard Hamer, director of external affairs at Capability Scotland, welcomed the recent change in local housing allowance rules that means disabled people can now receive money to pay for an extra room for their carer.
“This is good news for many disabled people, but there is so much more that needs to be done to overcome the many barriers that currently deny individuals access to suitable, accessible housing,” Mr Hamer said.
Both Capability and GCIL were selected by the Scottish government as 'key strategic partners' for housing and disability in January.
Capability recently urged the parents of disabled children to identify gaps in childcare services in Scotland in its Early Years survey.
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EDCM calling for service cut stories
August 18th, 2010
Posted by Charlie Powell-Brett
Every Disabled Child Matters (EDCM) is appealing to supporters to submit stories about services that have been affected by recent local funding cuts.
The campaign hopes to gather information about how reduced funding has caused closures and cuts across the country and the knock-on effect this has had on service users.
It reports that this autumn will see the government allocate funding to services for disabled children and their families until 2015.
EDCM hopes to present evidence of the negative impact cuts can have before the funding allocation.
“EDCM wants to tell the government your stories and show them that cutting funding for valued disabled children's services will have a huge impact on many people's lives - and will not save them money in the long run,” the organisation states.
Supporters are being urged to fill in an online form available on the EDCM website before September 8th.
The charity campaign - which is operated by Mencap, Contact a Family, the Council for Disabled Children and the Special Education Consortium - also lobbies to improve education for disabled children, as well as housing and healthcare.
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