Guest guest Posted September 27, 2003 Report Share Posted September 27, 2003 Hi I'm sending this to you because you may have an interest in disabilities. I'm sending this on to: people I know who have disabilities of varying descriptions and types groups involved in disability rights work people I know who are interested in disability issues and two people (you know who you are ) who are involved in building planning stuff. I'm sending it on so you can subscribe if you want, following the link at the bottom. Just so you know about it really! NB DRC = Disability Rights Commission. love Pippa x News from the DRC Disability Rights Commission Email Bulletin no. 22 September 2003 Welcome to the September issue of the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) email bulletin. In this month's issue: 1. New DRC campaign: Open 4 All 2. We need your help! 3. " Climbing " wheelchair user wins legal victory to study A-levels 4. How to use Easy Words and Pictures - new DRC guide 5. DRC Annual Review is launched 6. Loophole in law provides 7. More DRC success stories 8. DRC consults disabled people on primary care services 9. DRC works with HTV in Wales 10. Altogether now: the birth of a Single Equalities Commission 11. DRC website research panel - volunteers sought 12. Call for response to consultation on major reforms to employment of disabled people 13. Landmark settlement for blind cricket team 14. Disability Capital Initiative 15. Ivan Massow bids to take advantage of the 16. Spread the news! 1. New DRC campaign: Open 4 All On the 3rd of October the Disability Rights Commission is launching a year-long campaign to raise awareness of new duties under the Disability Discrimination Act that come into force on the 1st of October 2004. These duties will mean service providers such as pubs, clubs, gyms and swimming pools, hospitals, restaurants and shops will all have to make " reasonable adjustments " to their premises or the way they provide their services to ensure they are not unreasonably difficult for disabled people. The launch of this campaign will see: - publication of research illustrating the experiences of disabled people in accessing services in England, Scotland and Wales, targeted at national media; - a series of photos of disabled celebrities appearing in consumer media, taken by celebrity photographer Gooding, aimed at raising awareness of the issues disabled people face when trying to access buildings; - " Inside Out " PR stunts aimed at regional media in Manchester, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Cardiff, which will transplant poor access scenarios (such as a visit to the dentist or restaurant) onto the street - the launch of a new " Open 4 All " microsite, www.open4all.org, giving service providers and disabled people information about the law and practical information on how services providers can meet their duties. The DRC will undertake a range of activities aimed at local authorities, the health, leisure and retail sectors over the next six months. From April next year, with six months to go before the legislation comes into force, we will focus on raising disabled people's awareness of their new rights. To find out about other campaign activities going on, please visit the Open 4 All microsite soon. To order the Code of Practice, which set out the legal position for these new duties, contact the Stationary Office by: Telephone: 0870 600 5533 Email: book.orders@... For practical advice and information targeted at different kinds of service provider, visit the microsite, www.open4all.org or contact the Disability Rights Commission's Helpline: Telephone: 08457 622 633 Textphone: 08457 622 644 Fax: 08457 778 878 Email: enquiry@.... Back to top 2. We need your help! Can you visit your local cinema, swimming pool, or supermarket easily without making an appointment? Do you experience difficulties just going shopping in the high street? Or perhaps you've had an evening out with friends ruined because of poor access? The Disability Rights Commission needs your support with the Open 4 All campaign. We need to tell service providers and the media just how bad access can be and what a difference it makes to disabled people's lives if they can't get out and do all the normal things in life. If you are disabled or have family members or friends who are, we'd like to hear from you about your experiences. In October, the Disability Rights Commission is launching its " Open 4 All " campaign to highlight the new legal duties that service providers have to remove physical barriers, which make it unreasonably difficult for disabled people to receive equal treatment. Your feedback to us on these or other examples of poor access may help improve matters for Britain's 8.6 million disabled people. If you or someone you know has faced these problems, and would be prepared to share your experiences, please contact Jemima Broadbridge, Press Officer at the Disability Rights Commission by: Telephone: 020 7211 4113 Email: open4all@... Mail: Jemima Broadbridge Disability Rights Commission 7th Floor 222 Grays Inn Road London WC1X 8HL Back to top 3. " Climbing " wheelchair user wins legal victory to study A-levels A 16-year-old wheelchair user who was refused a place by a sixth form college because it deemed him a safety risk has won a court victory today. The case, backed by the DRC, is the first time a mandatory injunction has been used to enforce the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) in the education system. Ford-Shubrook applied to St Dominic's Sixth Form College in Harrow, Middlesex to study geography and double IT A-levels. However, the IT room was on the first floor and could only be reached by a flight of steps with no lift. When 's parents suggested to the college that he used a " climbing " wheelchair to get up the steps, the college stated that this would constitute a health and safety risk and, without doing any individual assessment, refused to offer an interview. More.... Back to top 4. How to use Easy Words and Pictures - new DRC guide The DRC has produced a new guide to making information easy to understand. The book was written and designed in partnership with the Easy Read sub-group of the DRC Learning Disability Action Group. Members of the sub-group also helped make the tape that goes with the book. The guide, which is written in Easy Read, has key tips for information providers and shows good and bad examples. Copies of the book and tape are available from the DRC Helpline (please quote code FOCUS12/ER). Contact the DRC by: Telephone: 08457 622 633 Textphone: 08457 622 644 Fax: 08457 778878 Email: enquiry@... Back to top 5. DRC Annual Review is launched The DRC recently launched its third Annual Review in London. Entitled " Looking to the future " , the review provides the reader with a wealth of material, reporting not only on what we have achieved as an organisation over the past year but also looking ahead to our plans and targets in the years ahead. Go to our Annual Review micro-site The review is available in all alternative formats including Easy Read and can be ordered from our Helpline. A second launch is being held in Newcastle-upon-Tyne on Monday, 29th of September. Back to top 6. Loophole in law provides Gaps in anti-discrimination law are providing a " licence to discriminate " against disabled people. Nearly 10% of callers were turned away from the DRC's helpline last year because their situation or they themselves are not covered by the law. The DRC supported and welcomed new laws introduced by the Government to combat discrimination against disabled pupils and students in 2002, along with new rights coming into force in 2004 to protect disabled people employed by small businesses. But the Commission continues to hear from many disabled people who face discrimination that cannot be tackled and is urging the Government to introduce a Disability Bill to plug the gaps. More... Back to top 7. More DRC success stories Train company makes the change Mr L, a wheelchair user, uses the train regularly. His local station has a ramp, but he is unable to negotiate it without assistance, as it is too steep. The station is not staffed after 6pm and so, if Mr L arrives back after this time, he has to rely on a member of the public to assist him. On two occasions the train company has agreed to pay for taxis from Leeds to the client's local station, but later withdrew this service. The reason given was that the company was in the middle of devising a disability policy and in the meantime didn't feel that they could offer adjustments for one individual. Through DRC intervention, the train company agreed that new procedures would be implemented for the client and that, during times when his local station is unstaffed, a taxi would be provided from Leeds station at the expense of the train company. Care company cares for employee Ms O works at a residential care home. When being interviewed for her job, Ms O told her employer that she was on the waiting list for an assistance dog, as she is hard of hearing. However, once Ms O had been provided with her dog, her employer refused to allow her to work. The reasons given were health and safety, and clients and staff being afraid of or allergic to dogs. Ms O's employer didn't consider any reasonable adjustments to enable her to go back to work. Ms O returned the assistance dog and asked her employer if she could return to work, but her employer refused. The DRC intervened and Ms O's case was settled. Ms O received £2,500 in compensation and, as part of the agreement, Ms O's employer is providing training in disability awareness to its managers. Back to top 8. DRC consults disabled people on primary care services The DRC is increasingly working alongside health and social care professionals to improve the responsiveness of services to disabled people. As part of this process the DRC would appreciate disabled readers' experiences of good or bad service in the following areas: - primary care services, such as local GP surgeries, dental surgeries or community clinics, including new services such as " walk in " centres and " out of hours " services; - accident and emergency units. The DRC is particularly keen to hear about good or bad practice in the following issues: - physical access and measures that support people with hearing, sight or reading difficulties; - attitudes and awareness of staff as they assist disabled people; - the responsiveness of procedures to the needs of disabled people; - flexibility of staff when unforeseen circumstances arise. Your feedback will assist the DRC to develop guidance for these services. Please send your contributions to: Nick Gradwell Practice Development Disability Rights Commission 2nd Floor Arndale House Arndale Centre Manchester M4 3AQ Email: nick.gradwell@... Back to top 9. DRC works with HTV in Wales A series of hard-hitting documentaries featuring some prominent members of the disability movement in Wales have been broadcast this summer on HTV Wales. The programmes entitled " One in Six " coincide with the European Year of Disabled People. Disability Rights Commission Wales has contributed to a detailed campaign pack to accompany the series. Amongst our input is a brief indication on how disabled people can set about lodging an initial complaint and a step by step guide for employers, businesses and services. For more information on the documentaries, and for copies of the campaign pack, please email: jenny.selby@... Back to top 10. Altogether now: the birth of a Single Equalities Commission The DRC, the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr) and the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) are delighted to invite you to: " Altogether now: the birth of a Single Equalities Commission " , a fringe event at the 2003 Labour Party Conference on Sunday, 28th September 2003 , 5.00pm-6.00pm. The purpose of the event is to explore whether a Single Equalities Commission can be an effective promoter and enforcer of equality and how far its remit should go. We will also consider where human rights fit within its agenda. The event will be chaired by Spencer, Senior Associate, ippr; Deputy Chair, Commission for Racial Equality and Chair of the Equality and Diversity Forum. Speakers include: · Jacqui MP, Minister of Sate and Deputy Minister for Women, Department for Trade and Industry; · Lammy MP, Department for Constitutional Affairs, responsibility for human rights issues; · Bert Massie, Chair of the DRC; · Mellor, Chair of the EOC; · Cullu Kaur-Ballagan from MORI will provide some statistics about equalities issues. The event will be held at Illuminations at the Winterbourne Hotel, Priory Road in Bournemouth. Illuminations is outside the security area and a conference pass will not be required for entry. Illuminations aims to provide a different kind of political space for Ministers, MPs, business, voluntary sector organisations, unions, journalists and citizens to discuss key policy debates at a crucial time in the political calendar. Back to top 11. DRC website research panel - volunteers sought Our new website meets the Bobby AAA standard for accessibility and 90 per cent of visitors completing the online feedback form are describing the site as either " very accessible " or " accessible " . However, we need to continuously improve our online service and ensure that it fully meets our stakeholders needs. We would therefore welcome volunteers to join a research panel which will review the site every three months or so. If you are interested in being selected, please email us with the following information: your age and sex; details of your impairment, if any, and how this affects your use of the internet; how often you use the internet (eg daily, weekly, monthly, less often); your three favourite websites. Please send your email, with the title " web research " , to: web.mail@... Back to top 12. Call for response to consultation on major reforms to employment of disabled people The Disability Rights Commission is calling for employers, disabled people, qualifications bodies, lawyers and others to respond to guidance supporting major legal reforms to the employment of disabled people. Changes to the Disability Discrimination Act which come into force in 2004 will mean disabled people employed by small businesses and non-civilians working in the fire service, police force and the prison service will - for the first time - be protected by the Act. The Disability Rights Commission has drawn up two draft Codes of Practice to support the amended legislation. The public consultation runs from 1 September 2003 to 30 November 2003. You can download draft versions of both Codes and complete an online questionnaire by clicking on Consultation Back to top 13. Landmark settlement for blind cricket team A blind cricket team from Cambridge whose booking at a guesthouse was cancelled because some of the players had guide dogs with them has won a landmark settlement for disability discrimination. The Eastern Vipers Cricket Club has received £7,000 in compensation after a guest house accepted they had no good reason not to accept the team and their dogs. Ellingham, the team's captain, said: " I am delighted that we have shown that all sports players, whether disabled or not, deserve equal treatment under the laws of this country. The team was very upset to be treated in this way but we are now pleased that the guest house has resolved the matter with us amicably and we can get back to playing the sport we love " . To read the full press release, please go to: http://www.rjw.co.uk/newsandevents/news2003/cricket_PAD280803.aspx Back to top 14. Disability Capital Initiative A major survey has been launched as part of the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone's, Disability Capital 2003 initiative to focus on the civil rights of disabled people living in London. The survey, " Disability Capital Questionnaire " covers a variety of issues including: transport, housing, lifestyle and discrimination. The aim of the survey is to collect individual people's experience of barriers they face in everyday life and to identify the most important issues to disabled Londoners. More information on the initiative is available at: http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/eydp-2003/disability_capital.jsp Back to top 15. Ivan Massow bids to take advantage of the Entrepreneur Ivan Massow, who first saw the potential of the " gay pound " , is backing a bid to take advantage of what has been called the " mad pound " . The company that he heads, the Ivan Massow Group, is to ally with campaigners who want to end widespread discrimination by financial service providers towards people with mental health conditions. Campaigners say such services routinely turn down applications by people who disclose mental health conditions, such as depression and schizophrenia. Ivan Massow is putting his company's commercial muscle behind an internet venture aiming to persuade insurance firms, mortgage lenders, banks and building societies to provide products for people with mental health conditions. To find out more, please go to: http://www.psychminded.co.uk/news/news2003/august03/Ivan%20Massow%20bids%20to%20\ take%20advantage%20of%20mad%20pound.htm Back to top 16. Spread the news! Please forward this bulletin to your friends and colleagues and encourage them to subscribe to this free service. They can do so by following this link: http://www.drc-gb.org/bulletin.asp You can unsubscribe at any time by following this link: http://www.drc.org.uk/bulletin_unsub.asp?i=16412 & r=148 For up-to-date information, please visit the DRC website at: http://www.drc-gb.org Back to top Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 3, 2004 Report Share Posted August 3, 2004 Thought you might find this of interest -- News from the DRC Disability Rights CommissionEmail bulletin no. 31August 2004Welcome to the August issue of the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) Email bulletin.In this month's issue:1. DRC welcomes Government concession on new disability bill2. DRC 'citizenship' site goes live3. New issue of eight point six hits the streets4. How many disabled people are there in Great Britain?5. DRC starts regular parliamentary updates6. A rights-based remit for the Children's Commissioner for England7. DRC wins two key employment cases8. #1 million made available for self-employment9. Vote for the "best" and the "worst"!10. Local councils need to do more to prepare for October11. DRC Wales gives evidence on disabled access to historic sites 12. Directgov needs your feedback13. Doctors must fulfil patients dying wishes 14. Royal Society of Medicine conference on withholding treatment 15. Spread the news! 1. DRC welcomes Government concession on new disability bill The DRC has welcomed Government plans to enable more people with mental health conditions to take cases under the Disability Discrimination Act. Currently, many people are not covered by the law and are denied their rights because their condition is not clinically recognised. The change will mean that many people with mental health problems are granted the same protection under law as other disabled people. To read the story in full, please follow the link:http://www.drc-gb.org/newsroom/newsdetails.asp?id=694 & section=1 Back to top 2. DRC 'citizenship' site goes live The DRC's acclaimed citizenship resources, which meet the critieria set out in the Citizenship scheme of work for Key Stages 3 and 4 have gone live on a new microsite. The site provides lesson plans, worksheets and other resources of disability equality. View the site at: http://www.drc.org.uk/citizenship/ Back to top 3. New issue of eight point six hits the streets The summer edition of the DRC’s quarterly magazine, eight point six, is now available. The latest edition outlines the importance of the DRC’s new strategic plan and how the DRC’s work will be geared to “closing the gap” of inequality between disabled and non-disabled people in the areas of education, employment, services and transport and health and independent living. The magazine features an interview with Lizzie Mickery, writer of the poignant BBC disability drama: ‘Every Time You Look At Me’, which starred Mat Fraser and Hammond. This issue includes a competition for a new name for the magazine (see next item). To read the latest edition of ‘eight point six’, please follow the link:http://www.drc-gb.org/publicationsandreports/publicationdetails.asp?id=319 & section=0 & all=1Back to top 4. How many disabled people are there in Great Britain? The DRC now uses the estimate of “about 10 million people” covered by the DDA in Great Britain because this is considered to be more accurate and up to date than the estimate of 8.6 million disabled people which had been in use for many years. Not all of those 10 million people will use the term “disabled” about themselves but this estimate represents those thought to be covered by the DDA. The estimate comes from the 2002-03 Family Resources Survey (FRS), an annual survey commissioned by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), and is based on the FRS finding that 22 per cent of respondents had a long-standing limiting illness or disability, which DWP have calculated to be 9.8 million adults in Great Britain. The reasons for the apparent increase are likely to include demographic changes. We have an older population, individuals are living longer and more of us are aged over 50, increasing the likelihood of having a health condition. Improved healthcare means that people are living with health conditions for longer than in the past – good news with improvements in technology and changing attitudes. However, society needs to adapt to this new reality – making the importance of Britain being “open 4 all” all the more pressing and all the more relevant to everyone in Britain. For further information please follow the link: DWP user’s guide to disability estimates and definitions Back to top 5. DRC starts regular parliamentary updates The DRC's parliamentary update is now available from the DRC website. Compiled by the DRC parliamentary team and colleagues in Scotland and Wales, the update includes the latest news on disability rights at Westminster, the ish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly. To read the latest update, please follow the link:Parliamentary update May - June 2004 Back to top 6. A rights-based remit for the Children's Commissioner for England The DRC backed a successful Children Bill amendment to strengthen the powers and human rights remit of a future Children’s Commissioner for England in line with current Commissioners for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Moving the amendment at Report Stage on 17 June, Baroness Walmsley cited the DRC’s view that “without the powers in Amendment No. 4, we consider that the UK will be failing in its obligation under the UN Convention to effectively implement the Convention rights and letting down disabled children". As long as the Government does not seek to overturn the amendment when the Bill eventually reaches the Commons, this victory will ensure that the new Commissioner effectively champions the rights of disabled children. Back to top 7. DRC wins two key employment cases A landmark ruling by the House of Lords has strengthened the employment rights of disabled people, following a case taken by the DRC to the House of Lords on behalf of Archibald. Mrs Archibald, who worked as a road sweeper with Fife Council, developed severe pain in her heels leaving her unable to walk. In line with a council redeployment, Mrs Archibald undertook competitive interviews and applied unsuccessfully for 100 jobs. The council later dismissed her on the grounds of capability. Mrs Archibald later successfully applied to Fife Council to become supervisor of a local community centre. She argued that she should not have to compete for alternative employment if she could show she could perform the duties and responsibilities of the post and that her employers had failed to make reasonable adjustments. An employment tribunal dismissed her complaint stating that Fife Council had met their duty to make a reasonable adjustment. The case eventually came to the House of Lords, who ruled that the previous ruling was wrong, and that the case should be referred back to an employment tribunal. The law Lords unanimously ruled that there is a duty on employers to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people if they become unable to carry out their job due to their disability. To read the story in full, please follow the link: http://www.drc-gb.org/newsroom/newsdetails.asp?id=679 & section=1 In another case supported by the DRC, the Court of Appeal has found in favour of an employee, on the grounds of constructive dismissal and sick pay in relation to disability discrimination. The ruling signals a significant victory for disabled people and means that employers refusing to make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees are risking thousands of claims for constructive dismissal. Employers will now have to pay sick pay under the DDA when they fail to make adjustments, if the disabled person cannot work because reasonable adjustments have not been made. To read the story in full, please follow the link: http://www.drc-gb.org/newsroom/newsdetails.asp?id=685 & section=1 Back to top 8. #1 million made available for self-employment The Phoenix Fund, administered by the Small Business Service (SBS), is putting forward #1 million to fund innovative schemes leading to the development of self-employment opportunities for people with mental health problems. The fund is inviting applications from organisations to run enterprise-related projects which will provide encouragement and support to people with mental health conditions who want to become self employed. For further details and bidding guidance, please follow the link: www.sbs.gov.uk/phoenix or email: .@... The closing date for applications is 5.00pm on Friday 10 September 2004.Back to top 9. Vote for the "best" and the "worst"! Here is your chance to say which organisations you think are really open for all and which are shutting out disabled people by not making their services accessible. You can vote for the "best" (most accessible) and "worst" (least accessible) service providers. Let us know if you want to vote for major stores or entertainment/leisure venues which are not listed. We may then add them to the lists and count your votes. Please note that we will only include major service providers and not smaller ones, such as corner shops and independent local pubs. You can only vote in each category once - we are using cookie recognition to stop people voting more often than this from the same computer! We know that this is not a "scientific" poll. But it is a chance for you to have your say, and you can help the campaign by telling us about your experiences, good and bad. If you are willing, our press office may want to get in touch with you. To find out more, go to:http://www.drc.org.uk/open4all/newsroom/sppoll.asp Back to top 10. Local councils need to do more to prepare for October A recent survey by the DRC has found that local authorities are poorly prepared for new disability duties which come into effect on 1 October. Thousands of disabled people could still be unable to use services such as local libraries or swimming pools, even after the law comes into effect. The survey, sent to over 125 local authorities, found that over 30 per cent of councils do not have a lead member on disability, some 40 per cent have no plans to draw up a strategy to deal with disability-related issues and over 30 percent did not know how many of their services would be accessible for disabled people when the law comes into force. The DRC is keen to work with local authorities to help them get things right for all those they serve. Information specifically for local authorities is available on our Open 4 All microsite about the 1 October changes: http://www.drc-gb.org/open4all/service/localgovernment.asp Back to top 11. DRC Wales gives evidence on disabled access to historic sites The DRC in Wales, together with Welsh historic buildings society, CADW, has recently given evidence to an enquiry from the National Assembly Social Justice Committee on disabled access to historic sites. The DRC’s recommendations for enhanced training for conservation officers were supported. Following a DRC suggestion, the Committee now intends to write to the Culture Minister, Alun Pugh AM, to encourage the Assembly Government to keep a record of buildings and sites which are open to the public and those where services are run to assist with prioritising access. For further details about the evidence given to the Committee, please email: wales.info@....Back to top 12. Directgov needs your feedback Directgov is a new government website, aimed at the general public. The site offers a wide range of information from several government departments in one place, and includes content for disabled people and carers, motorists and parents. The team working on the disabled people and carers section of the site are consulting with disabled people and disability organisations on how best to develop the site and the Directgov team would like to hear your views. Can you find the government information you are looking for? Is it simple to navigate? To visit the site, please follow the link: www.direct.gov.uk/disabledpeopleandcarers Please email your comments on the website to: heather.gore@...Back to top 13. Doctors must fulfil patients dying wishes Doctors must unequivocally fulfil a patient’s wishes to life-prolonging treatment and, if no “living will” exists, they must presume that treatment should be given unless the patient would deem their life to be ‘intolerable’, the High Court ruled on 30 July. This landmark case, taken by the DRC, tested the validity of General Medical Council (GMC) guidelines for doctors deciding whether to withhold or withdraw artificial nutrition and hydration (ANH) (1). The High Court ruled that if a patient has made a living will or expressed that they would want life-prolonging treatment, doctors must fulfil that wish. If a patient is incompetent and has not expressed any prior view, doctors must make their decisions based on an “intolerability test”. For full details, go to:http://www.drc.org.uk/newsroom/newsdetails.asp?id=700 & section=1 Back to top 14. Royal Society of Medicine conference on withholding treatment The Royal Society of Medicine is holding a conference on the 10 November 2004 to explore some of the difficult ethical dilemmas which lie at the heart of withholding treatment. The conference is aimed at doctors, nurses and lawyers who have to face these decisions in their day-to-day job, and those involved in preserving the rights of the patient and their family. Speakers include the DRC’s Chairman, Bert Massie, and DRC Commissioner, Jane . Please follow the link below to download the conference programme and for booking details: http://www.drc-gb.org/uploaded_files/documents/35_190_WITHHOLDINGTREATMENT.rtf Back to top 15. Spread the news! Please forward this bulletin to your friends and colleagues and encourage them to subscribe to this free service. They can do so by following this link: http://www.drc.org.uk/newsroom/ebulletin.asp You can unsubscribe at any time by following this link: http://www.drc-gb.org/bulletin_unsub.asp?i=20915 & r=491 For up-to-date information, please visit the DRC website at: http://www.drc-gb.org Back to top ALL-NEW Messenger - all new features - even more fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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