SDEF Newsletter No.3- March 2002

Welcome to this third edition of SDEF News, available free to all members and associate members of SDEF.  We will keep you up to date on our own activities and relevant events and publications in the field of disability.  If you would like your work publicised in future editions, or would like to tell us about something new, please contact us at the address below.

Forum Update

Another busy few weeks at SDEF.  We have continued working on our membership directory - thank you for all your comments.  Paper copies are being mailed out to members shortly and the details will also be available on our website.  Please let us know if you would prefer the directory in a different format.

We have also been firming up the programme for our next Members Meeting on Friday 5^th April in Perth.  Please sign up if you haven’t already done so - the event is free and a travel bursary is available.

We have responded to the Blue Badge consultation and are about to agree a response to the DTI consultation on the Race and Work directives which were mentioned in the last newsletter.  Comments from members are very welcome.  Please send us any thoughts on these or other issues.

Our efforts are now turning to trying to create financial sustainability for SDEF.  Scottish Executive funding comes to an end shortly with no word about the promised review of government support for the disability sector.  We are continuing to look elsewhere for funding and developing project proposals in line with the workplan agreed at our last members’ meeting.  We will be looking at future work at the next meeting in Perth.  Please come along, or input to our Secretariat.

Scottish Executive News

Radical changes to Special Needs system
19/02/2002

Proposals for radical changes to assessing and providing for children with special educational needs were outlined by Education Minister Cathy Jamieson in February.  Further consultation meetings are planned.

The main features include:

• Plans to replace the Record of Needs with a strengthened and more streamlined staged intervention process, where a new, flexible Co-ordinated Support Plan will be put in place for children with the most complex needs

   
  
  

• Improved staged intervention processes using school-based support to provide for all children with additional support needs, including those with behavioural difficulties, children for whom English is an additional language, refugees and asylum seekers and Gypsy/Traveller children. External agencies, such as education authorities, social workers and health professionals will continue to support children, parents and schools whenever necessary

   
  
  

• Local authorities to provide more information for parents of children with additional support needs, and to have mediation services in place which will aim to resolve any disputes at an early stage

   
  
  

• Extended rights of appeal for parents and children to allow them to challenge the level of provision proposed. And a less bureaucratic appeals system, with an independent, expert Tribunal being set up to make the appeals process less daunting and quicker for parents and young people

Scottish Executive Publications

 

"Direct What?" - A Study Of Direct Payments To Mental Health Service

Research Findings: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/cru/resfinds/hcc20-00.asp

Influencing Mainstream Services

Lessons from Working for Communities Pathfinders http://www.scotland.gov.uk/cru/kd01/blue/imss-00.asp

National Planning Policy Guideline: NPPG 3 Revised 2002 - Planning for Housing Consultation Draft  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations/planning/nppg3-00.asp

Planning Advice Note PAN 38 Revised 2002 - Housing Land Consultation Draft http://www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations/planning/pan38-00.asp

Putting The Pieces In Place - Scotland's Health Improvement Fund http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/health/shif-00.asp

Building Regulation Note 1/2002

The Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care - CARE REGULATION IS CHANGING http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/health/scrc-00.asp

Planning Together (Final report of the Scottish Integrated Workforce Planning Group and Response by Scottish Executive Health department)  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/health/ptfr-00.asp 

Effective engagement: A guide to principles and practice of engagement in health http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/health/apap.pdf     

Public attitudes to the healthcare of older people in Scotland - Research Finding
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/cru/resfinds/hcc16-00.asp

Public Attitudes To The Healthcare Of Older People In Scotland http://www.scotland.gov.uk/cru/kd01/red/path-00.asp 

The Right Medicine: A Strategy For Pharmaceutical Care In Scotland http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/health/pcis-00.asp   

Consultations

Abolition Of The Scottish Medical Practices Committee Consultation

Following their review of Scottish public bodies last year Scottish Ministers concluded that the Scottish Medical Practices Committee (SMPC) should be abolished.  This paper invites views on how to abolish the SMPC, and on the subsequent transfer of the SMPC's functions to PCTs/Island NHS Boards.  Respondents are also invited to give comments to assist with legislation to bring about the changes, as it is proposed that the provisions should be included in the soon-to-be introduced “Public Appointments and Public Bodies (Scotland) Bill”.  Copies of the paper are available from the address below, or from http://www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations/health/asmpc-00.asp.

Views should be submitted by 19 April 2002,  and sent to:

Jane Martin

Directorate of Human Resources

Floor 1 East Rear, St Andrew’s House

Regent Road

EDINBURGH  EH1 3DG      

Disability Rights Commission News

A variety of new DRC publications are listed below.  To find them, go to the web addresses listed or call the DRC helpline on:

Or write to them at:

"Countdown'' Starts For Shops And Services To Remove Barriers To Access:
http://www.drc-gb.org/drc/InformationAndLegislation/Page331a.asp

New Code For Disabled Rail Passengers:
http://www.sra.gov.uk/sra/Publications/pdf/code_of_practice_070202.htm

Government Proposals To Change The DDA:
http://www.drc-gb.org/drc/InformationAndLegislation/Page38Z1.asp

Government To Issue Accessible Play And Leisure Guidance:

The government has promised to produce best practice guidance for the

Scottish Civic Forum Event

ZERO IN ON DISCRIMINATION

Equality of opportunity is one of the key principles of the Scottish Parliament. The Scotland Act commits the Scottish Parliament to “the prevention, elimination or regulation of discrimination on grounds of sex or marital status, on racial grounds, on grounds of disability, age, sexual orientation, language, social origin, or of other personal attributes, including beliefs or opinions, such as religious beliefs or political opinions”. 

On Saturday 8 June, the spring plenary of the Civic Forum will look at the issue of discrimination in Scotland and how to ensure that we have the means, in civic society, of tackling discrimination and its causes.  The plenary will see the launch of an autonomous project within the Civic Forum, called the Forum on Discrimination (FonD).

The remit of this project will be to enable all organisations with an interest in equal opportunity to work together to understand discrimination, to ‘equality proof’ legislation and to tackle issues relate to discrimination. The day will include input from 7:84 theatre and workshops on cross-cutting themes relevant to all groups experiencing discrimination - poverty, mainstreaming, legal remedies and the role of the media. 

The plenary will be held in Glasgow Caledonian University on Saturday 08 June, 10.30 - 16.00.  For further details please contact the office (tel 0131 225 6789) or see their website www.civicforum.org.uk.