SDEF Newsletter -�No.7 September 2002

This newsletter is available by email, on disc or in other formats if preferred.� Please contact us to let us know how you would like to receive it.� Copies of all the documents mentioned in this edition are available from the Secretariat.

Forum Update

SDEF’s Annual General Meeting will be taking place this year on Wednesday 2^nd October at 11.00 in River House, Stirling.� All members should have received the agenda and papers - please contact the Secretariat for further information.

A key item for this year’s meeting will be the discussion of SDEF’s three year business plan and project proposals, submitted to the Scottish Executive this month.� Members will have the opportunity to comment on the proposals and agree the priorities for the next three years.� Summaries of the plan have been distributed to members, and further copies, or the full detailed document, are available from the Secretariat on request.

Please join us at the AGM.

EYDP Update

SDEF is a member of the European Year of Disabled People Scottish steering group.� The group is seeking to find ways to mark EYDP 2003 which will make a real difference and be sustainable.� One suggestion has been to develop a “disability consortium” where the disability movement could come together with key interests from the Scottish Executive, local authorities and others and set out the issues for people with disabilities.

The Scottish Executive has now produced a paper seeking views on how this consortium could work.� One concern the SDEF Committee has already expressed is that the title has changed from consortium to “Forum”, which could cause confusion with SDEF’s role.�

View the paper now -

Scottish Executive News

Radical overhaul of mental health laws goes ahead
(17/09/2002)

Scotland’s mental health laws are to be subject to their most fundamental reform for 40 years in a Bill published today.

Key changes proposed are:

• New procedures for compulsory care and treatment, which will be tailored to meet the needs of the individual patient

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• A new mental health tribunal, involving doctors, lawyers and other experts, to make decisions about compulsory care

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• Stronger duties on local authorities to provide care and support services to people with mental health problems and learning disabilities

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• New rights for mental health service users to have their interests represented by independent advocates

The Bill also updates the arrangements for dealing with the small number of people with a mental disorder who become involved in criminal offences.

Thistle Travel Card Scheme (03/09/02):

Help for people with disabilities to encourage travel on public

Plan To Promote Mental Well-Being (02/09/02):

New Rights For Scotland's Carers (30/08/02):

Act comes into force to extend the rights of more than 600,000 home carers.

Employment Drop (24/07/02):

The number of disabled people employed by the Civil Service has plunged by 2,000 in just three years, according to new government statistics.

Supporting People - Supporting Independent Living (22/07/02):

Prevention Of Suicide And Deliberate Self Harm In Scotland Documents:

Information on the final reports for two pieces of development work

undertaken by the Scottish Development Centre for the Draft Framework for the Prevention of Suicide and Deliberate Self Harm in Scotland is now on the 'Publications' page -

The Council for the Regulation of Health Care Professionals

Chair and member required

The new Council for the Regulation of Health Care Professionals is to be established on 1 April 2003, as a key part of the drive for greater co-ordination and accountability in professional self-regulation.

The UK Government has set out the need for an overarching body to work with the health professions to strengthen the framework of professional self-regulation and to ensure greater consistency between the nine existing regulatory bodies. The Council for the Regulation of Health Care Professionals will fill this role. Its functions have been shaped by the Report of the Public Inquiry into Children’s Heart Surgery at the Bristol Royal Infirmary (the “Kennedy Report”).

All meetings of the Council will be held in London.

It is expected that interviews will be held in October 2002 in Edinburgh. The appointment will be for 4 years in the first instance and may be renewed, subject to satisfactory performance.

The Scottish Executive is committed to the principles of public appointments based on merit, independent assessment and openness. Candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria for these appointments will be guaranteed an interview.

For further information and an application form, please write to Mrs Anne Reilly, Scottish Executive

e-mail [email protected] or telephone 0131-244 5993.

Please indicate which NHS Board area you are interested in.

Further information on these appointments and the NHS in Scotland can be obtained

Only completed applications received by 4 October 2002 will be considered.

All correspondence will be treated in confidence.

European Mobility Week

European Mobility Week was officially opened on 16 September 2002 by Commissioner for Environment, Margot Wallstr�m, who stressed the importance of partnership with regional and local partners, to promote private investment and encourage the political debate on transport policies. Commissioner Wallstr�m highlighted the important role of civil society and NGOs in taking actions at the local level, that will lead into “more sustainable means of transport and policies and will improve people’s quality of life”.

Disabled people make up 10% of the population in the European Union. Persons with reduced mobility, including older people, parents with children and persons with heavy luggage can make up to 40% of the population.�

Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Just published on the Joseph Rowntree Foundation website is 'Disabled people in refugee and asylum-seeking communities in Britain'.� This research generates data on the numbers and social characteristics of disabled refugees and asylum-seekers and looks at their experiences, together with those of service providers.� Read it at

'Promoting The Involvement Of People With Learning Difficulties In Staff Recruitment':

This study evaluates a training and development programme working with five organisations to involve people with learning difficulties in this area.� Read it at

DRC News�

Educating for Equality

Educating for Equality is a year-long campaign, with various events planned.� For more details and a free campaign pack, please email [email protected] or telephone the DRC Helpline on 08457 622 633.

The DRC launched the campaign to promote the widest possible awareness of the new legislation.� The education system has failed many disabled people: they are twice as likely as non-disabled people to have no qualifications.

It is now unlawful for disabled pupils and students to be treated “less favourably”, when at school, university or college.� Providers of education must make “reasonable adjustments” to ensure that disabled pupils and students are not at a disadvantage.

The DRC has produced a range of information and guidance to help those with duties under the Act.� Guides for parents, students and adult learners are also available.� To read the guides, visit:�

Disability Related Training

The DRC has developed a best practice training workshop and resource pack for people who deliver disability-related training. Courses will be held (on a first-come-first-served basis) in Manchester, Cardiff and Edinburgh. The pack includes information on applying the DDA in practice and it is an adaptable training tool with a series of exercises and a video. The one-day trainers' workshop and pack costs �250.

For more information and to book your place on the course, please contact Michelle Valentine, Practice Development Projects Officer on 0161 261 1700 or via email:�

DRC Commissioner Vacancies

The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is advertising for suitably qualified candidates to fill five Commissioner vacancies due to arise in April 2003 on the board of the Disability Rights Commission.

For more information, please go to:�

News from Update

Programme Of Training Courses Announced For The Autumn:

Disability Living Allowance: Edinburgh 18 September, Glasgow 1 October;� Accessible Information: Edinburgh 16 October;� Disability Equality Training: Edinburgh 17 October;� Accessible Information: Glasgow 23 October;� The Disability Discrimination Act: Edinburgh 5 November, 19 November, Glasgow 13 November, 26^th November;� Enquiry Skills: Edinburgh 3 December� http://www.update.org.uk/publictrain2.asp

News from MACS

The Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland is the statutory advisor to the Scottish Executive on disabilities issues in relation to transport.� They are currently undertaking an exercise to investigate what disability-related training is given in Scotland to staff of transport operators.

Please respond to MACS setting out what training you provide, or what training you think transport operators should receive, by the end of October 2002, to:

MACS

Chevron Suite, Forsyth House, Innova Campus, Rosyth Europarc, KY11 2UU, tel 01383 42803,�
email [email protected]