Scottish
Disability Equality Forum���� |
� |
� SDEF News� � Edition 4 - April 2002 Welcome to this fourth 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.
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.
Forum Update
The Forum has now
come to the end of its second six-month tranche of development funding from the
Scottish Executive.� Representatives
of the management committee met with Executive officials recently to discuss the
way forward.� They met Sally Witcher,
an independent consultant who has been contracted by the Equality Unit to
progress work with the disability movement.
We agreed that the
European Year of Disabled People 2003 was a useful focus for future work.�
In the short term, further funding will be available to SDEF to carry on
developing our programme of work.� The
committee is also actively seeking funds from other sources for our key projects
identified by members: working with access panels, working for accessible
tourism, and providing IT services for disability groups.
We also had a very
successful members� meeting in Perth earlier this month.�
A full report of the day is included with this mailing and also available
on our website.
Date for your diary
The SDEF AGM date has
been set for Wednesday 2nd October.� We are looking for your help � can you suggest a suitable
accessible venue which could accommodate up to 60 people (not too expensive)?�
It should be accessible by public transport and by car, from all over
Scotland, with ample parking nearby.�
The theme of the day
will focus on Rights � how to protect the ones we have, and how to extend our
legal rights further.� Any ideas you
have of speakers or workshop subjects would be very welcome.
We will get back to
you with further details about the day nearer the time.
�
Scottish Parliament News
Cross
Party Group on Disability Meeting Wednesday 24th April 2002
A
Summary of discussions from Agnes Stewart, Secretary, SDEF
Michael
Matheson, MSP, Convener of the Cross Party Group, welcomed everybody to the
Meeting and introduced the Speakers:
John H. Robertson MSP������������ Convener of the Holyrood Project Group Linda Fabiani MSP��������������������� Member� of the Holyrood Project Group Margaret Hickish�������������������������� Access Consultant, Buro Happold John Glen�����������������������������������
Project Officer
In his opening remarks, John Robertson told us of his commitment to disability issues since 1981, when he was a MP.� His aim is to see maximum accessibility for people with a disability.� He mentioned a concern which had arisen over the past week, affecting the seating in the Chamber� -� a drop from 81 accessible seat positions, to 61. Margaret Hickish was then asked to give a presentation as Consultant on Access and talked us through the work of the Consultation Group�since its formation in 1999.����� Having been on the Consultation Group, I found it a very informative presentation which should have left no-one in any doubt as to the work done by the Group.���� She illustrated her talk with the aid of a lap-top.���� Although the Consultation Group has not met fully for some time, the work is on-going.���� She stressed �'access'� was not only about 'ramps and toilets', it was about 'exemplary access'.��� At the moment, appropriate places for signage were being discussed. Every
aspect of the work of the�Access Group has been documented so that there is
a record of all the work undertaken.
Buro Happold had given an undertaking from the outset that the Parliament Buildings will be a model of excellence for access. A question was raised on Signers and assurances given that�there would be consultation before any decisions were made.���� Positions for Signers could not be established until it had been decided where officers will be positioned, e.g. The Presiding Officer. Margaret is about to tackle the matter of the bollards�which had been one metre high but are now being shown as 1/2 metre high.���� It is issues regarding the Chamber which are being dealt with at present�e.g. the platform lift at the Presiding Officer's position. At
this point, Michael Matheson expressed his disappointment to hear�of the
drop in the number of accessible�places.���� This had
been a confidential matter over the past week.��
Linda
Fabiani stated that the first two rows and the fourth would be available.����
Both she and John Robertson could foresee difficulties with this arrangement and
had expressed their great concern and intimated that the decisions regarding
wheelchair positions had been established in 1999 and that this previous
decision should not be changed.
The Scottish Parliament Corporate Body, whose Convener is Sir David Steel, had made the change without any recourse to anybody.���� There is no information available on why they have made this decision.���� It was estimated that only 20 inches of space would be gained and the MSPs considered that to make these changes would cost more. Michael Matheson then asked�the members of the Cross Party Group if we would wish him to write to the Corporate Body.���� He will ask the Corporate Body to go back to the original remit of 1999. Michael
Matheson�asked us to take these concerns back to our groups�and to
write to Sir David Steel, as Convener of the Corporate Body.
The
following motions were put to the Scottish Parliament on the issue:
*S1M-3031 Linda Fabiani: Reduction in Wheelchair Accessible Seats in New
Parliament Chamber-That the Parliament regrets that the Scottish
Parliamentary Corporate Body, whilst noting the dissent of the Holyrood Progress
Group, has instructed that the Chamber design in the new Parliament building be
altered from that circulated to all members and agreed in September 1999, with
the result that the choice of accessible Chamber seats for any member using a
standard wheelchair is reduced from 81 to 61.
Supported
by: Mr John Home Robertson*
*S1M-3031.1 Michael Matheson: Reduction in Wheelchair Accessible Seats in New
Parliament Chamber-As an amendment to motion (S1M-3031) in the name of Linda
Fabiani, insert at end "and calls upon the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate
Body to reconsider its decision and return to the plan agreed in September 1999
which provided 81 wheelchair accessible seats within the chamber."
�
Scottish Executive NewsFor
copies of these publications or consultations, check the websites below or
contact the Secretariat.�
Equality
In Scotland: Guide To Data Sources 2002 (08/03/02):
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/egds-00.asp
Review
Of Care Management In Scotland (08/03/02):
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/cru/kd01/maroon/rcms-00.asp
Research
Findings: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/cru/resfinds/hcc21-00.asp
Over
The Threshold? An Exploration Of Intensive Domiciliary Support For
Older
People (07/03/02):
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/cru/kd01/red/otto-00.asp
Research
Findings: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/cru/resfinds/hcc19-00.asp
Disability
Strategies Bill Passed (28/03/02):
All
schools will have to draw up plans to deal with pupils with
disabilities.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/pages/news/2002/03/SE5625.aspx
Extra
funding for hearing impaired
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/pages/news/2002/04/SEhd019.aspx
The
Scottish Translation, Interpreting and Communication Forum:
Good
Practice Guidelines (03/04/02):
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/social/sticf-00.asp
Building
Regulation Note 1/2002
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/build_regs/brn12-00.asp������
Tourism
Framework For Action 2002:2005
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/tourism/tfar-00.asp
Improving
Building Standards: Proposals - A Consultation Paper
This
paper sets out the Executive�s proposals for the future of building standards.�
The proposals are very similar to those in the previous consultation Improving
Building Standards, from which it has been developed.�
Some proposals have been changed in response to the previous
consultation. These are, most notably,
��������
removal of the proposal
that an owner may start work before a warrant is granted
��������
surveys undertaken by the
verifier or local authority need not require notification and may be disruptive
as well as non-disruptive where circumstances warrant
��������
extension of the role of
the national body to require it to audit and police the approved certifiers of
design and installation.
�
The
purpose of this paper is to set out the Executive�s proposals as they would
appear in primary legislation.� Views
on these core proposals can be submitted by completing an electronic proforma,
obtainable from bc/[email protected]
with the words �Request Proforma� in the subject heading box.�
Otherwise please send your comments by Friday 14 June 2002 to:
�
Elaine
Douse
0131
244 1425
UK News
Commons
Committee Looks at Benefits (by Ron Skinner)
Some
of the most disadvantaged people in society are missing out on disability
benefits because of delays and mistakes in medical assessments, MPs have
discovered.
The
Commons Public Accounts Committee found that applicants for disability living
allowance and incapacity benefit, which are awarded on the basis of medical
assessments, frequently wait too long for decisions.
Since
1998, assessments have been carried out by private firm Sema. The committee said
the delays were caused by a shortage of doctors, poor management systems and
outdated technology.
These
backlogs, and the delays in stopping payments to claimants no longer entitled to
them, are costing the taxpayer �40m a year.
MPs
have recommended that other health professionals besides doctors are used to
carry out assessments. This is an important way of offsetting shortages of
doctors, speeding up the assessment process and reducing costs, they said.
Difficulties
in obtaining accurate and up-to-date medical information about claimants have
also led to a high level of appeals: over
50% of those turned down for benefits subsequently lodge one.� Of these appeals, 40% are successful, and a quarter of these
are because assessors have made mistakes in interpreting the medical evidence.
The
report found that up to 10% of 'Serna's assessments were 'substandard'. The MPs
also called on the Department for Work and pensions to consider whether Sema
should pay compensation to claimants who are called for a medical assessment and
not seen.� Around 17,000 people are
turned away from a scheduled appointment because Sema has deliberately
overbooked to ensure doctors see as many people as possible.
PAC
chair Edward Leigh said claimants were entitled to prompt, accurate and
efficient decisions. The current problems `represent a significant shortfall in
the quality of public service to some of the most disadvantaged people in
society', he added.
New
Deal Downfall (08/04/02):
A
flagship government scheme aimed at getting disabled people jobs had
achieved
only a third of its targets by January.
http://www.youreable.com/TwoShare/getPage/01News/01Current/12-04-
2002/New%20deal%20downfall
Crackdown
On Disabled Parking Permit Abuse (05/04/02):
The
government is to consider a crackdown on the abuse of disabled
parking
permits.
http://www.youreable.com/TwoShare/getPage/01News/01Current/05-04-
2002/Crackdown%20on%20disabled%20parking%20permit%20abuse
Benefits
Shock (04/04/02):
A
benefits change supposed to help severely disabled young people could
leave
them and their families out of pocket.
http://www.youreable.com/TwoShare/getPage/01News/01Current/05-04-
2002/Benefits%20shock
�
�
DRC News
DRC
Second National Conference
The
DRC's second National Conference will be held on Monday 11 November 2002 at the
Radisson SAS Hotel, near Manchester Airport.�
To request more information please send an email with your name and
address to: [email protected]
Can
Mental Health Service Users Benefit From Disability Rights?
(16/04/02):
A
dialogue between Abina Parshad-Griffin, Chair of the Disability Rights
Commission
(DRC) Mental Health Action Group and Liz Sayce, Director of
Policy
and Communications at the DRC.
http://www.drc-gb.org/drc/InformationAndLegislation/Page38Z5.asp
�
Report
Stage - Disability Discrimination (Amendment) Bill (15/04/02):
http://www.drc-gb.org/drc/InformationAndLegislation/NewsRelease_020415.asp
�
DRC
Response To "Towards Equality And Diversity: References To A
Possible
Move To A Single Equalities Commission (SEC)" (08/04/02):
http://www.drc-gb.org/drc/InformationAndLegislation/Page38Z3.asp
�
Disability
Rights Commission successfully influences production of new
guidance
on lifting and handling (08/04/02):
http://www.drc-gb.org/drc/InformationAndLegislation/NewsRelease_020408.asp
News from the Sector
The
Scottish Ethnic Minorities Research Unit
is currently carrying out a scoping study for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation on
race, disability and social care in Scotland. We would be very interested to
hear from organisations who are planning to or who are currently carrying out
initiatives which engage minority ethnic disabled people. These might be one-off
or on-going initiatives.
Please
contact Dr. Gina Netto at 0131-221 6269 or email her at
[email protected]
before mid-June 2002
�
Ability
Fest 2002:
15th
May at Kelvin Hall International Sports Arena.�
Ability Fest 2002 will enable disabled people to access information and
advice about learning, volunteering, employment and leisure opportunities in the
West of Scotland.
The
event will consist of a morning conference for registered delegates followed by
a public exhibition of a wide variety of organisations. There will be stalls
of
interest to disabled people regardless of their impairment. The
exhibition
will give people a chance to gather information and to talk
with
representatives from agencies that can support them in taking up
learning,
employment, volunteering and leisure opportunities.�
For
further
information visit http://www.abilityfest.org.uk/ or contact Jean
Alcock
at [email protected] or tel 0141 649 1521
�
Is
It Safe To Come Out At Work?:
Only
one in three people with experience of mental health problems feel
confident
in disclosing this on job application forms, according to a new
report
from the Mental Health Foundation launched on Tuesday 2 April 2002 to
mark
Mental Health Action Week.
<http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/>
- click 'What's new' and scroll down page
to
April 2002 articles
|
� Scottish Disability Equality Forum Working together for the disability movement SDEF is a recognised Scottish charity no. SC031893 end of page |