Scottish
Disability Equality Forum����
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Scottish
Disability Equality Forum���� |
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SDEF News�������������������������������������������������������������������������������
September 2002
Welcome to this seventh 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.� 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 2nd 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
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:
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
transport.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/pages/news/2002/09/SEET113.aspx
Plan
To Promote Mental Well-Being (02/09/02):
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/pages/news/2002/09/SEHD171.aspx
New
Rights For Scotland's Carers (30/08/02):
Act
comes into force to extend the rights of more than 600,000 home carers.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/pages/news/2002/08/SEHD170.aspx
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.
http://www.youreable.com/TwoShare/getPage/01News/01Current/ 19-07-2002/Employment%20drop
Supporting
People - Supporting Independent Living (22/07/02):
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/housing/supe-00.asp
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 -
http://www.sdcmh.org.uk/publications.htm
and scroll down to 'Other Publications'
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
Health
Department, Room 1E.08, St Andrew�s House, Edinburgh EH1 3DG,
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
at www.show.scot.nhs.uk/nhsscotlandpublicappointments Only
completed applications received by 4 October 2002 will be considered.
All correspondence will be treated in confidence.
European Mobility WeekEuropean 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
http://www.jrf.org.uk/knowledge/findings/socialcare/962.asp
'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
http://www.jrf.org.uk/knowledge/findings/socialcare/912.asp
DRC News�
Educating for EqualityEducating 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:�
http://www.drc-gb.org/drc/Campaigns/Page431.asp
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 VacanciesThe 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:�
http://www.drc-gb.org/drc/InformationAndLegislation/Page325.asp
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, 26th 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]
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� Scottish Disability Equality Forum Working together for the disability movement SDEF is a recognised Scottish charity no. SC031893 end of page |