Wednesday, 20 August 2008

Does disability hate crime exist?

A handful of violent and degrading attacks on disabled people have provoked outrage among the press and public. But are they isolated cases or one end of a spectrum of intimidation and violence that many disabled people encounter?

Tom Shakespeare is an academic based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. He is also a disabled person. He was travelling on the city's metro recently when he was verbally... full story

Tuesday, 19 August 2008

Disability rights activist labels lack of A-Z service 'shocking'

A disability rights activist has criticised City of Edinburgh Council for the lack of information for disabled people included in its current 'A to Z' guide to services.

John Murdoch, who is the founder and former convener of the Disability Equality Forum, said the council used to consult the group before putting the booklet together, but this no longer happens.

The guide lists only... full story

Young Scots’ eyes opened to blindness

Next week, more than 2,000 primary schools in Scotland will receive free Seeing Our World information packs – in an initiative supported by Scotland on Sunday – to help put childhood blindness on the curriculum.

Jo Mitchell, Sightsavers’ schools development manager, said: “Children are always astonished when they learn that 75% of blindness in the world is preventable,... full story

Monday, 18 August 2008

Fairer form for epilepsy travellers

A campaign by Epilepsy Scotland and specialist nurses has led to Transport Scotland simplifying the travel card application process for people with epilepsy.

From this week GPs and epilepsy specialist nurses can sign the epilepsy eligibility form as well as consultants.

Epilepsy Scotland campaigned on behalf of people with epilepsy as many people with the condition are seen by their... full story

Disabled access protest at cinema

Protesters gathered outside a cinema after a disabled teenage girl had to crawl up stairs because she could not take her wheelchair in.

Amy Clements, 15 organised the protest outside Hereford's Odeon after her experience.

The protesters were calling for wheelchair access to be improved at the Commercial Road cinema.

However, Odeon said it was not possible to adapt the present... full story

Friday, 15 August 2008

Forum’s closure suggests bleak future for disability arts

Disabled artists say the demise of the London Disability Arts Forum (LDAF) could spell disaster for the disability arts scene.

The forum was set up in 1986 to develop and promote the work of disabled artists. It published its own magazine and staged the International Disability Film Festival.

But in December last year, the Arts Council England announced it did not intend to carry... full story

One in seven post offices to be closed or cut back

More than one in seven post offices across Scotland is to be axed or downgraded with the announcement next week of the final round closures.

The Herald understands the Post Office will say that 39 of its branches in Edinburgh, the Lothians and the Borders will either face closure or a reduced service. This will complete the Post Office's closure plans for the whole of Scotland and means... full story

Thursday, 14 August 2008

Paralympics boost for disabled people in China

The Olympic Games will be followed by the Paralympics and, as the BBC's Jill McGivering reports from Kunming, it could help society address long-standing prejudice towards disabled people.

The large public swimming pool is crowded with early morning swimmers.

Twelve-year-old Qian Hong-yan comes here twice a day. She lost both legs in a car accident when she was a child.

Her ambition... full story

Wednesday, 13 August 2008

Police hunt teenage girls after brutal attack on disabled man

A disabled man was attacked by two teenage girls who punched and knocked him to the ground.

Police are now hunting the teenagers, thought to be aged between 14 and 16, following the unprovoked assault in the Oxgangs area of Edinburgh.

The 45-year-old victim was walking on the pathway that leads to his house in Oxgangs Street, at about 10pm on Tuesday, when the girls confronted him.... full story

Tuesday, 12 August 2008

Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) Position statement: UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities

The Commission’s Disability Committee considers the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities to be a critically important contribution towards the equal treatment and human rights of disabled people across the world.

The Disability Committee believes that the Convention incorporates many of the aspirations, commitments and tangible actions required to... full story

Protesters gather at film

US disablity groups have protested at the premiere of Ben Stiller's new film, Tropic Thunder.

Demonstrators who gathered outside the Mann Village Theatre, in Los Angeles, said the film 'humiliates people with intellectual disabilities'.

Film company Dreamworks said there was no intention to 'disparage or harm' disabled people.

Dignity

Tim Shriver, chairman of disability group... full story

Monday, 11 August 2008

There's a cool £3bn on offer to insulate you from fuel costs

Thousands of householders who have seen their fuel bills rise could be missing out on money to help them improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

A UK government initiative, the 'Carbon Emission Reduction Target' (Cert), a home-insulation programme funded by energy companies, was launched in April. Under it, the companies must offer grants to enable householders to make their homes... full story

The time is right for a bill of rights

When personal finances are being squeezed by rising prices and economic fears, debates about bills of rights could seem irrelevant. But it is at such times that the lack of agreed values is most felt. As the experience of other countries shows, a national bill of rights, articulating fundamental rights and freedoms, can be a powerful statement of that society's aspirations.

The Joint... full story

Thursday, 7 August 2008

RSPCA quizzed on pets

Disability Now has gathered evidence that Britain’s best-known animal charity, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), often prosecutes disabled people for alleged animal welfare offences.

Many pet owners, in particular those with mental health issues, have been prosecuted. The effect of the trial and media coverage on them can be harrowing.

The Crown... full story

Edinburgh Fringe

Jim McSharry reviews a series of shows by disabled performers at this years Edinburgh Fringe.

Show: Weights

Performer: Lynn Manning

Venue: Assembly, George Street, Edinburgh

Dates: 31 July to 25 August

Accessible venue

After fighting my way through the crowds, smog, rain and leafleters (no, it’s... full story

Wednesday, 6 August 2008

Scheme helps disabled 999 callers

A database for disabled people which helps them make contact with police is believed to be the first of its kind in the UK.

People with a speech impairment can register with the police and are given a personal identification number (PIN).

Called Pegasus, the scheme means police know the nature of the impairment and that the call is not a hoax.

The Pegasus system gives a pin number... full story

Return to work 'good for health'

Most people with health issues can be helped back to work with the right type of support, new research suggests.

Long term sickness and the number of workers on long term incapacity benefits could be cut by up to 60%, the report by the University of York said.

And those with mental health issues who talked about their condition at work found colleagues to be positive and constructive,... full story

Tuesday, 5 August 2008

Learning difficulty sex and relationship campaign

A campaign for the rights of people with learning difficulties to have sex and relationships is being launched.

The FPA, formerly the Family Planning Association, has produced an information pack on the issue to coincide with a series of posters.

It follows research showing people with learning difficulties are often denied help on pursuing relationships.

The FPA says they... full story

Council admits blunder over passes for asylum-seekers

A council that told a disabled asylum-seeker he was not entitled to a free travel pass has been forced to apologise and admit it was wrong.

Lambeth Council in London told wheelchair-user Youcef Bey-Zekkoub that it would not renew his Freedom Pass.

But following protests by campaign groups WinVisible and Transport for All and a legal challenge, Lambeth reversed its position and last... full story

Monday, 4 August 2008

Council may privatise care home services over strike

Scotland's largest local authority could withdraw from providing care homes if strike action by hundreds of residential workers goes ahead.

Glasgow City Council has claimed 'there can be no guarantee' that residents moved out of the authority's care as part of the industrial action contingency plans would return, effectively signalling the beginning of the end of its role in the sector.... full story

Thursday, 31 July 2008

Deaths warning as British Gas hikes prices up by 35%

Hundreds of elderly people will die in Scotland because of the staggering 35 per cent hike in the price of gas, a pensioners' leader claimed last night.

British Gas announced the eyewatering increase yesterday and raised electricity prices by nine per cent at the same time.

Enoch Humphries, vice-president of the Scottish Pensioners Forum, said: 'They are putting hundreds of old people's... full story

Charity aims to get disabled people into employment

A charity launched by the Scottish Parliament aims to get more people with learning difficulties into employment.

Values Into Action Scotland (VIAS), which was launched this week, was previously part of the overall VIA UK body and promotes for the rights of people with learning difficulties.

The Edinburgh Evening News reports that VIAS's first year plan will be to focus on employment... full story

Wednesday, 30 July 2008

Disabled people 'face suffering in NHS'

An inquiry report has said how six people with learning difficulties died due to being a 'low priortity' within the NHS in England.

The independent inquiry, launched after the deaths of six patients, called for tougher inspections and more training for staff.

However, it said new laws to ensure equal access were not needed.

Charities welcomed the report - but one said there... full story

Tuesday, 29 July 2008

Disabled youngsters forced into marriage to provide passports

Scores of young people with learning difficulties are being forced into marriages, The Independent on Sunday can reveal.

More than one in five of the forced marriages reported to the Government involve disabled people, but experts fear that the true scale of the problem could be far worse.

Last week, senior police officers, lawyers, social workers and campaign groups held urgent... full story

EU clears air traffic lanesfor blind and partially sighted passengers

The European Regulation (EC) N° 1107/2008 concerning the rights of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility when travelling by air entered into force last Saturday July, 26 2008.

The Regulation is a major step forward as it seeks to guarantee fair access to air travel and to put an end to discriminatory practices. From now on assistance will be provided at no additional... full story

Monday, 28 July 2008

Big Lottery investment for Momentum

National not-for-profit organisation, Momentum, has been awarded £189,982 from the Big Lottery Fund for TECH-Net – a new element of Assist, Momentum’s national Spinal Injuries Service based at the Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injuries Unit in Glasgow’s Southern General Hospital.

Tech-Net is designed to support people when they return to their communities following... full story

New energy price rise will increase fuel poverty by hundreds of thousands

Thousand of Scottish households will find it extremely difficult to make ends meet. That’s the stark warning made by fuel poverty charity Energy Action Scotland after the announcement by EDF Energy that gas prices are to rise again by 22 per cent and electricity by 17 per cent.

Already around one in three Scottish households are in fuel poverty, which means they would need to pay... full story

Friday, 25 July 2008

New regulation opens air space for disabled people

The new EU regulation enabling disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility to enjoy equal opportunities to travel by plane will enter into force on 26 July 2008.

The new rules that will give disabled and elderly people access to air transport comparable to that enjoyed by all other passengers flying to or from, or passing in transit though, airports in the European Union, with... full story

Thursday, 24 July 2008

6-month ban for suicide pills GP

A GP who gave sleeping pills to an elderly patient who had said she would commit suicide has been suspended from practising medicine for six months.

Family doctor Iain Kerr was found guilty of misconduct yesterday.

The 61-year-old Clarkston GP's actions were 'akin to handing her a noose with which to hang herself at a time of her choosing', said Suzanne Goddard QC, counsel for the... full story

Shock as 50 post offices axed

The Post Office today announced shock plans to close another 51 West of Scotland branches.

Watchdogs are worried the public will face lengthy queues in neighbouring post offices because there won't be enough staff to cope with the extra demand.

Towns and villages across Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire and Inverclyde were targeted in the latest cost-cutting purge when postal chiefs... full story