| Hello Thomas Welcome to the latest Independent Living newsletter. Contents: 1. NHS Change Day Interview 2. Telecare Supports Independence 3. Protests Planned Against ATOS 4. The Good Life Guide 5. InstructAbility Graduates get to work! 6. Latest news - Bedroom Tax, charity funds, scooter survey """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 1. NHS Change Day Interview I recorded an interview recently with a Cheshire GP, Dr Jonathan Griffiths, about NHS Change Day. As you may know, this is the day - 3rd of March 2014 - when individuals make pledges to do things differently, and help to change the NHS for the better. Last year, he spent Change Day in a wheelchair, an experience which you will hear affected him rather differently than he anticipated. We talk about why the NHS needs change, the best and worst things about the organisation, and what he might be pledging for Change Day this year. You can listen to the interview here. If you haven't yet come across NHS Change Day, I hope this podcast will encourage you to find out more. It is an opportunity for everyone who cares about the NHS to make a pledge to do something – big or small – that will change it for the better. You don't have to work in the organisation to take part, those of us on the outside can do our bit too! """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 2. Telecare Supports Independence I think most of us, given the choice, would prefer to live independently in our own home. Telecare experts Centra Pulse (formerly Invicta Telecare) carried out some research recently, which highlighted the fact that one in six older people had concealed an illness or accident from their friends and family, often through fear of being thought incapable of managing alone. Half those surveyed worried that their nearest and dearest would overreact, and two-thirds didn't want to worry them. Asking for help should be a positive step: the right kind of care and technology, like telecare, can actually give control, maintaining freedom and well-being, rather than taking away independence. You can read more about the research findings in an interesting guest blog on behalf of Centra Pulse, and download a PDF of their "top tips" to help with those difficult conversations with older relatives about their future care needs. There is more information about telecare resources generally, on Independent Living here. """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 3. Protests Planned Against ATOS February 19 has been earmarked for a day of action at 144 locations where ATOS carry out Work Capability Assessments (WCA) on behalf of the DWP. You may remember that I wrote in the 11th December newsletter, about a report by the Centre for Welfare Reform (CWR) using leaked ATOS data, which showed that far from exercising their professional judgement in an independent way, assessors are tightly managed using "statistical norms" from which they are not supposed to deviate by more than 20 percent, and which prevent them from finding too many people unable to work. The statistical norms suggest that only 2.6 percent of assessments should result in a prognosis of longer term inability to work - which means that only one applicant a week should be given this outcome by an assessor. Should they make the same judgement on just one extra person in a month, they are up against their permitted 20 percent variation... As you know, the WOW Petition, calling for an immediate halt to the Work Capability Assessment and an independent, committee-based inquiry into welfare reform – including the ATOS contract, excess claimant deaths and the disregarding of medical evidence in decision-making, received more than 100,000 signatures, and is currently supported by 57 MPs, with a commitment to debate the issue in the House of Commons. Hilary Benn MP said: "As the Labour opposition we have called ATOS a disgrace and said they should be sacked... The system needs to change." Whatever your political leanings, it seems a matter of basic fairness, that any system for deciding whether or not an individual is fit enough to work should be based on a balanced assessment of that person's physical and mental condition, rather than "statistical norms" which put pressure on assessors not to find people unfit for work, irrespective of the actual situation. If you are interested in finding out more about the Day of Action, and your nearest event, you can do so here. """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 4. The Good Life Guide A really interesting new showcase page on Independent Living, for The Good Life Guide. Their aim is to supply a range of products which combine electronics, innovation and technology in a user-friendly way: if you take a look at their page, I think you will agree that they are succeeding! A diverse range includes talking watches for people with impaired vision; stylish trays that help you hold on to your drink even if you are unsteady on your feet; strong grab rails which can be fixed to smooth surfaces like bathroom tiles using suction; and lots more besides. """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 5. InstructAbility Graduates get to work! We all know how important it is to keep active in order to maintain health, and this time of year sees many of us signing up for a gym – although that initial impulse doesn't always translate into regular attendance... For wheelchair users, it's just as important to maintain a healthy active lifestyle – but not always easy to know how. So having guidance from a qualified gym instructor who is also in a chair, is a bonus. A pilot scheme at WheelPower sees Physical Activity Advisors taking up positions at the Duke of Cornwall Spinal Treatment Centre in Salisbury and The London Spinal Injuries Centre in Stanmore, helping people with a recent spinal injury to discover the ways in which they can increase their fitness and strength. Mark O'Neill (Stanmore) and Ross Morrison (Salisbury), qualified as gym instructors through the InstructAbility programme, delivered by Aspire and YMCAfit to engage more disabled people in the fitness industry. You can read more here; and if you are unemployed, disabled, and have some experience using a gym, then the free gym instructor training courses could be a way in to a rewarding new career - you can find out more on the Aspire website. """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 6. Latest news - Bedroom Tax, charity funds, scooter survey I have written a lot about the unfairness of the Bedroom Tax since it was introduced last year. Many councils are making it even more unfair for tenants with a disability, as they have started to take account of any Disabled Living Allowance (DLA) they receive, when making decisions about awarding a Discretionary Housing Payment. DLA is supposed to help cover the extra costs incurred because of a disability, not to fill the hole caused by withdrawal of Housing Benefit. Public Law solicitors Irwin Mitchell has been granted permission to bring a judicial review into Sandwell Council's policy on behalf of a disabled couple. You can read more about the case here. I noticed a debate going on in Third Sector, the publication dedicated to charities and not-for-profit enterprises, asking whether donors should be given more say in how their funds are spent. Anyone with any commonsense knows the answer to that! If these organisations want to encourage donors, they need to be honest about where the money is going - and make some changes, if a lot of it is finding its way into the pockets of administrators. Last week's newsletter carried the story of the £850,000 per annum remuneration of Mike Betts, CEO of not-for-profit Motability (we pay this one, as taxpayers). You can join the debate on the IL forum, here. The Department of Transport and RICA are surveying mobility scooter users - if you would like to take part, there is more information here. And that's it for this week. Don't forget you can access all the news as soon as it is uploaded in our News Centre. And, just as importantly, our new look Forum is always open, and waiting for you to post about any topics that interest you. Previous newsletters are archived here. Our Facebook page is regularly updated with the latest developments on the site, and is also somewhere that you can share your opinions with us. Or if you want to make it pithy, send us a tweet! @IndLiving Until next time, with all good wishes, Frances -- Frances Leckie Editor E: editor@independentliving.co.uk t: +44 (0) 208 133 0628 Skype: francesleckie w: http://www.independentliving.co.uk This newsletter was sent to thomaschambers@eircom.net. If you prefer not to receive future copies, just reply asking to be removed from the list, and it will be done! |
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Fw: IL Newsletter, 29th January
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