The Government has launched its new white paper on plans for a National Care Service.

The white paper comes after wide consultation with many people including disabled people in wolverhampton who came to our 3 consultation meetings to have their say and be part of our submission to the Government>>

They seem to have moved from their original position – opposite to the funding of the health services – that only individuals who need care will pay for it – taking notice about what many disabled people’s groups have said on the matter.

Minister Andy Burnham said:

“I feel very strongly that this is a responsibility we must all help to shoulder. And it’s clear from what we have heard from the thousands of people who have given us their opinions on this over the past twelve months, that people agree. That’s why we know that the fairest way to help everyone who is affected by a serious disease, illness or disability is for us all to pay into a system so we get free care when we need it.”

You can download your own copy of the white paper here>>

One Voice member Ann Mathews has a petition of interest to disabled people on the Government petitions website here:
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/FreeDisabledSwim/

The petition reads:

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to extend the
free swim programme to include disabled people.

Disabled people have various kinds of problems that can limit
their mobility, however swimming or simply being in the water
can be enjoyed by everyone. It is a great fitness tool and can
change people’s mood. However it is very expensive which can
stop disabled people from being able to join in, so by
extending the free swim program we can make life a little
easier for disabled people and their carers.

If you agree, go to the link above and sign the petition!

The head of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Equality and Diversity Unit says the CPS needs to raise it’s game on disability hate crime.

This follows numerous reports on this site and eleshwhere of examples of the CPS failing to prosecute cases where disabled people have been bullied.

With a new spotlight on disability hate crime because of the recent widely-reported deaths of disabled hate crime victims, the police CPS and other agencies realise it’s time to do better for our disabled citizens.

Here in wolverhampton disabled people have had a patchy response when reporting hate crime and bullying to the authorities, ranging from people getting the support they need, to no response whatsoever, to being told to stay indoors to avoid bullying.

If you are a disabled Wolverhampton citizen who is being bullied or may be a victim of hate crime, contact One Voice for advocate support to help you to get a satisfactory solution>>

Fit notes are brought in by the Government in April.

The fit note means that when you go to the doctor, instead of having a sick note signing you off work, the GP will now decide whether you are fit for work with some support, and what employers can do to help them return to work, includeing things like changed hours, a phased return, fewer dudies or workplace adaptations.

The aim is to decrease the number of people on sickness and employment support benefits.

As yet another disabled person dies as a result of bullying in their homes, are authorities doing enough?

Quiet enjoyment of property, a right to live free of fear, a right to protection from crime – these seem to be pretty basic human rights that disabled people are not being entitled to.

In the most recent case where a man with a learning disability collapsed and died after continued and sustained harassment at his home from local youths, is yet another case where police have been informed and involved, but the disabled person has died anyway.

Police in this case were keen to point out in interviews that they had “done a lot of work” with the victim, including waiting in his house, installing CCTV cameras etc. The bullies’ response to the CCTV cameras was to wear hoods and balaclavas – we know, because we saw it on tv – so what happened then? What did police do when they saw that footage, surely they could have had regular patrols – arrests under hate crime legislation or public order offences.

I can see how the bullies made it difficult for the police, i can see how the police took positive action like the CCTV cameras, but i cannot see how the man was still allowed to be subject to bullying on a regular basis until he died.

Nobody can be complacent here – the police cannot congratulate themselves on “hard work” when the victim dies, but although the failure to protect the individual and to maintain civil order and neighbourhood safety is a police responsibility, it is also a responsibility for local councils and housing authorities, for local schools and neighbours, and for local communities.

How much damage was done when we all so readily embraced the idea that there is no such thing as communities? Surely as human beings we have a responsibility to our neighbours, but we stopped doing things at community level, stopped knowing who are neighbours are, made it that much more difficult for us to intervene when someone in our street needs help or is being bullied.

Perhaps we need more opportunities to meet and socialise with the people accross the road or corridor, the people down the street or in the next block, because history tells us that when communities band together to let bullies know that an injury to one is an injury to all, they soon stop coming around.