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Archive
This page will carry information that has been on other pages but is perhaps past its 'sell-by' date - for example information about consultations where the date for input has passed.
The Ice Cube
On 21st February - between 10.45 and 11.30 - the PSINetwork attempted to break the record for the greatest number of wheelchair users on ice. We didn't manage it but thirty seven wheelchair users had a great time on the ice.
Thank you to all those who braved the weather - both wheelchair users and their family and friends. Thanks also to the staff of the Ice Cube.
April 2008
World's first gene therapy for blindness
Diabetes rise may bring birth problems
Number of pregnant women with diabetes more than doubles in six years, according to survey
Government warned on DIY cancer treatments
Rise in availability of unproven drugs sold online causes increasing concern for users' safety
D.R.E.A.M. have just launched their website.
and information about how to have your say by June 21st.
Public conveniences: Britain's busted flush
Victorian pioneers brought the modern toilet to the world. Now, a lack of investment has seen a huge decline in public lavatories, and a nation caught short
Together, Bradford care trust and central library have made their resources accessible, not intimidating
Disability: A taste of freedom
Outdoor activities are being offered to pupils with even the most severe disabilities, in a pioneering project. Jackie Kemp reports
The Social Care Institute for Excellence has updated its practice guide on Dignity in Care
All-terrain wheelchair promises users a smooth ride
Home diabetes kits waste GBP100m a year, says research
Helping people with diabetes to monitor their condition at home only serves to make them anxious, researchers will say today
The Government's response to the report of the Joint Committee on Human Rights
Patients who go to A&E instead of local surgery could cost GPs GBP1bn
GPs to be charged for the costs of inappropriate use of A&E services in plans to stop the NHS having to pay twice for millions of treatments
Healthcare Commission: Newsletter - Updated
Social Care Bulletin - Updated
Rough Guide to Accessible Britain
The book covers city centres, parks and gardens and more unusual choices. All have been tested by disabled researchers.The guide costs £6.99. Blue badge holders can receive a copy free (plus £1.99 pandp) by ordering on 0800 9537070 or at www.accessibleguide.co.uk
The Business Case for Equal Opportunities: An econometric investigation
Valuable online blue badge map service improved
Moving forward with health reform
Healthcare Commission publishes results of survey of staff at every NHS trust in England
Britons live longer - but are not happier
Report from Office for National Statistics says standard of living has increased over last 30 years, but few of us are satisfied
Friends of the Earth and Help the Aged sue the government for failing to eradicate fuel poverty
NHS GPs at new Virgin health centres will get 10% of profits
Virgin polyclinic to open in Swindon this summer, in an experiment that could change the face of the NHS
Healthcare watchdog calls on NHS to learn from patients' complaints
Pathways to Work: Qualitative study of in-work support
Have your say
Access to air travel for disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility - Code of practice 2008
Firm accused of GBP37,000 disability grants swindle
Wider role planned for high-street chemists
Local Transport Bill: Written ministerial statement
Local Transport Bill: Draft regulations and guidance
Millions to benefit from improved access to treatment, check-ups and health advice from pharmacists
Consultation: The CSCI review of eligibility criteria
Families make futures conference
£24 million boost for health and social care
Equality and Human Rights Commission launches first equality scheme
Equality and Human Rights Commission awards £10 million funding to organisations across Britain
Equally Different: Fairness is everyone's right
Equalities body launches YouTube channel
Employment and Support Allowance Equality Impact Assessment
2nd. April
Elder care: There's a growing sense of realism about funding care.
Elder care: Dignified conclusions
Adults with autism reap the benefits of a move away from institutional care into a home of their own
Have your say on fair access to social care services
First Chief Executive of the New Pension, Disability and Carers Service appointed
A couple (or so) of items about Local Involvement Networks
Stronger voice and better care for patients
Local Involvement Networks: Briefing for independent providers
Local Involvement Networks and the NHS Complaints Process
Preventative health checks will save lives, says Prime Minister
GPs to provide health checks for all aged between 40 and 74
Vascular checks will prevent thousands of heart attacks and strokes
Putting Prevention First: Vascular checks - Risk assessment and management
Beat goes on for pensioners at Ministry - the Ministry of Sound is not an obvious venue for a pensioners' party but this Friday, the legendary nightclub plays host to Silver Social - - the climax to Southwark council's fortnight-long festival of events for older people
Long-term care: Warning on drugs for Alzheimer's patients in nursing homes
NHS Dental Charges: What you should pay (from 1 April 2008)
New England-wide bus pass starts today
April 1st - the new national concessionary bus pass starts from today. Don't worry if you have not yet received yours. They are on their way.
March 2008
A Guide to Receiving Direct Payments from Your Local Council: A route to independent living
'There's humour in the darkest places' - author Terry Pratchett, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's last year, has just donated half a million pounds to research into the disease. He tells Stuart Jeffries, he's not about to give up without a fight
Impact Assessment of Concessionary Bus Travel Passes
Independent living: Delivering on choice and control for disabled people
Social Care Reform: User-led organisations - Action and learning sites
February 2008
Today (29 February) is the first ever European Rare Diseases Day
Delivering adult social care: Housing
Department of Health: Local involvement networks (LINks) bulletin - Updated
Consultation: Draft rail vehicle accessibility (interoperable rail system) regulations
Councils told to make parking fairer, clearer and more open from 31 March
Disability Equality Scheme: Annual report
Ivan Lewis announces £27 million extra for social enterprise
First anniversary of tougher mobile phone penalties: 90 per cent agree using a phone affects driving
Lost and Found: Taking disability equality and human rights into the equalities family
Government plans to train 3,600 more psychological therapists as Prozac deemed ineffective
NHS hospitals across England are rigging waiting lists to look as if they are hitting targets
'There was more to fix than I thought' - eighteen months after his crash, Richard Hammond has revealed that his recovery is far from complete. He is not the first survivor of head trauma to find alterations in mood, memory - and even personality
Heart disease map could help tackle Europe's worst killer
Why has it taken so long for the issue of life time homes to come on to the agenda?
New homes to cater for ageing population
Lifetime Homes, Lifetime Neighbourhoods: Housing in an ageing society - Blears
Lifetime Homes, Lifetime Neighbourhoods: A national strategy for housing in an ageing society
Housing Choices and Aspirations of Older People: Research from the New Horizons Programme
Disabled Facilities Grant: The package of changes to modernise the programme
Long-term care: Caring and sharing
Half a million may have diabetes - or high risk - without knowing it
Social Care as an Equality and Human Rights Issue: Speech by Baroness Campbell
State of Social Care Report Launch: Presentation transcript
Independence at the Heart of the Welfare State: Speech by James Purnell
New sanctions regime for those who try and play the system
Concessionary Bus Fares - Updated - 20th February 2008
Disabled people reap the rewards of the Disability Discrimination Act
£20 million to improve children's palliative care services
Genitourinary Medicine 48-hour Access: Getting to target and staying there
Reform of elderly care 'should be priority'
Social care review to focus on services responsive to people's needs
NHS makes outstanding progress in treatment of heart disease
Disability issues hit the big screen - the X'08 festival brings together the best international films by disabled actors and directors, including comedies, dramas and a controversial documentary
Healthcare Commission: Newsletter - Updated
Concessionary Bus Fares - Updated
Aiming High for Disabled Children
Employment at a record high as more people move into work
Audit throws spotlight on violence in mental health units and highlights areas for action
Checking the Facs - the government's current system of delivering social care will seriously limit the potential benefits of personalised budgets
Long-term care: There should be no hiding from death
Equality and Human Rights Commission: Final legacy publications
Lost to the System: How do we close the gaps in adult social care: Speech by Denise Platt
Pioneering 45-minute treatment for diabetes holds prospect of cure - a pioneering transplant treatment for people suffering the worst effects of type 1 diabetes was approved for use on NHS patients yesterday
Key to longer life may lie in keeping fit from the age of 70
Transplant hope for diabetes patients
New Deal for Communities is turning around England's most deprived areas
Genetic test in three years to detect prostate cancer - British doctors will use test in screening programmes to spot disease in earliest stages
New streamlined health and social care complaints system
Disability Rights Commission Guides for Transport Providers
New boost for patients with debilitating diseases
Minister confirms funding to combat worklessness
Prime Minister unveils palliative care institute
Nine out of ten support move to free England-wide bus pass
Qualitative Research Exploring the Pathways to Work Sanctions Regime
January 2008
New checks for wider social care workforce will help drive up standards
More rail stations to be made accessible
National awards launched to celebrate employment success stories
Department for Transport: Access for all stations
Ministers plan inquiry into postcode lottery of care for elderly
Sharp divide between people who do and do not qualify for social care
Ready to Work, Skilled for Work: Unlocking Britain's talent
James Purnell appointed Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Blue badges are in the news
21st century makeover for disabled parking scheme
Written Ministerial Statement: Blue Badge (Disabled Persons' Parking) Scheme
The Blue Badge Scheme: Local authority guidance
The Strategic Review of the Blue Badge Scheme: An independent report
Moving Beyond the Blue Badge Review: Turning evidence into action
Hain steps up fight against benefit theft
Skills for Care Conference 2008
When patients are partners - doctors and nurses should give their patients a bigger say in their own care
Community contracts to drive better services
Two related items
Pensions Service and Disability and Carers Service: Joining up to improve service
More money to help disabled workers into sustained employment
Concessionary Bus Travel Act 2007
Hospital refuses plea for hysterectomy on cerebral palsy girl
One in six British households is living in fuel poverty
Practice Based Commissioning: GP practice survey
NHS health research shapes up for the future
Contacting your council online can help save the planet
Fifty per cent increase in organ donation possible within five years
Students with learning difficulties often have trouble getting work; one scheme tackles that.
Nation urged to 'Pull your finger out!' and stay safe from fire
Long-term Conditions Compendium of Information: Adding years to life and life to years
Informal Adult Learning: Shaping the way ahead - Consultation
Prime Minister listens to the experts on carers strategy
Government announces extra funding for home adaptations
Home care: There's no place like home for the elderly: simple changes can help them stay there
The Ice Cube is back in Millennium Square - it opened today (12th January) and will be there until 2nd March. I discovered last year that being a wheelchair user does not mean you cannot take part. Give it a try. Ring the Box Office 0113 2243801.
Commissioning Framework for Health and Well-being: Response to consultation
How am I supposed to get up there?
Nick Bishop has cerebral palsy. He explains how he deals with the obstacles he comes across in everyday life - such as the steps that come between him and a pint with his mates
Family aid targeted at child carers
Breast cancer screening has nearly halved the number of deaths from the disease
Long-term jobless face community work
Improving Specialist Disability Employment Services: Public consultation
PM launches drive to avert 200,000 deaths a year
News from today (3.1.08) till Saturday (12.1.08)won't be posted until the 13th/ 14th January as I am on annual leave.
Better diet could prevent one in ten premature deaths, according to latest analysis
Two items about social care
Public urged to ask more questions about care
Social Care: Choosing the right service for you
Four items about employment
New Deal helps someone find work every three minutes
Transforming Britain's Labour Market: Ten years of the New Deal
Reducing Dependency, Increasing Opportunity: Options for the future of welfare to work
..........
Joint action plan announced to find work for healthcare job seekers
Pathways to Work: Findings from the final cohort in a qualitative longitudinal panel of incapacity benefits recipients.
The Department of Work and Pensions have launched a website which contains guidance about portraying disabled people in communications materials. The website is aimed primarily at communications professionals, to provide them with support and guidance in producing effective and inclusive depictions of disabled people, although anyone producing communications materials should be aware of it.
It has been compiled through extensive consultation with the Images of Disability Steering Group, which includes representatives from the Disability Rights Commission, to ensure both accuracy of information and to gain support and input.
The new website covers a broad range of useful material including:
An extensive Media Gallery containing examples of positive portrayals of disabled people across a range of media channels
‘How to …..’ guides and templates, from campaign briefing to production
Sample briefs
Tips and techniques about effectively applying a disability message to a campaign
Useful research material
Case studies and articles about disability
The Report of the Opportunities for Leisure, Reacreation and Sport for Disabled People in Leeds can be read here. You can also find it on the Newsletters page - December 2006.
From sickness service to health service
Helping patients to take control of long-term illnesses
Mental Health Policy Implementation Guide: A learning and development toolkit for the whole of the mental health workforce across both health and social care
Healthcare Commission: Gender equality scheme and positive action plan
The Future Regulation of Health and Adult Social Care in England
Reviewing the Care Programme Approach 2006: A consultation document
The Healthcare Commission has launched a national audit of services for people with learning disabilities following a successful pilot project. For more information click here > news and events.
Growing Up Matters: Better Transition Planning for Young People with Complex Needs is a report by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) which points out that urgent action is needed to ensure that when disabled young people transfer from children to adult services they continue to receicve high quality services which promote their independence.
Information for Mental Health - www.mentalhealthleeds.info
Leeds Mental Health Directory on-line. Contains searchable database of more than 800 services and organsiations working on mental health in Leeds. Accessible to people with visial and motor impairments, and includes British Sign Language video pages.
Creating a Disability Equality Scheme - a practical guide for the NHS.
The New A to Z - Health and Social Care Information in Leeds is now available. It is a mini guide for older people and disabled people.
Copies are available at Council One Stop Centres, most libraries, some health centres, or you can phone Social Services 0113 2478630 or Age Concern 0113 2458579.
The Department of Health launched a campaign to help reduce death and disability from coronary heart disease which remains the UK's single biggest killer.
Seamless health and adult care services without reams of red tape proves that integration - even on a large scale - can work > Middle ground made good > All for one.
The MS Team have produced their annual report.
Commission for Social Care Inspection's Response to the Care Matters Green Paper
Our health, our care, our say: a new direction for community services
The Government's White Paper on improving community health and care services was published on 30th. January. It can be found on the Department of Health website www.dh.gov.uk
They have also produced A brief guide which can be downloaded from the website: www.dh.gov.uk/publications
Copies can also be obtained from the DH Publications Orderline.
Email: dh@prolog.uk.com
Tel: 08701 555455
Fax: 01623 724524
Textphone: 08700 102870
Access to Air Travel for Disabled Persons and Persons of Reduced Mobility: UK consultation
Accessibility to improve at more stations: Yorkshire and The Humber
Accessibility to improve at more stations
The Disabled People's Transport Access Committee welcomes the new powers to inspect blue badges.
RADAR has produced Get Motoring - finding and financing your car - a practical guide for disabled motorists > publications
Blue Badge use - from September 29th traffic wardens and others have the right to inspect blue badges. Failure to produce one could lead to a £1,000 fine.
So make sure that yours is not out of date. Blue badges are issued for 3 years at a time and can take up to ten days to renew.
A new guidance booklet on the Blue Badge Scheme is available from 0207 9442914 or email: blue.badge@dft.gsi.gov.uk
Out and About - wheelchairs as part of a whole systems approach to independence - a new publication from the Department of Health. Open the Department's website, go to latest news, then new publications, then Out and About.
The whole document is 40+ pages, but there is also a six page summary.
Pavement parking management research report.
The William Merritt Disabled Living Centre and Mobility Service has produced a Training and Open Days leaflet for 2007.
Services for older people must be reconfigured to make care closer to home a reality - national director of older people.