PPlog

I read this valuable little report yesterday. It presents issues and dichotomies around disability labels, models of disability and rejections of the disability label by mental health service users/survivors. The report makes positive recommendations about furthering the debate but, in my opinion, the user contributions muddy rather than clarify matters. The subjects are seminal to the work being carried out to integrate physically, sensory, mental health and intellectual disabilities - essential if we are to progress further in our strivings for human and statutory rights. For me, the report is enormously helpful in providing a foundation for discussions of what are important questions and perhaps, if properly distributed, it could bring a better focus towards some resolution. Heddwch. Mike.

l'm privileged to take part in this important research and was interviewed by Dr Sarah Woodin of Leeds University Sociology and Social Policy Department yesterday at Norwich Station cafe. Met her off the train at 11.30 am and the interview concluded at about 1.40 - just in nice time for Sarah to catch her 2.00 pm train. Excellent research project and a good, enjoyable qualitative interview. Mike.

I have another correction. The TUC has done everything it can to ensure access to the march for disabled people. You can see this at http://marchforthealternative.org.uk/march-logistics/access-and-disability-2/ It now appears clear that the police, by closing off all access to central London and not making reasonable adjustments for disability access, are in breach of their Disability Equality Duty. I am referring this to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) for investigation. Heddwch. Mike.

From further conversation yesterday, I understand that the police may be guilty of breaches of Disability Discrimination by blocking off accessible coaches getting into central London (hence the Stratford terminus) and the unions, in their arrangements have not paid sufficient attention to disabled accessibility here. I have also been corrected in terms of the number of coaches going from different parts of Norfolk. I am told this is in fact 15 or more but they are all for able bodied people.    Mike.

The Rural Demon strikes again. And once again I’m disabled by London and I’m also, ostensibly, disabled by the the rally organisers. It looks to me like able bodied urban dwellers (15 coaches from Birmingham! - Guardian G2 22/03/11.) are being treated more favourably than us rural underlings. I was booked, with my wheelchair, on the Norfolk Coalition of Disabled People coach to the rally. Over the weekend I got this message from NCODP:                  “...due to the arrangements in London it has turned out impossible to guarantee complete accessible access travel to the march. The coach will be stopping at Stratford Station and people will need to make their own way through to the march, a journey which is not fully accessible via the Tube.” In a self propelled wheelchair that is near impossible for me. Talk about social barriers! NCODP did attempt to offset the problem by offering to pay travel fares but that’s still not possible for me. So from me, a helpless Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrhhhhh

From the Action4Advocacy newsletter: Equality duty failures means cuts are unlawful Somewhat old news by now, but worth repeating, we feel, is the ruling earlier this year that London Councils' decision to cut funding for 215 commissioned services was unlawful. The £26m capital funder failed to properly consider the gender, disability and race equality impacts of its decision, taken in December. Click this text for more information. Mike.