PPlog

I think you might find the following Facebook exchange interesting. Initially I wrote after being invited to a rally opposing the closure of the UEA music section (some months ago I had been blocked attendance at a trade union meeting in a lecture room because there was no wheelchair access): “I'd like to get there but is it somewhere in the UEA I can get to in a wheelchair? I've been blocked from UEA meetings before because of UEA discrimination!” The reply from the organisers said: “The event is being held in the LCR which is in Union House and it is wheelchair accessible. Then, from someone called, 'Charlie Gibbons': “Ye (sic) thats right, you was (sic) discriminated against, nonsense” and my reply: You experience it and call it nonsense!!! From another person, JL: “Charlie, disallowing access to certain people is discrimination by definition.” Charlie Gibbons: “Just because there isn't a ramp isn't discrimination. Telling someone you can...

I have just read 'Rethinking Disability Policy' by Jenny Morris, a research paper published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and available here: http://www.jrf.org.uk/publications/rethinking-disability-policy While I have long admired Jenny Morris and to a good extent have held her up as one of my heros, I'm a little disappointed in this paper. The words suck, eggs and teach come to mind. However, I must say it is a useful codification of how the present political dilemmas undermine disability rights and although she doesn't mention Tory ideology she tacitly refers to its destructiveness. BUT, most disabled people active in service user involvement today would be able to come up with more possible creative solutions – and perhaps more radical than Jenny's. I think too, she is mistaken about how disabled activists are duped. Just one example encompasses 'personalisation' and 'co-production:' Our expert user and carer group on 'Personalisation...

Karen McAndrew really deserves open recognition for her work - yet she seems to be a very accomplished mystery. All I can find out about her is the little attribution at the foot of her paper published in Ekklesia. However as Ekklesia welcomes the broadcasting of her work, I’ve pasted her excellent paper here in full: Betraying disabled people and welfare karen McAndrew Abstract This short research paper maps out the contours of a revolution in Britain’s benefits and welfare system. But the evidence Karen McAndrew examines and evaluates indicates that, far from enabling and supporting sick and disabled people, the changes and cuts the UK government is making – disguised by a superficial rhetoric of compassion and empowerment, and eased by ungrounded prejudices stoked in sections of the media – are causing real harm and destroying the fabric of national care and genuine opportunity. Putting human impact centre stage, this paper sets out disturbing evidence that disabled p...

The following is a reply to my constituency MP to a question I asked Maria Miller, through him, asking her what, about a Norfolk Coalition of Disabled People report, she considered 'not accurate' (see:  My original posting. Dear Richard. Thank you for your further letter of 4 October on behaIf of Mr Mike LLywelyn Cox of xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (my edit) about the proposed reforms of Disability Living Allowance. Mr Cox has referred to an interview I gave to the Eastern Daily Press on 31 May. In the relevant part of the interview referred to by Mr Cox I said, inter alia, that: ''Obviously, the reform of “Disability Living Allowance is a really important change for disabled people and it's reaIly important that people are clear about what it's going to be doing....I'm slightly concerned that some of the things haven't been accurate. The Government continues to spend £40bn every year on supporting disabled people and Disability Living Allowance is £12...

Here’s what users can do if allowed to and put their minds to: Please visit the new website   www.biz-ability.org.uk   and leave a message for us on the blog.   Congratulations Penny, Hazel and Alex. My kind of people.

A very good friend, Sandie Bailes, who is a fellow service user wrote this - and gave me permission to publish it. Social Workers take note!!!!!!!!!!!!! IS IT WORTH IT? I have been passionate about Personalisation in both care and health since I joined NCODP. My sheer joy at the thought of being able to choose my care – whether it be actual folk to do the caring or strategies and things in place to make my brain boogie – could waltz my wellbeing star off it’s page! But then this joy is scuppered by the grey folk who simply do not understand or are unwilling to take on board Personalisation. It’s not all grey folk; some are warriors and fight my corner but some simply do not want to see me smile; do not wish to join me in my world of sparkling rainbows and chocolate cuddles. My aim is to be just Sandie; I am a unique human being; MS is only part of me – it’s not all of me. I look to my PB to enhance and enrich each wonderful day; I look to it to enable me to carry on with the vo...

A friend from our Parish Council casually asked if I'd be interested in a meeting involving 'future health care' at South Norfolk (District) Council. I was and foiund out that: Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust is currently the new provider of community services (nursing, occupational therapy etc) in our 'not so local' area. Here in Thurlton we're relatively fortunate to be served by one of three satellites of the South East Community Team based in which is based in Wymondham. However, our satellite team is based in Chedgrave - a marked improvement on previous services, usually based in Norwich or Wymondham. But when the new Commissioning Manager for South Norfolk, Chris Coath spoke, he revealed something of a snag: Being in the extreme south east of Norfolk, right against the Suffolk border, half the patients (I'll say 'patients' rather than 'service users' for the sake of populist clarity) are registered with the Beccles GP ...