IS…………
Inclusion Scotland
Reg Ch.No. SC031619
Company No. 243492
Nothing about disabled people
Without disabled people
Inclusion Scotland newsletter April 2012
UK is breaching human rights of disabled people, UN told
A Scottish campaigner has told the Human Rights Council
of the UN that the UK Government is in breach of its
human rights obligations to disabled people.
In Geneva, Dr Pauline Nolan, Policy Officer for Inclusion
Scotland, submitted evidence to a preliminary hearing
ahead of a planned review of the human rights record of
14 states, including the UK.
On behalf of the Campaign for A Fair Society – a coalition of more than 70 Scottish
charities – Dr Nolan will warn the cumulative impact of welfare reform and cuts to
benefits affecting disabled people will mean their ability to live a full life is impaired. In
particular, she will argue that welfare changes undermine their right to be included in
the community.
The campaign also claims disabled people are being denied access to justice when
they try to appeal against these cuts to their benefits.
Dr Nolan said she aimed to equip the UN with a series of recommendations and
questions to put to the UK Government when its representatives appear in front of the
Human Rights Council in May.
She added: 'Disability organisations, disabled people and the Parliament's own Joint
Committee on Human Rights concluded that these cuts will have a devastating
cumulative impact on the livelihoods of disabled people.
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'Further cuts are taking place to local authority services they receive. Taken together,
all these cuts are severely undermining the human rights of disabled people.'
She claims half of the £18 billion of cuts to be made under welfare reform will fall on
households containing disabled people, adding: 'These cuts will push hundreds of
thousands of disabled people and their families into poverty and thousands will be
made homeless.'
Jim Elder-Woodward, of the Independent Living in Scotland project, said: 'I am really
pleased that Dr Nolan is going to Geneva to tell the UN just how this Coalition
Government is systematically undermining the rights of disabled people by cutting their
benefits and services. The combined voices of disabled people have either been
silenced or misrepresented by the UK Government in their resolution to make disabled
people suffer over 50% of the total £18bn in benefit cuts.'
Norma Curran, of Values Into Action Scotland, added: 'These welfare reforms are
devastating people's lives. It's not acceptable to challenge the human rights of people
on the grounds of race, sex, language, or religion, so why does the UK Government
think that it is acceptable to breach the human rights of disabled people?'
Article taken from The Herald – 3rd April 2012
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Inclusion Scotland change of address
Inclusion Scotland are moving to a new unit in the Pentagon Centre from 1st May:
Unit 111, Pentagon Centre
36-38 Washington Street
Glasgow
G3 8AZ
Tel: 0141 221 7589
All email contacts remain the same.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Home2Fit: Scotland's Accessible Housing Register
Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living (GCIL) is delighted to have secured additional
funding from the Scottish Government's Voluntary Grants Scheme to develop and roll
out their online Accessible Housing Register across Scotland over the next year.
More info: Grant Carson, Director, GCIL Employment and Housing
Services, 0141 550 4455, Grant@gcil.org.uk or Marjorie Cuthbert,
Home2Fit Project Manager, Marjorie@gcil.org.uk
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News & Information
Report warning on benefits changes
Controversial changes to the UK benefits system are
likely to lead to council staff cuts and challenges in
maintaining public services, Scotland's public spending
watchdog has warned.
The Accounts Commission has said 'there is a risk that
ongoing reforms of the welfare system may result in
further pressures' on council services.
A new report highlighted the 'substantial reductions' in council budgets to date. It
predicts 'further budget reductions' to come accompanied by 'increasing pressures on
demand-led services such as social services and housing'.
The Accounts Commission has now warned that welfare reform will have a 'significant'
further impact on council structures and services. The report - An Overview of Local
Government in Scotland: Challenges and Change in 2012 - stated: 'The UK
government is bringing forward legislation to reform the welfare system.
'This will start to come into effect from April 2013 and by 2017 all benefits, such as
jobseeker's allowance, child benefit and housing benefits, will form part of the new
'Universal Credit' (UC).
'Scottish councils currently administer housing and council tax benefits but because
housing benefits will be part of UC, this responsibility will end after 2017. Currently,
there is uncertainty as to the arrangements for replacing council tax benefit.
'These changes have significant implications for councils. They face challenges in
communicating the position to claimants and in maintaining services and performance
in a period of change. In addition, councils face reduced funding as the housing benefit
caseload moves from council administration to UC and the likelihood of staff
reductions.'
The overview advises that there are also 'implications and risks' for councils as
landlords. In Scotland, 26 of the 32 local authorities manage their own council housing
stock, with around 60% (£615 million in 2009/10) of the rental income for these
properties coming directly from housing benefits.
Currently, where councils operate both housing rent and housing benefits, the systems
are linked and benefits are automatically applied against rents due. However, under
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UC, claimants receive benefits directly and it will be the claimant's responsibility to pay
rent to the council. Social and private landlords will be similarly affected.
Labour local government spokeswoman Sarah Boyack said: 'Coming just weeks before
the local government elections, this is a damning assessment of how the SNP are
treating local government.'
Article taken from The Press Association – Friday 16th March 2012
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Accessible Election Information
Ahead of the local council elections on 3 May the Electoral Commission has launched
an advertising campaign to provide information on how to register and vote in the
elections.
The Commission has sent an information booklet to every
household in Scotland and they have also produced
accessible versions of the booklet which include Easy
Read, British Sign Language, Audio and large print.
These are available to download at:
http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/3_may/scottish_local_elect
ions/information_booklet__alternat.aspx
Braille or hardcopy accessible formats of the booklet can be ordered by calling 0800 3
280 280.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Good Practice Examples of Accessible Information Wanted
If you have good practice examples of how you have made your information as
accessible as it can be we would love to know!
We want to showcase good practice examples on our website
to continue to raise awareness of what you can do within your
own organisations to make sure your information is accessible
as it can be. So if you have a poster, information leaflet or a
policy, for example, which you think is worth sharing please let
SAIF know so we can promote it.
Contact sburn@saifscotland.org.uk or telephone 0141 226 5261 with details and we
will showcase your good work on our website.
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News & Information
Patients law comes into force
An independent advice service has been set up to offer advice and
support to NHS patients across Scotland.
As part of the Patients Rights Act, from April 2, the Patient and
Advice Support Service (PASS) will raise awareness of patients rights
and provide support to patients on how to give feedback about their
healthcare.
The advice service is among a series of initiatives from the Act which come into force
on 2 April.
Patients will also now have a legal right to complain, give feedback or comments, or
raise concerns about the care they have received from the NHS.
PASS will be delivered through local Citizen’s Advice Bureaux offices and in some
health board areas through Patient Information Centres.
Patient Advisers will be on hand to provide advice and encourage patients to give
feedback on their experiences to help further improve NHS healthcare.
A set of healthcare principles for NHS staff and guidance on giving feedback on health
services will also be implemented from 2 April.
And patients are also being given the opportunity to give their views on the draft
Patient Rights Charter.
The Charter of Patient Rights and Responsibilities will bring together, in one place, a
summary of the rights and responsibilities that patients have when using NHS services.
Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: “The Patients Rights Act marks an important
step forward in giving patients more say in their health service.
“These measures will help reassure people that if they have concerns about care or
services, they will receive the help and support they need, and that they have the legal
right to complain.
“We know that while our health service does a fantastic job, it is not perfect and that is
why we need our patients to give us their feedback so that health boards can
continually improve the care they provide.
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'In particular, the Patient and Advice Support Service (PASS) will provide information
and help patients and members of the public to know and understand their rights and
responsibilities when using health services.”
The Patients Rights Act will also introduce a 12 week treatment guarantee from
autumn 2012 for eligible patients who are receiving planned inpatient or day-case
treatment.
This could include hip or knee replacements, hernias, or cataracts, although there are
a small number of exceptions to this guarantee due to the specialist nature of the
treatment.
Article taken from The Scottish Government – Monday 2nd April 2012
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Over the Fence - Sharing tips on how to get the support you need
Do you want to get some help to stay at home or have a better quality of life?
Do you know someone who could do with a bit more help?
Are you not too sure where to start, or how to find out more?
Outside the Box is working with people who can benefit from social
care. Social care is the services that help people stay at home, or be
more independent, for example.
The Over the Fence project brings together advice and information on how to start
getting the sort of services you want.
The advice and tips will include suggestions from people who have recently started
getting support. They know how confusing it can feel sometimes, as well as the
benefits.
We will be working with groups across Scotland where people have recently started
using care services, or are thinking about this:
• We want to hear how it feels for you and what sorts of information you would find
helpful.
• We are looking for people’s stories of starting to get help to stay at home or be more
independent
For more info: http://otbds.org/overthefence or telephone 0141 419 0451
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Consultations, Surveys and Research
Inclusion Scotland consultation responses
Inclusion Scotland are responding to various consultations and are
looking for your views on the following:

Affordable Rented Housing: Creating flexibility for landlords and better outcomes
for communities - http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2012/02/9972
 Personal Independence Payment assessment criteria http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/pip-draft-assessment-regulations.pdf
 Assisted Dying http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4_MembersBills/Final_version_as_lodged.pdf
 Patients Rights Bill http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2012/04/6273/downloads
 DLA and PIP: Completing the Detailed Design http://www.dwp.gov.uk/consultations/2012/pip-detailed-design.shtml
 Self Directed Support Scotland Bill http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/care/sdsbill
 Integrated Health and Social Care http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/care/IntegrationAdultHealthSocialCare
If you wish to contribute to any of these consultations (or would like a hard copy of the
papers) please contact Pauline Nolan on pauline@inclusionscotland.org or telephone
0141 221 7589.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Petition on welfare reform
Pat Onion's petition to ask the government to stop and review cuts to disabled people's
benefits and services has now reached over 30,000 signatures.
This is great, but the petition needs 100,000 signatures by November for
the UK government to take action on what it is calling for. Please sign it if
you haven't already, here: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/20968
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Events & Training
Local Elections Hustings – East Renfrewshire
If you are in the East Renfrewshire Local Authority area, please
try and get along to this hustings at Carlibar Primary school,
Barrhead, 7-9pm on Thursday 27th April and challenge your
local council candidates to make independent living a reality in
your area.
For more info contact 0141 638 4888 or enquiries@eastrenfrewshirecares.co.uk
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Be Inspired: Enable Scotland Annual Conference
12th May in Stirling - FREE
We invite you to a day of inspiration with discussion, speeches,
display and inspirational workshops. We are now taking registrations
to attend this event. Bookings for workshops will be requested later.
Please contact the Marketing Team at ENABLE Scotland at marketing@enable.org.uk
or call 0141 226 4541.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Inclusion Scotland Newsletter
For future editions of the newsletter, we are sending it by email to all members with an
email address, rather than a hard copy by post.
If you would prefer the newsletter as a hard copy by post, please contact Angela on
0141 221 7589 or email angela@inclusionscotland.org
Please remember our new address:
Unit 111
Pentagon Centre,
36-38 Washington Street
Glasgow
G3 8AZ
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