11 years. Is justice delayed justice denied?
The case of David Hyde and his 11-year struggle on behalf of his brother Anthony http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/aug/06/learning-disability-support-battle-victory (Guardian, 6th Aug 2012), cited in our Latest News, promotes very mixed feelings: admiration at David Hyde’s persistence, relief that the LGO eventually found in his favour, but anger and worry that it took so long for the complaints […]
Learning-disabled man’s brother wins £100,000 support battle…after 11-years!!!
A postal worker from Bradford has won an 11-year battle for justice for his disabled brother and reimbursement of more than £100,000 in support payments he had been wrongly denied. The local government ombudsman on Monday praised the “extraordinary lengths” to which David Hyde went to prove Bradford council was at fault for the error […]
Winterbourne View care home scandal ‘could happen again’ – BBC News 7th Aug 2012
Another Winterbourne View care home scandal could happen again unless action is taken by the government, campaigners have warned. Mencap and the Challenging Behaviour Foundation have spoken of the risks of moving patients hundreds of miles. The warning comes as the results of a serious case review into the abuse of patients at the private […]
Advocacy funding for people with learning disabilities cut
Advocacy service funding for people with learning disabilities has been cut by 15% over the past four years, according to research by Improving Health and Lives. The learning disability research body’s report, Advocacy by and for adults with learning disabilities in England, surveyed 88 advocacy groups and 78 council commissioners of advocacy services. This found that from 2009-10 to […]
Atos (again): Early Day Motion 295 laid down by John McDonnell MP
The Early Day Motion (EDM) laid down by John McDonnell MP on 26th June 2012 has now received 83 signatures from fellow MPs. The details of the motion may be found at the ‘Parliament online’ website: http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2012-13/29 This EDM comprises a series a criticisms of ATOS. It begins: “That this House deplores that thousands of […]
(ATOS again) Disabled anti-cuts campaigners take the fight to the Paralympic Games
Activists to protest against sponsorship of the Games by Atos, the private firm that carries out government fitness-for-work tests “Disabled campaigners are planning a week of action during the Paralympic Games at the end of August to protest at the way people claiming sickness and disability benefit are treated. The private company Atos Healthcare, one […]
Minister ‘tried to censor’ video aimed at helping disability claimants to appeal
The employment minister Chris Grayling has been accused of trying to censor a Ministry of Justice courts service information video that helps people appealing against decisions to remove their disability and sickness benefit. Emails and letters between Grayling and MoJ civil servants, seen by the Guardian, appear to show Grayling wanted to remove parts of […]
ATOS – Subject of two investigative TV documentaries on the same evening
On 30th July 2012, ATOS, the private company currently contracted by the Dept for Work and Pensions (DWP) to implement the new Work Capability Assessment (WCA), was the subject of not one but two investigative documentaries: Channel 4’s Dispatches: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches/episode-guide/series-117/episode-1 BBC’s Panorama: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01lldrc Both documentaries raised serious concerns about the processes and standards that have […]
Local Government Ombudsman publishes latest annual report for 2011/12
The Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) has just published her latest annual report, which as usual makes interesting reading, especially for carers – since it is to the LGO that complaints about Adult Social Care may be taken. Please see http://www.lgo.org.uk/publications/annual-report/ Note that the LGO now provides analyses of complaints e.g. a breakdown of statistics by […]
BBC Radio 4 – Face the Facts on Arranged Marriages and Learning Disability
There was a short article in Radio 4’s You and Yours programme on 30th July, previewing a Face The Facts radio documentary on Arranged Marriages and Learning Disability. The suggestion (and a widespread concern) is that the involvement of learning disabled people in arranged marriages is far more prevalent than previously thought. A wide range […]