Easy Read Election Resources
In connection with the upcoming general election, United Response (support and care provider) has made a number of resources available in Easy Read format, for people with learning disabilities. They are available from the United Response website under the theme ‘Every Vote Counts’ In view of the registration deadline, 22nd May, perhaps the first resource […]
Public Accounts Committee Report: DoH Failures in Community Support
The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee has been monitoring Department of Health’s efforts in moving people with a learning disability out of mental health hospitals and into the community. Two years ago the Committee found that progress had been poor but was promised improvements. It has just published its latest findings (26th April) in a report entitled ‘Local support for […]
PIP debate delayed
An early victim of yesterday’s election announcement appears to be the promised debate on the PIP amendments, scheduled for this Thursday, which we cited in our news post of a few days ago! The following exchange took place in the Commons yesterday:
Parliament and Amendments PIP Regulations: an Update
Further to our previous post, a further emergency Commons debate on the Amendments to the PIP Regulations has been granted by the government, to be held on 19th April, after MPs return from their Easter break. The status of the debate is slightly complicated, but the (unfortunate) fact is that the Government does not have to […]
Communities and Local Government Committee Report: social care funding needs urgent Government review
Just published today (31st March), the Communities and Local Government Committee’s report on its inquiry into adult social care. Background information and links to the Report here on the Committee’s website . Some depressing reading (Key Facts, Impact Analysis) from the Reports Executive Summary. (Read on for its recommendations).
N v ACCG: a landmark Supreme Court Judgement on the role of Court of Protection
A significant ruling by Lady Hale yesterday in the Supreme Court is being reported and commented on today, which (if I understand correctly) will have significant impact on how the Court of Protection undertakes its role in future. The most important article has appeared here on the Court of Protection Handbook website under the headline […]
PIP: MPs debate Personal Independence Payment (Amendment) Regulations 2017
Recent parliamentary business (aside from Brexit) has been conspicuous for the numbers of questions asked about disability and benefits, especially about DLA and PIP. On 16th March the new Personal Independence Payment (Amendment) Regulations 2017 came into force. On the previous day, 15th March, an Urgent Question from Debbie Abrahams, Shadow Secretary of State For […]
Law Commission’s DoLS Review proposes new Liberty Protection Safeguards
The Law Commission has today (Monday 13th March) at last delivered its report with its final recommendations to the government on replacing the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) Community Care Online was (very) quick off the blocks to publish an article under the headline Law Commission reveals Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards replacement (with the sub-headline: […]
Improving Lives: Ministers deciding ‘how best to move forward’
The government published ‘Improving Lives’ in the autumn of 2016. This was described as ‘The Work, Health and Disability Green Paper’. If nothing else, it is worth reading the ministerial forward by ministers Damian Green (for the DWP) and Jeremy Hunt (for the DoH), and the Executive Summary. The government then initiated a consultation: over […]
New Terminology for Language Impairments
After years of confusion, there is now international agreement (in the English-speaking world) about what to call ‘unexplained language difficulties’. While the term Language Disorder is retained, Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) will replace the term Specific Language Impairment (SLI). I am grateful to the charity Afasic for alerting me to this change via its winter […]