| New shielding guidance lacks basic protections
The 2.2 million people advised to shield back in March have been advised by government to carry on with life, but at “one step beyond” their area’s current three-tier standing.
The new guidance offers little in the way of support to those who previously shielded, such as food parcels or deliveries, or medicine deliveries.
DR UK CEO Kamran Mallick said: “It is incredible that given that two-thirds of deaths from the virus have been those with disabilities and long-term health conditions, that the government is not providing robust support and protections for those most at risk.
“The financial provisions for those who cannot work are punitive. The impacts of Coronavirus on individual lives have not changed since March.”
Read more on our website.
Care Minister announces ‘key worker’ care home visitor pilot
Designated visitors to relatives in care homes are to be given key worker status to ensure visitation rights, the Minister for Care, Helen Whately has announced. A pilot scheme will be trialled – the date has yet to be announced. One sole visitor will be permitted the designation. All but essential workers were banned from visiting care homes back in March. The move affected homes for disabled people, including those with dementia.
DR UK Head of Policy Fazilet Hadi said: “It is not clear why this is a pilot. We should immediately move to making tests and PPE available for all close family and friends who want to visit loved ones. The separation is causing untold misery and rapid deterioration in mental health. To run a pilot seven months after the issue first came to light is a wholly inadequate response. Further, allocating just one visitor per resident feels callous given the amount of isolation people in care homes have been forced to endure. How can residents be expected to choose between their most beloved people?”
Two-fifths of older adults in psychiatric wards got COVID
At least two-fifths of older adults in psychiatric wards in London were infected with COVID-19 at the height of the pandemic, a new study led by UCL researchers has found.
None of the patients were known to have had the virus upon admission, but 131 were diagnosed by the end of April. The infection rate may be higher due to low rates of testing at the beginning of the pandemic.
Of those who fell ill, a third experienced delirium or acute cognitive decline as a result.
DR UK Head of Policy said: “Patients had no choice about where they were during lockdown. The infection rate is truly shocking. There should not be increased risk for those who have to stay in psychiatric wards. Their dignity and safety should be paramount. We know a quarter of people who died in the first wave had dementia. The death statistics for those in these psychiatric wards are over double that. These figures are completely unacceptable, and this is yet more evidence that disabled people are bearing the brunt of this crisis.
“As we are now in the second wave, and it is likely that this London study reflects a national picture, it is critical that psychiatric wards can get tests and PPE quickly, and protect those in their care.”
Read more on our website.
UC claimants set to lose out on Severe Disability Premium money
The Severe Disability Premium (SDP) is now a part of Universal Credit (UC) – a move which will see it eroded in relation to other benefits.
Before the change, which came into effect last week, the payment was ringfenced and separate from other benefits. Under the new policy, if a claimant’s universal credit entitlement increases, for example, if their rent goes up, or their condition becomes worse, the transitional SDP element, which is worth between £120 and £405 a month, will decrease accordingly.
DR UK CEO Kamran Mallick said: “Life for disabled people comes at a cost premium as it is. When Universal Credit was introduced, claimants were assured they would not be worse off. Indeed, DWP advisors on the local level still claim this. The reality is, disabled people are worse off. Many are several hundred pounds worse off every month. It is absolutely perverse that when life circumstances change and they are out of the control of the UC recipient, they are penalised for those changes by a reduction in SDP. The government must reverse this change and ringfence SDP for all those affected.”
Read more on our website.
Westminster Hall debate on Disability inaccessible
On Thursday, 15 October, MPs held a debate on disability. The debate was requested by Dr Lisa Cameron MP, the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Disability.
Issues raised included: maintaining social care and the need to review the easements under the Coronavirus Act; the importance of support for children with Special Education Needs and Disability; improvements to the benefits system including extending the £20 per week uprating to Employment and Support Allowance; improved communication for people with hearing and visual impairments and learning disabilities; better public awareness of face covering exemptions; and improved support to gain and retain employment.
Fazilet Hadi, DR UK Head of Policy said: “Whilst it is heartening to hear that some MPs understand the devastating impact that Coronavirus and its economic and social consequences are having on disabled people, the debate didn’t inspire confidence that the government would take action.
“The fact that the Shadow Minister for Disabled People, who is herself disabled, couldn’t attend the Debate, as she wasn’t enabled to join the meeting virtually underlines how far we have to go to achieve disability equality .”
Read more on our website.
CQC reviews use of DNACPR during pandemic
The Department of Health and Social Care has asked the Care Quality Commission to review how Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR) decisions were used during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Disability organisations including DR UK raised concerns with the CQC about the use of DNACPR decisions back in the Spring when it was suspected that they were being applied to elderly and clinically vulnerable people without their consent, or with inadequate information being provided in order for them to make an informed decision.
Interim findings are expected by the end of the year, with the final report due early next year.
Read more on the CQC website.
22 more motorway service stations receive Changing Places funding
More motorway service stations have been given funding for new Changing Places facilities, as part of the government’s pledge to ensure a third of the UK’s 158 motorway service stations have the facilities.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “In a modern country, everyone should be able to travel. Despite improvements in some areas, we need our roadside services to be better for the quarter of a million people who cannot use standard accessible toilets.”
DR UK Head of Policy Fazilet Hadi said: “We welcome this initiative, and we would like to see the government extend the thinking from the Inclusive Transport Strategy into wider society – putting Changing Places into all town and city centres, hospitals and health care facilities, as well as all major leisure facilities.”
Read more on our website.
New legal judgment will help some D/deaf people to qualify for PIP
A new Upper Tribunal judgment will enable some D/deaf people to score more daily living activity points so as to help gain entitlement to PIP.
The two PIP claimants in the case each need to remove their hearing aids to take a shower and to take a bath.
Each cannot without the aids hear a typical fire alarm or smoke alarm while taking a bath or shower with the door closed.
The issue before the Upper Tribunal was whether the claimants required supervision in order to have a bath or shower due to having to remove their hearing aids and being unable to hear an alarm.
The DWP submitted to the Upper Tribunal that the risk of a fire occurring while washing was so remote that it could reasonably be ignored by decision makers.
Upper Tribunal Judge Perez rejected its submission.
Read more on the judgment on our website.
Just one in ten blind people could vote in election – RNIB report
The RNIB has released a new report – Turned Out 2019 – about blind and partially sighted people’s experience of voting in the 2019 General Election.
The research found:
- Just over one in ten blind voters and less than half of partially sighted voters could vote independently and in secret in the 2019 general election.
- Less than half of blind and partially sighted people are satisfied with their experience of voting.
- More than half of blind people reported being unable to read any information regarding the election sent to them by local councils, including poll cards.
Read more on our website.
Hertfordshire County Council fails to abide by Care Act
Hertfordshire County Council was found to be in breach of the Care Act by failing to meet a woman’s eligible need to maintain a habitable home, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found.
The woman had been buying extra help to meet her needs using her savings, which the Ombudsman said indicated that the council had a more general practice of not meeting needs.
Read more on our website. |
