Three new digital technology centres will “transform” the lives of disabled and older people, and those living in rural communities, thanks to a £36 million investment in Britain’s “digital future”, the government has announced. The three new research “hubs” at Nottingham, […]
Balls pledges to improve SEN information for parents
A government minister has pledged to improve the information provided to parents of disabled children and children with special educational needs (SEN). Education secretary Ed Balls said he accepted improvements suggested by the Lamb Inquiry which was set up by the […]
New voice for employers of PAs
A new organisation will provide the first national voice for disabled people who employ personal assistants (PAs). The Association of Disabled Employers (ADE) has been set up by Anne Pridmore, who has campaigned for nearly 20 years on independent living and […]
Carry out free prescriptions pledge, say charities
Campaigners have called on the prime minister to set a clear timetable for carrying out his promise to provide free prescriptions for all people with long-term conditions. The campaign was launched on 1 April, the day people with cancer in England […]
Peers say government should act now on infected blood scandal
Peers have called for urgent government action to help people with haemophilia who became infected by contaminated NHS blood and blood products in the 1970s and 1980s. The House of Lords was debating the findings of an independent public inquiry, headed […]
MPs criticise government’s tactics on UN convention
MPs and peers have criticised the government’s approach to ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The parliamentary joint committee on human rights attacked the “wish-list” approach to the convention taken by government departments seeking to protect […]
CQC will review healthcare in residential homes
The new regulator for health and adult social care in England is to carry out four “special reviews” of services affecting disabled people during its first year. On the day it started work, 1 April, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said […]
New regulator will put service-users first
The new independent regulator for adult social care in England has pledged to put service-users at the heart of its decision making. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) started work on 1 April and will regulate all health and adult social care […]
Regulator says personalisation will flourish with flexibility
The new care services watchdog has said it wants to develop a regulatory system that is flexible enough to allow personalised services to flourish. The Care Quality Commission began work on 1 April as the joint regulator for all adult social […]
Government launches ‘milestone’ autism consultation
The government has reached a “long-awaited milestone” by launching a consultation on its first national adult autism strategy for England, say campaigners. Care services minister Phil Hope met five adults with autism to hear their views as he launched the consultation […]