Shaping Our Lives

Independent Living

August 2, 2018 0

Sale of 17 Leonard Cheshire homes ‘makes mockery of user-involvement pledge’

The disability charity Leonard Cheshire has been accused of making “a complete mockery” of its supposed commitment to service-user involvement after it suddenly told residents of 17 of its care homes that it plans to sell them to other care providers. The plan will see about one-sixth of its 104 residential services being sold

Activism and Campaigning

June 28, 2018 0

Office for Disability Issues ‘taking no action’ to halt closure of DPOs

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The government’s Office for Disability Issues is apparently failing to take any action to address “worrying” concerns about disabled people’s organisations (DPOs) that are being forced to close because of funding problems. Earlier this month, two prominent user-led organisations spoke out about the “urgent” need for research into the falling number of DPOs across

Independent Living

Sue Bott giving evidence to a parliamentary committee

June 21, 2018 0

Government’s social care funding failure ‘is terrible news for disabled people’

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Disabled campaigners have reacted with alarm to the government’s decision that it will not address the social care funding crisis until the end of next year, despite announcing billions of pounds a year extra for the NHS. Despite saying in a speech that ministers “know we need to improve social care”, prime minister Theresa

Activism and Campaigning

June 14, 2018 0

Call for national research as fears grow over loss of DPOs

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There is an “urgent” need for research into the hidden issue of disabled people’s organisations across the country that are being forced to close because of funding problems, say campaigners. Shaping Our Lives (SOL), the national network of service users and disabled people, spoke out this week after further “worrying” figures showing the falling

Independent Living

April 26, 2018 0

Social care ‘citizens’ assembly’ set up by MPs omits DPOs from panel of experts

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A consultation event set up by MPs to produce recommendations from members of the public on the future funding of adult social care has failed to ask any disabled people’s organisations (DPOs) to provide them with “expert” opinions. DPOs have raised “deep concerns” about the way the Citizens’ Assembly on Social Care has been

Politics

Philip Hammond speaking in the House of Commons

March 15, 2018 0

Spring statement ‘shows disabled people will continue to bear brunt of austerity’

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The chancellor’s spring statement shows that disabled people will continue to bear the brunt of austerity, according to leading user-led organisations. They spoke out after Philip Hammond (pictured) resisted calls to increase funding for adult social care and other public services in this week’s statement. Instead, he suggested that he might increase public spending

Independent Living

Anne Savidge, in a midwife's uniform, holding two babies, in a fading photograph

March 1, 2018 0

Shock and dismay over death of disabled woman abandoned without care

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User-led organisations have reacted with shock and dismay to the “scandalous” failings of a council and care agencies that led to a disabled, terminally-ill woman being abandoned without any personal care just a few days before she died. Anne Savidge was told by Portsmouth City Council last December that there were no longer any

Independent Living

Jeremy Hunt speaking in the House of Commons

January 11, 2018 0

Ministerial reshuffle: Concern over further social care role for Hunt

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The government’s decision to rebrand the Department of Health as the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has raised concerns about its plans for addressing the social care funding crisis. This week’s ministerial reshuffle saw the number of ministers in the department rising from five to six, with Philip Dunne sacked and the

Independent Living

Mark Harrison holding a microphone for another speaker

November 30, 2017 0

Equality watchdog seeks legal advice on possible right to independent living

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The equality watchdog has asked a barrister to examine whether there needs to be a legal right to independent living for disabled people, because of concerns that their rights to choice and control over their lives is being “eroded”. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has asked the lawyer to assess how independent

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