Monthly Archives: July 2012
Disability tests ‘sending sick and disabled back to work’
People deemed too sick or disabled to work are being refused their benefits because the current assessment is inadequate, according to the expert appointed to review it.
By Andrew Hough
12:00AM BST 30 Jul 2012
Prof Malcolm Harrington, the government appointed adviser on testing welfare claimants, admitted the work fitness test was “patchy”.
He said that as a result of the flaws in the 13 week assessment, which tests physical fitness as well as mental skills, some claimants who were genuinely unable to work, have suffered.
He made the comments during an investigation into the system, introduced by the last Labour government, by the BBC’s Panorama programme.
“There are certainly areas where it’s still not working and I am sorry there are people going through a system which I think still needs improvement,” he said.
The programme, which airs on Monday night, features the story of one man who suffered from heart failure and died 39 days after being declared fit for work.
Concern at takeover of Wiltshire’s autism service
Members of NHS Wiltshire have expressed concern at allowing Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership to provide an autism diagnosis service.
NHS Wiltshire went through a rigorous process to identify qualifed providers to supply the service in the county.
Two organisations met the criteria, AWP and Autism Diagnostic Research Centre while a third, Social Enterprise Quality of Life, conditionally qualified.
Norwich Door to Door charity raises £30,000 to buy new bus for elderly and disabled people
The accessible transport charity Norwich Door to Door has raised more than £30,000 in just six months to add a new minibus to its city fleet.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
2.39 PM
Norwich Door to Door charity will be adding an eighth bus to its fleet after raising £30,000.With £33,000 in the kitty, an order has been placed for the charity’s eighth bus, which is scheduled for delivery in November.
It will give the charity the capacity to wipe out the two month waiting list of people who want to begin using the service, which is designed for the disabled and elderly whose mobility problems prevent them using ordinary public transport.
Norwich Door to Door chief executive Jill Gaul said: “We’d like to thank everyone who chipped in to help us meet the demand that we know is there. The new bus will be the crowning achievement of our 20th anniversary year.”
Contributions to the fundraising have been large and small. They included £10,000 from the National Lottery Awards for All fund and £5,000 from the Geoffrey Watling Charitable Trust, down to supporters and users of the service making individual donations of a few pounds. Two supporters, Ruby Clift and Chris Yeates, raised £901 with a sponsored cycle ride.
