NHS England Survey

NHS England have a survey
for people with learning disabilities, their families and support staff. They want your experiences of complaining about socialcare, health and education.

Prime Minister for a day

If I was PM for a day I would:-

* Scrap Universal Credit and continue the old system of seperate benefits.

* Take the points system out of sickness benefits like ESA. If you are sick you are sick thats enough, there is no right or wrong sick. GPs not professionals who don't know claimaints would decide if someone was able to work. No 2 tier payments, the same rate for  everyone.

* Scrap PIP and return to DLA, so that all needs are considered, not selected ones.

* Provide a social care system that treats people as people with rights and real life choices.

* Make return to work  support for everyone supportive and person centred, not threatening. Give the person control
And responsibility for their own programme.

* Ensure that any empty building was used to provide housing for homeless people.

* Ensure all tax due is paid and that the money and any penalties are used to properly fund public services.

* Keep public services public. No private companies should be allowed to bid for contracts.

* Scrap the 2 child limit and rape clause for benefits.

* Ensure everyone has timely access to free health care when they need it. Improve staffing levels and pay  within the NHS.

* End the benefit freeze and punitive sanction regime.

We can't just get over it

Mental Health conditions are not a lifestyle choice, If people could 'just' do those things they would. And I ask why this attitude is acceptable, nobody would tell someone with a broken leg to just walk on it, the same respect should apply to those with mental health needs.

Cute disability pictures on social media harm.our rights

I hate the cute disabled kid pictures on social.medis asking for a share, happy birthday or whatever because apparently nobody will. They give the wrong impression of disability and are probably posted just to get a reaction. They damage the fight for acceptance and rights. As a disabled person I'm offended that anyone thinks it ok to show us as so different and in many cases pathetic that such images have to be paraded on facebook to get us 'accepted'. If thats acceptance and normality I don't want it.

Previously posted by me on facebook

Disability rights myths, or what the Conservatives tell you

Myth Disability Living Allowance is self assessed by claimants with no checks.
Fact Decisionmakers decided all claims advised by healthcare workers. DMs chose whatever evidence they need to decide. This could be a report from a professional involved in the claimants care or a medical by a DWP appointed professional.

Myth Personal Independence Payment is targeted at those who need most help.
Fact Based on a points system it cherry picks the needs it includes. Changes in the rules mean many with significant needs, lose out because they don't have the right needs. Many get less help than under DLA.

Myths Relatively few claims for PIP are appealed.
Fact Appeals are  at record levels. Currently around two thirds of appeals succeed. This seriously  calls into question the claim decision making process.

Myth Disability and sickness benefits were changed to combat fraud.
Fact Fraud for these benefit is around 0.5 %. Much higher  for Housing Benefits and Working Tax Credit. DWP inflate stats often for benefit fraud by including official error. This idcwhere claimants gave the correct information and DWP paid the wrong amount.

Myth Disabled and elderly people get free social care.
Fact There are savings and income limits before any help with cost is given. Care needs are assessed and only eligible needs met. Means tests are carried out, most people contribute to the cost.

Myth Disabled people get free cars.
Fact People on the  higher rate mobility component of DLA/PIP or the forces equivelant can lease a car using their benefit. Its either the car or the money. Cars have advance payments that must be paid, and any adaptions must  be paid for.

Myth Disabled people don't pay rent or council tax.
Fact Housing Benefit/Local Housing Allowance rarely meets the full cost, and not everyone qualifies. Most people under 65 now have to pay some council Tax, if they get any help.

Myth Disability related equipment is free. Fact Whats on offer if you qualify is limited and there are long waits. Most people have to buy to get what meets their needs. We often pay luxury prices for essential items.

Myth DLA/PIP meets the extra costs of disability.
Fact It comes nowhere near for many. Transport a big cost for many, special clothing, footwear, prepared food if you can't cook, or special diets. Equipment that you can't have free, contributing to care. Meeting the cost of activities you have to have someone with you, LAs won't usually cover that, and more. The money runs out long before the list does.

Myth Disabled people have their bills paid. Fact Anything we owe, and its pretty much the same as anyone else plus disability costs comes out of our income. Benefits if we qualify, vary on circustances, most struggle to make ends meet.

Mental health and physical health both matter every day

Its World Mental Health Day, a day to raise awareness. It works but its not enough, those who don't have mental health needs need to be aware of mental health every day. It also needs to be viewed in exactly the way as physical health, there is no difference.

I have complex PTSD, alongside a physical disability. Nobody suggests  that me saying I can't take my wheelchair down steps is not a real need they accept that. I find attending medical appointments difficult because of my PTSD, to do so I need reasonable adjustments like seeing the same people or seeing them at certain places. Under the law I can ask for that in the same way as asking  for wheelchair access. Too often though its not seen in the same way. I am told more often than not I am simply making a choice, I could do it if I wanted to.

In the street I have been called crip, spaz, mental, loony, the first two relate to my physical disability, the others to my mental health. People have defended me and reacted against the former, the latter is seen as more acceptable.

In fact treating anyone with additional needs, no matter what they are, as if its just choice is not acceptable, nor is using discriminatory language. Anyone with a disability or health condition has the same rights under the Equality Act, no mstter what the nature or cause of their condition.

My wish is that starting today and continuing every day people treat those with physical and mental health needs with the same respect, and acceptance that they have exactly the same rights That will be real progress.

Rights and responsibility go together

If we want our rights respected we have to take responsibility, for our actions. If we want equality we have to take both sides of it. We have to accept we get treated the same way as everyone else for negative reasons too.

Campaigners who are fighting for rights must do so responsibly. If we campaign in a way that causes disturbance in a manner that puts us on the wrong side of the law we must face the personal conequences. We have rights, but there are ways to claim them. Using it as a badge of honour on social media isn't appropriate. Claiming you were targeted because you were disabled won't do you any favours when 'preferred' media states you were doing what you were charged with. Not only are there personal considerations but we have to ensure we don't harm the very cause we are fighting for.  Getting arrested and shouting about it is hardly going to boost your popularity with the public. They are likely to see you as trouble makers who don't deserve rights. Nor will it increase understanding for disabled people in general. It instead increases hate and distrust. You also just made the job of other campaigners harder, those of us who use other methods will also be seen as irresponsible troublemakers who scream  when held responsible.

Lack of responsibility hasn't ended there. Its planned that any legal costs will be met by crowd funding.  I won't be contributing qqif it is set up.  I wasn't responsible I won't share the punishment. The solution is simple if you can't do the time, (next time) don't do the crime.

I can hear those who say they did it for all  disabled people. No they chose to do it, for themselves, but they didn't do it in my name, their actions don't help me. Rather it harms the rights fight. They do not listen to me or many others, they select those they listen to. They did not act or speak for me, only I can do that.