Two weeks ago, I was asked by the Disabilities Minister Stephen Timms where in my field did I think we could readily make some progress. There were so many areas I wanted to include, so I asked the Disabled Community if they had any thoughts on improving the UK in terms of disabilities to help me focus my response.
Thank you so much for all of your comments and suggestions.
I responded on Saturday and here is a summary of my response:
* Train your department and your colleagues in government about the #SocialModelOfDisability and the #IdentityModelofDisability and influence the Cabinet to ensure that the UK finally meets the requirements of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
* Influence the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure the Building Regulations are updated with accessibility as a priority. The 1.5 million new Homes you are committing to build must have accessibility and inclusive engineering in their foundations. We are an aging population and Disability comes to all people at all ages. Having this will, in the long-term, save on mental health support costs, social services costs and reduce adjustment costs for existing buildings
* Influence the Department for Infrastructure, particularly those who create regulations for roads and pathways ensuring that regulations make the public space accessible for all. Then, due to the regulations, local authorities, developers and other appropriate organisations must ensure accessibility, whether that’s through installing appropriate tactile paving, dropped curves or even earning revenue by issuing fixed penalty notices for cars parked on pavements.
* Influence the Department for Transport, ensuring public transport is accessible and the need for assistance to use public transport is removed by:
* Enforcing platform height trains with no gap between the train and the platform (just like is done in many other countries)
* Enforcing the right for disabled people to use public transport before 9:30 am so we can travel to work
* Enforcing aircraft to enable disabled people to fly seated in their wheelchairs, as outlined in Sophie Morgan’s Rights on Flights campaign
* Ensure the built environment is accessible and employers are legally required to provide accessible access and facilities for everyone. This would mean both employees and customers are welcome and supported
* Improving the Access To Work process, so that:
* people living with a disability are supported by government to be able to access the working environment within 2 weeks of applying (not 32 weeks as is the current wait)
* Companies employing people with a disability are supported to provide the adjustments these people need to be able to perform well in their roles.
I know there are many other areas which need to be covered and I absolutely didn’t touch education or SEND support, but I hope this can be a start to making a positive impact
