Assistive Technology (AT) Forum News Bulletin No. 10, July 2004News Bulletin: The Bulletin is provided as an information resource for AT Forum members and to highlight issues affecting AT provision for a wider audience. If you have any suggestions about the Bulletin’s content or format, please email the FAST team. To find out more about the work of the AT Forum go to www.fastuk.org/atforum.php.

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1. BHTA Argues for Prescription Model for AT Services 2. Rehabilitation Engineering Services: Functions, Competencies and Resources 3. Highlights from Chairpower News 4. ICES Newsletter Summer 2004 5. BHTA Promotes Track and Trace 6. More Funding for the Forum of Mobility Centres 7. New CD from AbilityNet 8. Government Launches NHS Improvement Plan 9. Conservative Plans for the NHS 10. NHS Red Tape to Be Cut 11. Information on Chronic Disease Management 12. £4.5 Million Allocated to Boost Direct Payments 13. Inspecting Services for Children and Young People 14. Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People 15. Annual Report on Valuing People 16. DH/DRC Framework for Partnership Action on Disability 17. DWP Announces an Estimate of 9.8 Million Disabled Adults in Great Britain 18. Changes to New Deal for Disabled People 19. DWP Piloting Third Age Service 20. Welsh Plans for Commissioner for Older People 21. Chief Scientific Officer Launches Monthly Bulletin 22. New Director for Social Care 23. Draft Charities Bill Published 24. Scope Launches Time To Get Equal Campaign

25. BHTA Argues for Prescription Model for AT Services Back to top

The British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) director general, Ray Hodgkinson, is currently championing the cause of the assistive technologies sector within the Healthcare Industries Task Force, a government and healthcare industry initiative which will report in October. A paper, prepared jointly with, and endorsed by the Disabled Living Centres Council (DLCC) has been put before the HITF arguing for a completely new approach to the way assistive technologies are funded, with a move from a procurement model to a prescriber and user driven approach.

The following extracts are taken from an article in the BHTA Bulletin, Spring 2004, summarising the BHTA's case:

"The current system is generally acknowledged to be perpetuating a situation whereby the assistive technologies sector is the 'Cinderella' of healthcare services, under-funded, under-valued and fragmented. The BHTA is arguing for the creation of an AT Commissioner or even a separate AT Czar with overall responsibility for ensuring AT acquires its just place in our society. It may be that those questions surrounding R & D, innovation, investment, industry profits, manufacturing and user choice can be addressed

if funding is clearly identifiable/visible, has a clear route to the user and NHS managers have a tangible resource to manage.

"There is serious concern from all parties - professionals, procurers, industry and users - that the current procurement model is not working in the interests of patient choice and indeed the downward spiral of prices has been counter-productive, leading to less R & D and innovation, failure to attract investment and a dramatic reduction in UK manufacturing.

"The current model should be changed from a procurement driven one to a prescriber and user driven model based upon proper assessment, professional advice and choice.

"A change to a prescription driven service, not unlike that of the Drug Tariff Part IX (appliances are included in this Tariff) will do much to redress the current situation. It will also produce recognisable statistics and information for PCTs upon which informed choices can be made in the interests of local healthcare.

"The concept is already working successfully in some areas. Look at the Optical Sector model, where a sight prescription drives the system, patient users make a choice thereafter and even make use of a mix of NHS contribution and private payment to satisfy patients' needs. The Motability Scheme for powered wheelchairs uses the Disability Allowance (effectively as a voucher), while the NHS Electrically Powered Indoor/Outdoor Chairs (EPIOCs) and Wheelchair Voucher Schemes also allude to this concept".

For further information contact the BHTA on 01732458868.

The Department of Health has commented (in the July issue of Disability Now) that it is pleased with the progress in integrating equipment services and now is not the time to consider further changes to the system.

26. Rehabilitation Engineering Services: Functions, Competencies and Resources Back to top

RESMaG (the Rehabilitation Engineering Services Management Group) and IPEM (Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine), in collaboration with CoRE (Centre of Rehabilitation Engineering, King's College London), have published Rehabilitation Engineering Services: Functions, Competencies and Resources, as standards for rehabilitation engineering services. These services cover:

Wheeled mobility: chairs and special vehicles. Augmentative and alternative communication systems and telecare. Assistive technology (AT), for all activities of daily living in domestic,educational,

vocational, recreational, social and institutional environments. Electronic assistive technology (EAT), including telecare, technology access, customised

or modified controls, environmental controls, and integrated systems. Functional electrical stimulation. Biomechanical analysis in rehabilitation. Specialised orthoses (including seating) and prostheses. Gait analysis.

The document sets out minimum standards for a) management and resources of the provider, and b) personal qualification of engineers and technologists working in the field. These standards are intended for use by commissioners, NHS management and professional bodies.

They are likely to form the basis for the National Occupational Standards for rehabilitation engineers, which will be published later this summer.

The standards are on the CoRE website http://www.kcl.ac.uk/core

27. Highlights from Chairpower News Back to top

The May issue of Chairpower News, published by the Limbless Association, has a brief history of NHS wheelchair services, an article on the NHS Wheelchair Services Collaborative, and coverage of the BHTA bar coding initiative (see separate item).

28. ICES Newsletter Summer 2004 Back to top

The ICES (Integrating Community Equipment Services) newsletter for Summer 2004 has articles covering:

examples of integrated services from around the country; how the ICES team in its final year will support the wider aspects of integrated services

and work with other change teams; designing telecare and telehealth programmes; recent and forthcoming publications from the MHRA's Assistive Technology Evaluation

Programme (see also www.mhra.gov.uk); forging closer links between community equipment services and NHS rehabilitation -

clinical engineering services.

The ICES newsletter is available from info@icesdoh.org. The ICES website is http://www.icesdoh.org/.

29. BHTA Promotes Track and Trace Back to top

At a recent conference in Telford, members of the British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) were urged to implement a bar code based tracking and tracing system on assistive technology equipment. Delegates included manufacturers, retailers and distributors, loan store managers and repair contractors.

Ray Hodgkinson, BHTA director general, and Alaster Purchase, e.centre's healthcare project manager, argued for keeping tabs on products from manufacturer or supplier through to the end user, whether it is the NHS, the loan store, the care home or the retailer, not only to protect patient safety, but also to reduce business costs.

Ray Hodgkinson said: "Track and trace is the future. We have been lagging behind many industries - the retail sector is just one which embraced bar coding a long time ago. This must be an industry-wide effort otherwise the chain will break down. It doesn't have to be a big drain, as start up costs can be quite reasonable. The ideal would be if bar coding on product was a requirement for doing business."

Duncan Eaton, chief executive at NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (PASA), paid tribute to BHTA for helping his organisation recognise the benefits of barcoding.

He said: "There is pressure on efficiency in the Department of Health with the instigation of a supply chain review at the Agency, and within the NHS a different approach to purchasing to

make more savings. We are developing e-commerce, eg. e-tendering and e-auctions. Traceability is very important for patient care and safety. Around half the PASA supplier base already uses barcodes on its products and we need uniformity. However, the NHS is sceptical and cost benefits need to be demonstrated.

The BHTA, the UK's oldest and largest healthcare trade association, and e.centre, the country's leading business standards organisation, launched their barcoding initiative back in 2002 and a steering group was subsequently set up to investigate unique identification on member products.

For further information call Sarah Lepak on 01732 458868

30. More Funding for the Forum of Mobility Centres Back to top

The June issue of Disability Now has an article by the Chief Executive of the Forum of Mobility Centres, giving contact details for the centres and welcoming an increased grant for the 10 English centres, taking their funding up to £2 million over the next three years.

The Forum of Mobility Centres is a network of organisations which aims to help elderly and disabled people achieve independent mobility as drivers, passengers and wheelchair users.

Located throughout the UK the individual mobility centres can offer some or all of the following services:

1. A free information service for disabled and elderly people, their families and carers and for professionals.

2. Assessment and advice for vehicle choice with control options. Advice on ability to learn to drive or return to driving.

3. Assessment and advice for passengers getting in and out of vehicles and about safe loading of wheelchairs and other equipment.

4. Advice on the selection and use of wheelchairs (powered and manually propelled) and scooters.

5. Driving tuition, for novice drivers, those returning to driving after a break, and those changing to a different method of vehicle control.

6. Fitting of car adaptations for both drivers and passengers with disabilities.

Information about the centres is also at http://www.justmobility.co.uk/

31. New CD from AbilityNet Back to top

AbilityNet has published a new CD-ROM, Successful Computing for Disabled People, a comprehensive reference tool demonstrating how technology can help change peoples' lives, including videocase studies, audio and reference materials, factsheets and access information. It also addresses computing and disability in relation to the Disability Discrimination Act and the Special Education Needs and Disability Act. Available at £45 from AbilityNet on 0800 269 545 or at http://www.abilitynet.org.uk/.

32. Government Launches NHS Improvement Plan Back to top

The Government has launched its five-year NHS Improvement Plan, with five key themes:

investing in increased capacity reducing waiting times giving patients greater information, power and choice personalising care for people with chronic and long-term conditions improving the health of the population.

These themes will be implemented as follows.

Total investment will rise year on year to over £90.2bn by 2007/08, averaging 7.3% real terms growth over the 5-year period.

By 2008, from the time they are referred by a family doctor to the door of the operating theatre, no-one will wait more than 18 weeks for an operation, which should ensure an average wait of around 9-10 weeks.

Improvements in information, power and choice are already being introduced incrementally as capacity increases. By the end of next year all patients who need to be admitted to hospital for elective care will be offered a choice of 4 to 5 providers at the time that they are referred for treatment by their GP. By 2008, every patient referred by their GP will be able to choose to be treated at any facility in England that meets NHS standards and which can provide care at the NHS price for the procedure that they need.

Greater personalisation of patient care will also be extended to people with chronic and long-term medical conditions. Some 17.5 million people in this country have long term conditions that cannot yet be cured and that have a real impact on their life - including diabetes, asthma and heart failure. Providing these people with personalised support and care, primarily in the community, will be a priority. The Government will do this by providing thousands of 'community matrons', rolling out the Expert Patients Programme across the country and ensuring that the new contract for GPs delivers the best care for patients.

The Government will aim to ensure that the NHS becomes more than just a sickness service and to foster prevention as well as providing cures, so that everyone can live a healthy life. A White Paper to be published in the autumn will set out in more detail plans to tackle the major causes of ill-health, including smoking, obesity and sexually transmitted infections.

The key themes are reflected in four new target areas for the Department's Public Service Agreement with the Treasury for 2005-08:

access to services patient/user/carer experience chronic care management health of the population.

References in the Plan to assistive technology, community equipment and telecare services include:

"In all these cases, well-targeted and co-ordinated community-based healthcare, community equipment and social care are effective at providing the personalised care that they need and preventing stressful and disruptive admissions to hospital."

(Chapter 3. Supporting People with Long-term Conditions to Live Healthy Lives)

"The Department is also committed to helping people maintain their independence, for example using aids and adaptations to their own homes. To this end, councils are making additional aids and adaptations up to a value of £1,000 available without charge. Assistive

technology offers great potential to maintain the independence of older or disabled people, with encouraging early evidence about its cost-effectiveness."

(Chapter 5. Investment, New Capacity and Diversity of Provision)

"A range of technologies are used in telecare, and many of these are being piloted in different parts of the NHS. The Department of Health will monitor the development of telecare and will ensure that the benefits are realised in the NHS when cost-effective approaches have been identified."

(Chapter 7. Getting Information to Work for the Patient)

The NHS Improvement Plan can be downloaded from the Department of Health website http://www.dh.gov.uk/

33. Conservative Plans for the NHS Back to top

The Conservatives have launched their health policy document, The Right to Choose. This aims to abolish waiting lists within five years by abolishing national targets, introducing radical reforms to increase capacity and increasing use of the private sector.

The four key elements at the heart of the proposals are:

Handing patients the right to choose where they are treated. Patients will be given a subsidy towards the cost of private care if it is more expensive than NHS treatment. This will cover 50% of what treatment would cost in NHS.

Giving private hospitals the right to treat NHS patients to increase capacity and reduce the pressure on the NHS. Private hospitals will be given the "right to supply" if they meet NHS standards and carry out the procedure for no more than the NHS tariff.

By beefing up the powers of foundation hospitals - and allowing all hospitals to achieve such status - the Conservatives will offer greater incentives to treat more patients.

Increasing NHS spending by 7% within the next parliament.

The Right to Choose is available on the Conservative Party website http://www.conservatives.com/

34. NHS Red Tape to Be Cut Back to top

Following the launch of the NHS Improvement Plan, Sir Nigel Crisp, the Chief Executive of the NHS, has announced a new focus on local targets and urged health service managers to set challenging local targets in order to deliver the objectives set out in the Plan.

In a keynote speech to the NHS Confederation annual conference, Sir Nigel confirmed that there would be fewer national targets for the health service in future but an increased focus on local ones. He said that although he had witnessed "a groundswell of improvement" across the NHS over recent months - through his regular visits to hospitals and primary care facilities - there was still more work to be done at a local level.

Sir Nigel Crisp said:

"We are at a point in our reform programme where we redefine the nature of the national and local relationship.

"NHS Foundation Trusts, empowered PCTs, empowered patients - the next phase is all about local action. A local quest for improved health, improved services and improved care.

"We are introducing a new combination of national and local target setting in planning the next three years. There will be far fewer national targets. These will be largely about health outcomes and outputs and not about inputs. We will also be asking people to set local targets against five principles:

identified service gaps the needs of the local population an equity audit which will pay particular attention to the needs of black and minority ethnic

groups - this is one very important way in which I want to see our plan on race equality embedded in every NHS organisation

evidence based actions and interventions and, wherever possible, shared targets with other NHS organisations and local

authorities. The full press release is on the Department of Health website www.dh.gov.uk Moves to cut the inspection burden on the NHS have also been announced by Health

Minister Lord Warner. Currently, over 30 bodies can call on NHS Trusts to inspect performance and many more can make visits. Lord Warner has announced a package of measures to streamline the process, including:

fewer, more consistent, better-prioritised recommendations from inspectorates and more co-ordinated data collection;

joint inspections by regulatory bodies - reducing the number of visits hospitals may face; consideration of inspection 'holidays' for high-performing NHS Trusts; schedules of visits to be published in advance - ensuring staff can plan ahead to meet

inspection requirements.

Ministers have asked the Healthcare Commission to develop a concordat with the main inspection, review and audit bodies and devise a programme for delivery which sets out a new approach. There will be an inspection 'gateway' which will reduce the amount of communication with the NHS and a new hotline for staff so that problems with overlapping inspections can be ironed out as quickly as possible.

The Inspection Concordat can be found at the Healthcare Commission website http://www.healthcarecommission.org.uk/

35. Information on Chronic Disease Management Back to top

A note from the Department of Health, Improving Chronic Disease Management, sets out for senior managers the case for improving these services and how to do it. The note is available on the Department website www.dh.gov.uk or on the FAST website at http://www.fastuk.org/atforum-info.php. The National Primary and Care Trust Development Programme has also produced a compendium of information on chronic disease management, available from its website http://www.natpact.nhs.uk/.

36. £4.5 Million Allocated to Boost Direct Payments Back to top

Health Minister Stephen Ladyman, has allocated funding of £4.5 million to 44 charities to create and boost schemes encouraging people to take up direct payments (cash in lieu of social services).

This announcement marks the completion of the second round of successful bids for the Direct Payments Development Fund. Working in partnership with local councils, voluntary organisations over the next 18 months will encourage people to exercise choice and control through the use of direct payments. The partnerships are expected to be up and running by 1 September 2004. The first round of successful bids was announced in August 2003.

Projects from the first round have been promoting direct payments in a number of innovative ways. For example,

Gateshead Crossroads are using 'social telephony' to get people into networks to talk about direct payments and support each other.

In Salford, the Council for Voluntary Services are developing elected user groups, trained to provide advocacy and support to their peers.

Equalities in Waltham Forest have employed outreach workers to go into mosques, churches, hospitals, doctors surgeries and voluntary organisations to talk to people from black and minority ethnic communities about direct payments.

Direct payments are seen as key to the Government's commitment to promoting independence and freedom of choice for those needing care and support. By giving individuals money in lieu of social services people have greater choice and control over their lives, and are able to make their own decisions about how their care is delivered.

Dr. Ladyman said:

"We are pleased to announce today the successful bids to the second stage of the Direct Payments Development Fund. This Government has provided £9m over three years to enable voluntary organisations in partnership with councils to actively establish direct payments as an option for people across the country."

The full press release is on the Department of Health website http://www.dh.gov.uk/.

37. Inspecting Services for Children and Young People Back to top

Ofsted, on behalf of the inspection agencies, has launched a discussion paper on an integrated approach to the inspection of children's services. These proposals come from a steering group of commissions and inspectorates set up to take forward work on inspection in the light of Every Child Matters. Disabled children get a particular mention in two areas: they will be targeted to ensure councils' analysis of the views of service users includes disabled children; and they will be covered in detail under the proposed Joint Area Reviews. Further details are available from: http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications/index.cfm?fuseaction=pubs.summary&id=3637

38. Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People Back to top

The Prime Minister's Strategy Unit has been asked to provide supporting analysis and a strategic assessment of disabled people's life chances - the opportunities available to disabled people, both children and adults, to improve their quality of life. The Unit is working with disabled people and their representatives, with other interested organisations and with Government Departments, and reports to the Minister for Disabled People, Maria Eagle. The Unit's analysis is feeding into the Spending Review 2004. The final report should be presented in the autumn.

The Unit has published its Interim Analytical Report, Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People, for comment. This draws together the evidence of the disadvantages that disabled people experience at different stages in life, and provides an analysis of the key barriers, an assessment of the current policy map, and outlines some alternative approaches.

The report recognises that disabled people are faring less well than non-disabled people across a wide range of indicators and opportunities, including income, education, employment, social class, harassment, housing and child poverty.

While new technologies are opening up new opportunities to disabled people, many of these technologies are expensive and may not be accessible to all, potentially creating a two-tier system.

The report suggests that Government and other stakeholders should:

ensure that disabling environments, attitudes and disproportionate social barriers are effectively removed;

provide financial and service-based support to meet additional individual needs where appropriate;

empower disabled people - including through delivery of the two aims above.

A number of common challenges are identified:

there needs to be greater clarity in the support that is available to disabled people with easier and more user-friendly navigation through the system of benefits and support;

all disabled people should be able to expect some minimum standard of support, wherever they live - and should be able to hold providers accountable where this is not delivered;

the needs, views and aspirations of disabled people need to be more effectively integrated into mainstream policy design and delivery;

scarce resources need to be targeted effectively, through the right combination of needs-based, means-tested and free at the point of use services, support and equipment;

all stakeholders - including disabled people themselves - need to have clearly defined responsibilities, backed up by appropriate rights;

policy needs to take into account the "whole person", recognising that disabled people are citizens and have the right not to be defined primarily by their impairment or by the disabling barriers that they face;

this points towards the need for more effective delivery of policy - such as services and benefits - "on the ground."

The report suggests possible policy changes, such as extending direct payments and providing more money for independent living.

The report can be downloaded from the Strategy Unit website http://www.strategy.gov.uk/

39. Annual Report on Valuing People Back to top

The annual report on Valuing People, the cross-Government learning disability strategy, is on the website http://www.valuingpeople.gov.uk/. The report includes housing issues, such as extra care housing and housing for older people with learning disabilities.

40. DH/DRC Framework for Partnership Action on Disability

Back to top

Health Secretary John Reid and Chair of the Disability Rights Commission, Bert Massie, have announced a joint Framework for Partnership Action on Disability to help deliver improvements for disabled people in health and social care settings, including access to NHS facilities and training of staff. Further details from http://www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/PressReleases/PressReleasesNotices/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4083525&chk=fL3%2BWz

41. DWP Announces an Estimate of 9.8 Million Disabled Adults in Great Britain Back to top

The Department of Work and Pensions has announced that it will now use the estimate of 9.8 million disabled adults living in Great Britain, based on the definition of disability in the Disability Discrimination Act. This figure is based on data from the Family Resources Survey and excludes children and people in long-term care. The DWP website is http://www.dwp.gov.uk/

42. Changes to New Deal for Disabled People Back to top

The New Deal for Disabled People will cease to exist as a separate entity from 2005 and will be incorporated as one strand within the New Deal, incorporating parallel schemes for lone parents, young people and other strands to help people into employment.

43. DWP Piloting Third Age Service Back to top

The Department of Work and Pensions is piloting its one-stop advice shop for older people, the Third Age Service. Intended to cover issues ranging from pensions and benefits to health and social care, residential care and housing, it draws on the experience of the Care Direct pilots in the South-West. Different models are being piloted, some including partnerships between DWP staff and local authorities, others involving charities such as Age Concern or Elderly Accommodation Counsel. The DWP website is http://www.dwp.gov.uk/

44. Welsh Plans for Commissioner for Older People Back to top

Wales has a higher concentration of older people than the rest of the UK. Over the next twenty years demographic changes will significantly alter the balance of the population, with the number of people over 60 in Wales increasing by 11 per cent and numbers over 85 increasing by a third.

The Welsh government recently set up an advisory group to consider the role of a commissioner for older people in Wales. The group has now published its recommendations to establish this post and launched a consultation. These are available from http://www.wales.gov.uk/subicommolderpeople/index.htm

An holistic 10-year Strategy for Older People in Wales has already been published and a National Service Framework for Older People in Wales will be introduced in 2005 to drive up quality and reduce variations in the provision of health and social care.

The 5 key aims of the Strategy for Older People in Wales are:

Reflecting the United Nations principles for Older People to tackle discrimination against older people wherever it occurs, promote positive images of ageing and give older people a stronger voice in society.

To promote and develop older people's capacity to continue to work and learn for as long as they want, and to make an active contribution once they retire.

To promote and improve the health and well-being of older people through integrated planning and service delivery frameworks and more responsive diagnostic and support services.

To promote the provision of high quality services and support which enable older people to live as independently as possible in a suitable and safe environment and ensure services are organised around and responsive to their needs.

To implement the Strategy for Older People in Wales with support funding to ensure that it is a catalyst for change and innovation across all sectors, improves services for older people and provides the basis for effective planning for an ageing population.

Action has already been taken on a number of Strategy commitments:

A Minister with specific responsibility for Older People has been appointed. A new Assembly Cabinet Sub Committee on the needs of older people has been

established to ensure a cross-cutting and coherent approach. Local government has been given a lead role in implementing the Strategy locally, being

asked to appoint older people champions in their Cabinet and develop older people's forums.

The Assembly is developing an evidence based action programme of health promotion for older people.

A National Partnership Forum for Older People is being established.

45. Chief Scientific Officer Launches Monthly Bulletin Back to top

The Department of Health's Chief Scientific Officer has launched a monthly bulletin for healthcare scientists with news about issues affecting them and relevant developments in the NHS. To subscribe, and for information about other Department of Health bulletins, go to http://www.publications.doh.gov.uk/csobulletin

46. New Director for Social Care Back to top

NHS Chief Executive, Sir Nigel Crisp has announced the appointment of Kathryn Hudson as National Director for Social Care. This new position has been created to strengthen relationships the Department of Health has with social care stakeholders across central and local government, with the national social care bodies and the private and voluntary sectors. Prior to accepting this post, Kathryn Hudson was Director of Social Services at Newham Council.

Minister for Community Stephen Ladyman said:

"I welcome Kathryn's appointment as National Director for Social Care and look forward very much to working with her. There is an exciting agenda ahead for social care, especially with the new vision for adult social services that we are hoping to publish this summer. Kathryn will bring valuable knowledge and skills to help us realise our vision for high quality social services for all."

47. Draft Charities Bill Published Back to top

The Home Office has published the draft Charities Bill, a major overhaul of the legislation covering the operation of charities.

Developed in consultation with the voluntary and community sector, the draft Bill contains proposals to boost public confidence in charities, help new and existing charities to work effectively, ensure that donations are used properly and that abuses are dealt with quickly and firmly.

Measures included in the draft Bill are:

A modern definition of charity to reflect what is and what ought to be charitable in today's society (based on the concept of 'public benefit').

Measures to make it easier for charities to merge. Improved accountability for the Charity Commission, including a new tribunal to deal with

unresolved complaints. The creation of a new legal entity, the Charitable Incorporated Organisation, for charities

that wish to take a corporate form. This will avoid dual regulation between charity and company law and provide an alternative to the company limited by guarantee model currently used by many charities.

Measures to support charity trustees. Trustees will be able to apply directly to the Charity Commission as well as to the courts for relief from personal liability for breach of trust. The draft Bill will also allow charities to pay trustees for specific services.

Home Office Minister Fiona Mactaggart said:

"Charities are a major force for good in society. They can reach out to some of our most marginalised and deprived communities and provide a strong voice for those who need it. For many citizens who want to make a difference to their communities, charities can provide the means for them to make a positive contribution and drive forward civil renewal.

"The UK's charity laws, some of which date back 400 years, are in need of urgent modernisation. It is important that charities are properly regulated and that the public has confidence in the system. That's why the Bill establishes that public benefit is the bedrock of charitable status.

"Charities will benefit from the changes, which will allow them to focus their efforts on their work in our communities. The Bill will reduce bureaucracy, enable new and existing charities to thrive and support the independence of the voluntary and community sector."

The draft Charities Bill can be viewed at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/comrace/active/charitylaw/index.html

The National Council for Voluntary Organisations and the Coalition for a Charities Act have welcomed the draft bill, while arguing that it needs strengthening (see http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/).

Similar legislation, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Bill, has been introduced in Scotland.

48. Scope Launches Time To Get Equal Campaign Back to top

Scope, the national disability organisation, has launched its Time To Get Equal campaign to end discrimination and prejudice against the UK's 10 million disabled people.

Backed by Nelson Mandela, Scope Patron Cherie Booth QC and political leaders Tony Blair, Michael Howard, Charles Kennedy and Hywel Williams, the charity is calling for equality for disabled people. Scope aims to highlight disablism: discrimination against disabled people.

The event will see the launch of the new report by think-tank Demos entitled: Disablism: How to tackle the last prejudice. The report, commissioned by Scope and supported by campaigning organisation Disability Awareness in Action, brings into sharp relief the day-to-day inequalities experienced by disabled people and lays out a framework for establishing a new way of talking and thinking about disability.

Scope will be calling upon all sections of society to sign a Pledge to support disabled people achieving equality, acknowledging we all have a part to play to make this possible.

Tony Manwaring, chief executive of Scope, said: ''This campaign will put the issue of disablism firmly on the public and political agenda. Disabled people in this country lead lives which are wrecked by poverty and exclusion and are much less likely than non-disabled people to be able to achieve their potential. In order to banish this from our society and effect real and lasting change Scope will be working in collaboration with other key organisations of disabled people, business and government.''

For further information see the Scope website http://www.scope.org.uk/or the campaign website http://www.timetogetequal.org.uk/

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AT Forum Newsletter Archive on the FAST website

AT Forum Bulletin, Issue No. 9, June 2004AT Forum Bulletin, Issue No. 8, May 2004AT Forum Bulletin, Issue No. 7, April 2004AT Forum Bulletin, Issue No. 6, March 2004AT Forum Bulletin, Issue No. 5, February 2004AT Forum Bulletin, Issue No. 4, January 2004 AT Forum Bulletin, Issue No. 3, December 2003AT Forum Bulletin, Issue No. 2, November 2003AT Forum Bulletin, Issue No. 1, October 2003