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DISABILITY CONCERN GLASGOW promotes new opportunities and service improvements for people with a ‘physical disability’ in the West of Scotland. It is also involved in environmental and health initiatives in Malawi : The Malawi Project Click here to see the charitable purposes of the charity (Scottish Charity Number SC023333).
The aim of this website is to keep people who are moderately or severely ‘physically' disabled informed about the efforts that are being made to improve their health and well being, and also to provide a forum for sharing Information and ideas.
We are particularly concerned about the needs of younger adults. Children generally receive quite good services, but preparations for adulthood is often unsatisfactory and many people experience a reduction in or even complete loss of services during the period of ‘transition’ from child to adult services. Those who become disabled during adolescence or early in their adult life are often left to piece together services for themselves and many ‘slip through the net’ completely.
The term ‘physical’ disability is not entirely correct, but is in common use in the health service and by social workers. It includes conditions which are mainly neurological (e.g. brain injury, multiple sclerosis, stroke, epilepsy that does not respond well to medication and Huntington’s disease). It also includes neuromuscular disorders such as the muscular dystrophies and congenital ataxias, severe arthritis, severe visual impairment and disfigurement – for example as a result of skin disease. In the age group 16-64 years alone, there are well over 8000 people in Scotland who are moderately or severely disabled by conditions such as these - about 15% of whom are permanently dependent on a care home. The great majority of these young physically disabled adults live an unnecessarily impoverished existence: being unable to access the services and opportunities they need to help them achieve their potential or being able to do so only with great difficulty and determination.
A large number of reports have been published nationally and locally on the needs of ‘physically’ disabled people in general and of those with specific disabling conditions. It is frustrating however that so few of the recommendations made on these reports have been put into action. The reports section of this website provides links to a range of these publications and in some cases provides a summary for easy reading and printing. The website also includes access to some presentations given by health service professionals and others relating to disability issues. Considerable efforts have been made in Glasgow to try to convince managers, politicians and government agencies of the need for action to help ‘physically’ disabled people to live life to their full potential and - where possible – to help them contribute to society. The letters section of the website gives some examples, but the responses have in general been disappointing. Some individuals have provided detailed accounts of the difficulties they have experienced in accessing the services and opportunities that they themselves feel necessary, and some of these are included in the case history section of the website.
Another aim of the website is to encourage contributions from users and from family members and carers. There is therefore a section for contributions (suggestions, ideas, corrections, etc…), and another section which provides access to a network for people who want to become actively engaged in promoting service improvements for and the wellbeing of people with a ‘physical’ disability.
There is also a section which gives a suggested plan of action and another to highlight recent developments. Finally there is a section (Why so little Action?) – to begin to address the reasons for the lack of success in putting recommendations into effect and in achieving real improvements in the lives of ‘physically’ disabled people.
02 09 2009
Public Petitions Committee:
e-Petitions - Physical Disability: an end to ignoring national reports?
read and sign up to the Petition here
04 02 2008
This following e-mail was sent to members of the Equal Opportunities Committee of the Scottish
Parliament,
urging them to ensure that Health Boards and Local Authorities take action in response to the recommendations and
findings in its report ‘Removing Barriers and Creating
Opportunities’ and similar national documents.
Removing Barriers and
Creating Opportunities:
Review of Progress
31 01 2008
This following is a report of the principal findings and recommendations of the Big Lottery- funded NHS Greater Glasgow non-cancer
Palliative Care Programme (2003’2007). Included are extracts from a number of National reports relating to people with
physical disabilities, together with nine detailed ‘stories’ submitted by individuals and their advocates.
Services For Younger People With A Long-Term ‘Physical’ Disability and for all Care Home Residents