Archive from 2006

I noticed a recent article where a woman in Chicago went to use the loo in her local book store and is now suing them

In Chicago, a woman claims an unsecured toilet seat in a Borders Bookstore caused her to fall and become “permanently disfigured.”

The seat “shifted to the side,” causing her to be thrown onto the tile floor. The suit said she landed on her bum, causing her to suffer “multiple spine injuries, including the need for multiple neurosurgical spine surgeries.”

It made me recall the time when I was at work in Ashford and assured my meeting room had 1 accessible loo. On arrival I saw a sign 'out of order' I enquired and was dismayed at having to stay there for many hours with no loo to use!

A maintenance guy came back and said oh don't worry, it's just that the seat wobbles as it is broke (giving me a demo of a very wobbly seat that was totally unsafe). Considering I have no balance at the best of times I resigned myself to the fact that I would have to cross my legs. He then said something like 'it's not that far to fall anyway... I'm sure it will be ok'. Eh hmmm. Guess I'll be wetting myself then...

Tags:access | toilet | disability

A few days ago I got round to asking Access to Work if they would fund a voice amplifier so that people on my courses could hear me clearly. The only reason I need one is because my lung capacity is not large enough to get enough air through my vocal chords for a decent amount of noise. It was either that or provide everyone with a hearing aid - I thought this would be easier all round!

I thought it might turn into a saga and found a piece of equipment, e-mailed it to Access to Work with the price and basically explained why I needed it and what it would cost. Within 24 hours they said I could go ahead and order it. Brilliant.

Then I thought, would I be able to save Access to Work a bit of money by seeing if I can get the VAT off it?

My quest to get the VAT off

I wrote to the company (Connevans) and got quite an abrupt reply saying no. They said they had labelled their products with happy faces or red sad faces as to whether they were VAT exempt or not and told me to read their web page.

Mine was ‘sad face’ product and felt like they thought I had a learning difficulty or something.

“As per VAT Notice 701/7 published by HM Customs & Excise, certain specialised goods and services needed by disabled people may be zero-rated for VAT – when purchased by a disabled person for domestic or personal use or by charities who provide care and facilities for disabled persons. “
 
I wrote back saying I had read the paragraph and indeed knew of that some people had had communication equipment and voice amplifiers with the VAT off.

I was the disabled purchaser (one tick in the box)
It was for personal use (second tick)
I chose it because it had design features like buttons that I could use etc. - to me it was specialised.

They manager quoted Revenue and Customs saying the equipment was not ‘specialised’ enough and that their must be a ‘design intent’ in relation to disability. He said I should contact the VAT office. I did and they have so far refused to comment.

Quest thwarted.

So, considering we are in an age where inclusive design should be the norm (i.e. build accessibility and usability into everyday products so all people can use them), the government is saying that disabled people who identify a product that they only need because of their impairment will have to pay full cost because of the ‘inclusiveness’ of that product.

This ensure financial discrimination - for some people the VAT addition may make the item too expensive to purchase and it becomes yet another disability related expense on essential equipment and services.


Ironically Connevans deal in ‘disability’ products and were selling it knowing that it was something particularly that disabled people would use. Individual companies appear to be getting different advice on whether to charge VAT or not to disabled customers. This is inequality.

One arm of the government has given me a grant because they recognise that I need this equipment because of my impairment. On the other hand, they also seem keen to take it back through their own tax system. Now why should that surprise me!

Update 1- since posting (LOL I’m sure they are watching me) the VAT office have confirmed that products designed for general use or for use by disabled and able bodied people alike are not VAT exempt. So all products which have inclusive design and benefit none disabled people also will be charged at full price.

Update 2- Access to work lost my claim form and said I had to resubmit all over again - I decided to not claim the money back and hence bought the item myself.

Tags:employment | equipment | inclusive design

It’s blogging against disablism day and my topic this year was going to be entitled life enhancing gadgets and techno wizardry. However, thinking about it - gadgets haven’t enhanced my life - they have GIVEN me life.

I might post a few entries today - and do pop onto facebook if you have a disability gadget question - I might know something that could help!!


I am a gadget nut - I read about new gadgets more than once a day and I’m counting down the days until an iPhone finds its way into my hand.

So what have amazing feats of technology done for me. Well, if you know me it;s pretty easy to spot that I have little strength in my limbs (think floppy rag doll). I have MD and it’s a progressive type of impairment - so each day I’m a bit worse than the last. Thankfully - technology has kept up with my needs.

Here’s some examples

Gaining an education

Taking exams in the 90’s. Laptops were like telephone directories in weight and cost an absolute fortune. However, I couldn’t take notes in class and my dictation skills were useless (and disturbed other people to be honest). It also meant they had to pay a nursery nurse (yes that;s what they called educational personal assistants) to take notes. So, education would have been a nightmare - had it not been that laptops were just about in existence and my local education authority sent a geek in glasses and a beard to deliver one to my school. So I became fluent in touch typing, got rid of the nurse and kept up with lessons alongside everyone else. I was starting to become gadget kid to the envy of everyone. Within a year, apple computers were installed at my school - about 15 of the old apple II series cubed, black and white, small screens. I spent many hours in the free to enter room drawing and typing - and my love for all things Apple introduced a range of inclusive software.


Going to Uni was different - the laptop was confiscated and I was told to go and raise funds if I wanted one. It wasn’t a case of wanting one, I NEEDED one. Disabled people had no legal right to one like they do now under civil law. A few calls to a local newspaper about this injustice got them to cough up - so I gained my first degree.

Mobile phones

Whilst at Uni - the invention of the mobile phone meant that I could trundle around in my elecy wheelchair - safe in the knowledge that my brick would just about have enough power to call for assistance should I get stuck or need general assistance. It was a life line and eventually I hooked it up to my wheelchair battery to ensure maximum power. Nowadays, micro life-line pendants, pagers, telecare and similar support millions of people to make life saving connections with carers, assistants and others.

Later, I was unable to use my arms and lift a phone to my ear - and low and behold they got lighter and easier to hold - so I dumped the Erikson brick for a small Nokia - and life continued.

Then I couldn’t hold anything up to my ear - so hands free and bluetooth became the way to go.

Now I can’t press buttons so well - so my iPhone will be fantastic because with just a tap I can get texting again. An when I can’t tap - well brain wave power is coming on line for controlling things - so thought controlled apps - here I come.

With the right technology I’m not disabled - I can keep in touch with people and even control my home environment and get around as much as anyone.

What I’d like to see bring us into the 21st century

1) Better electric wheelchair design - they have had 4 wheels and a clunky, bulky, inaccessible design for many years. Although we have seen a few more functions (raise, tilt in space, stair climbing and use of gyroscopes) the overall functionality has not really improved with the technology available.

If you could see what the NHS offered me you would think we were in the year 1908 - it was only an electronic step up from a basket.

Tags:disabled | independent living | gadgets

It’s blogging against disablism day and here is my round up of top gadgets and innovative products that, in my opinion, are not to be missed.

Just the other day I was Oooo-ing at an iPhone that a BSL interpreter had on one of my courses. Now there’s a phone that I can’t wait to get my hands on. But wait, I hear your cry. What about blind people - how are they going to manage in a world that is going touch screen? To which I replied, well actually... did you know that people with visual impairments CAN access a whole range of apple products with some interesting innovations and built in design

It’s true, technology can be life enhancing and access features for disabled people are at risk of being left out of the top ten things to include in new devices.

Being a total tech head I’m always on the lookout for the next gizmo and gadget that I can’t possibly live without - and many of them are offering life enhancing capabilities and good accessibility.

Innovation:

1) Lip-reading computers developed at the Unversity of East Anglia. Many disabled people lose their voices but retain lip movement so this would be perfect. Think of the business applications - especially when it can read several different languages. More about lip-reading computers

2) Phones. Other useful tech includes the ability to translate sign language to audio for mobile phones. If you have no vision then this concept case for the iPhone is interesting.

Moving on - you can now control your light switches from your iPhone! I have so many remotes for switching plugs and lights that to have one cool gadget as a universal control - now that’s progress.

So, my next one is home automation (environmental controls).

3) Home automation is now affordable outside of ‘special disabled equipment’ from the NHS. In my dream world, one command would open the curtains, bring the lights up from dim, set the radio going with soothing sounds whilst my coffee and breakfast was being made for me in the kitchen by yet more fab gadgetry. Oh wait, actually I suppose I do have this in the form of a PA... hmmm.

4) Brain waves for blogging and tweeting. Yes if you can’t move a muscle then use your noggin to keep up with your bloggin (I always knew I was a poet???) and use of Twitter (if you don’t mind wearing a mad cap full of electrodes - hey I’d try it).

5) Brain waves for controlling wheelchairs. Yes working prototypes are available. You programme your chair to move left or right according to thinking about a particular object. What happens when you’re weaving about the newsagents thinking Left Left Left and your distracted by a top shelf magazine I don’t know - perhaps you start spinning round or something!

6) Gadget web-sites - I’ve found many a useful invention on these sites.

http://www.coolest-gadgets.com

is my favourite one but there are lots on the web - go and see if you can find something that could change your life!

Tags:disabled | independent living | gadgets

Pop along to Naidex web-site.

I am researching accessible layouts of exhibitions and thought I would see what the NEC has to offer where Naidex is held.

“As the UK’s largest event for homecare, disability and rehabilitation. Naidex is your best opportunity to touch, test and compare all the latest new products and services available.”


So, I clicked on ‘visiting’ and then onto frequently asked questions.

Would this site answer it? No. I found this:

“What are the disabled facilities?”

and the link went to a dead page.

Hmmm... is this a conspiracy to prevent disabled people from finding out about access.

I don’t think exhibition venues actually look at access within the great halls. A maze of stands, flyers sticking to your shoes that have found their way onto the floor and a phobics nightmare if you ‘don’t do the people thing’. Not to mention the buzz of thousands of voices and even scarier - lots of therapists milling around. Aghhh.

It’s a nightmare.... I don’t care how many accessible parking spaces and toilets they have. This does not an accessible venue make, dear Sir.

Tags:website | disabled | access | Naidex

Insight: Work fit for all - disability, health and the experience of negative treatment in the British workplace.

This is the title of a new publication by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

You can download this EHRC document here.

It explains how Britain (compared to other countries) has large numbers of disabled people with proportionately fewer in employment.

Incapacity Benefit claims have doubled in the past 20 years and the Government wants to reverse this trend.

So why aren’t disabled people getting jobs?

Research shows that disabled people perceive themselves as being subject to negative treatment at work - it is the fear of discrimination.

On a personal level, I can understand that when you are discriminated against time and time again in many parts of your life - why should work be any different?

Is this perception accurate?

Well, those surveyed who had attempted work agreed that negative treatment at work was experience and that for many it had made them ill (and many developed long term illness).

Negative behaviours and attitudes were not just from managers or supervisors - but work colleagues and customers.

What did the figure show:

25.4% of disabled people experienced intimidating behavior compared to 13.4% of those with no impairment.

14.4% received hints and signals that they should quit their job with only 8.7% of those with no impairment.

37.3% experience being shouted at or someone losing their temper with them compared to 25.9% of those with no impairment.

Disabled people felt more threatened, treated in a rude way or insulted, subject to gossip and experienced more physical violence.

In fact, disabled people experienced

More information:

For people with:

• A learning difficulty, psychological or emotional condition, the likelihood of negative experiences at work was increased by 167 per cent
• ‘Other’ conditions, the likelihood was increased by 128 per cent
• ‘Physical’ conditions the likelihood was increased by 3 per cent.

In contrast, other important variables were:

• Sexuality - being gay increased negative behaviour by 55 per cent.

Multiple oppression is an important factor where a mental health survivor who is gay could experience extremely damaging effects of work and may well be healthier if they were unemployed - something the government is now forced to contemplate in its ‘work is good for you, your community and the economy’ approach.

Employers - more needs to be done within businesses to end discrimination.

Employers will be asked, under possible amendments to legislation, to prevent illl-treatment and harassment of disabled people in the work place and promote dignity and respect.

Tags:business | DDA | employment | disabled | discrimination

Earlier this year I applied for part-time work with a large organisation who brand themselves around equality for all.

I met all the qualifying criteria for a flexible job that involved lone working, out and about in the community with disabled people and carers.

They were particularly keen to recruit a disabled person into the post because the nature of the job involved being a role model.

I was invited to an interview - after the first one had to be re-arranged because of an inaccessible venue.
(Not a good start).

The appointment was out of the county with no communication regarding access, parking or similar. I had declared my impairment, PA and access requirements many months in advance. They felt there was nothing particular I needed to know.

It was also early in the morning - difficult for me, but I was keen and I am fortunate in that my PA is flexible with her hours to get me up in time.

I eventually arrived to find one of the interviewers standing at the door waiting.

The door into a cold, echoey hall had a step and was a fire door that didn’t stay open so well - but with my PA and them holding the door - we made it inside.

Around a village hall table sat two members of the interview panel.

We reached the end of the interview and they gave every indication that they were very keen. I had some good answers, excellent qualifications... then the doors to the job slammed shut.

A questions about reaching out to minority groups rang alarm bells. One of the interviewees said that ethnic communities keep to their own and look after each other and wouldn’t want this service that I would be providing - this was not the question but part of some chit chat after I responded. It appeared, alarmingly, the person’s actual mind-set. I questioned this approach and was swiftly moved on to the final part of the interview.

Did I have any questions.

I said I presumed because the job was a mobile worker that I could manage my own time and could work from home for ‘admin’ type duties.

I received a stern ‘NO’ and reminded them that my impairment would make it difficult for me to report into an office every morning before I hit the road. They said they had a strict no home-working policy. I looked puzzled and then the second interviewer butted in with a ‘of course if it is a disability related adjustment we would have to talk that over with personnel’.

I said that I would also have access requirements if I was going to be asked to go into my local office.
The response was ‘you’ll be ok, we already have a wheelchair user in there and they manage alright’. I said, no you don’t understand.....’. I had to go into a very undignified description of the room I need to use the bathroom and have a PA around to help.

I had been into the local office before and the manager had said that you had to take the doors of the hinges to allow people in wider wheelchair corridor access to the WC - I only just made it with a lot of difficulty.

The interviewer apologized and didn’t realise what a PA was or that disabled people had different needs - and thanked me for helping her understand... what cheek!

Next I asked how flexible they wanted me to be - because if I needed to work evenings or weekends I would have to recruit or find a PA. They looked blank and said they didn’t know and that I had to be available at all times to see when the work was needed. I had not applied for a job which said you had to be available 24/7. I said, just to know if it was 2-3 evenings or something would be helpful. They said ‘we don’t know’. I felt this was now becoming a way for them not to offer me the job. I think they did know what the likely hours were because of people doing this job in other counties - or at least they could have found out.

After a few more comments that I felt were racist- I left. I decided if they offered it to me I wouldn’t take it based on their attitude. I have heard similar stories from other disabled people applying to work for them.

The reasons for not offering me the job - I couldn’t guarantee I would be flexible and I wasn’t ready for that type of work (whatever that means).

I became another statistic.

Tags:access | disabled | discrimination | wheelchair | third sector