WITHDRAW THE NEW DIRECT PAYMENT AGREEMENT AND LAUNCH A FULL USER-LED CONSULTATION

         

WITHDRAW THE NEW DIRECT PAYMENT AGREEMENT

AND LAUNCH A FULL USER-LED CONSULTATION

A social care and support package is a vital resource for disabled people. Many disabled people opt for direct payments (DP) to fund their care and support. A fundamental part of the direct payments scheme is Personalisation. Personalisation should afford disabled people flexibility, control, and of course choice.

Lambeth Council is currently rolling out a revised Direct Payments Agreement Contract (DPA Contract). Lambeth Council claims proudly to be a ‘Cooperative’ Council. Yet they uncooperatively refused to take our concerns on board.

Many direct payments users who are also members of the Lambeth Pan Disability Forum (LPDF)have expressed concern over some of the revised terms within the DPA Contract. Indeed, some of the terms in the contract do not comply with Care Act Guidelines and are contrary to the spirit of Personalisation.

Basically, by signing the contract disabled people are agreeing to surrender the flexibility that DPs afford them; by complying with the contract they are, effectively, limiting their choice in PA/support workers; and, losing control over their care and support packages.

Therefore, we the undersigned call on Lambeth Council to withdraw their revised DPA Contract and put the document out to DP users for an objective and transparent consultation process.

  

Signed:

Seán McGovern (Co-Chair of the Lambeth Pan Disability Forum)

Lambeth Pan Disability Forum

With cuts to benefits and services within the borough disabled residents of Lambeth need a strong voice in order to put our concerns to the Council. There are a number of areas and services that Lambeth Council control that impact negatively on disabled people's daily living, for instance:

• Social care,
• Adults social service,
• Childrens social services,
• Bedroom tax,
• Day centres,
• Freedom passes,
• Taxicard, and
• A variety of other access issues.

The Lambeth Pan Disability Forum is idependent of Lambeth Council. It should be the voice of disability issues within the borough. The Pan Disability Forum can be the champion of disabled people in Lambeth.

The meeting I'm calling sets out to revive the Forum and it is on this basis that, as current Chair, I'm inviting you to a meeting at 'We are 336', 336 Brixton Road, SW9 7AA on March 19th from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm.

Could you please reply if you are interested in attending this meeting.

In Solidarity

Sean

Reviving the Lambeth Pan Disability Forum

With cuts to benefits and services within the borough disabled residents of Lambeth need a strong voice in order to put our concerns to the Council. There are a number of areas and services that Lambeth Council control that impact negatively on disabled people's daily living, for instance:

• Social care,
• Adults social service,
• Childrens social services,
• Bedroom tax,
• Day centres,
• Freedom passes,
• Taxicard, and
• A variety of other access issues.

The Lambeth Pan Disability Forum is idependent of Lambeth Council. It should be the voice of disability issues within the borough. The Pan Disability Forum can be the champion of disabled people in Lambeth.

The meeting I'm calling sets out to revive the Forum and it is on this basis that, as current Chair, I'm inviting you to a meeting at 'We are 336', 336 Brixton Road, SW9 7AA on March 19th from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm.

Could you please reply if you are interested in attending this meeting.

In Solidarity

Sean

Lambeth council's disability policy is: "Everything about you without you."

In December 2016 Lambeth Council made a presentation in ‘We Are 336’. The presentation centred around an Equality Commission that Lambeth was setting up in order to gather the ideas and views of people who are covered by one or more of the protected characteristics. On this occasion they were concentrating on disabled people living in Lambeth.

After introductions the council representative went through a list people and organisations involved in the project. When she completed the list, I asked if there would be a disabled service user, or a Disabled People’s Organisation, on the commission. ‘No’ was the answer.

Pushing the issue, I asked were they familiar with the disabled peoples’ slogan, “Nothing about us without us!” At which point the organiser of the event asked for the business of the meeting to move on.

After the presentation there was a table by table group of discussions. The discussions were to be linked to the commission and how disabled people could make an input.

There were six tables, and each reported back. In answer to the first question which related to the best was for the commission to interact with Lambeth’s disabled residents, each table made the point of the commission needing service user and ordinary disabled people on the commission. They also felt that a local DPO should have a place on the commission.

In response to these demands the council rep said it would be difficult for them to select disabled people or DPOs. I asked how they arrived at the list of commissioners as presented to us. 

No reply.

Yesterday I was meant to attend an event run by the Lambeth Equality Commission. A few weeks ago, I was called by someone representing the commission. After a somewhat forthright discussion with the rep, during which I gave her my views of the commission, and my reluctance to engage with them, I agreed to Chair a Workshop on ‘Being Counted and Heard’.

When I arrived yesterday I was given an Agenda. The rep I’d received a call from introduced herself and thanked me for coming. When I enquired at which table I’d be chairing I was told that a Lambeth employee was chairing, but I’d have the opportunity to make a contribution.

At this I told her I would not be taking part. Once again Lambeth have missed the point. In the first place I was led to believe that I’d be a key note speaker, then a chair of one of the workshops. But of course Lambeth has no control over me and therefore as a disabled person, a Lambeth service user, what the hell would I know about disability related issues.

Lambeth Council merely pays lip-service to disabled people.

Let's create a National Care Service

At yesterday’s TUC General Council both Tim Roach, General Secretary (GS) of the GMB and Dave Prentice, Unison GS spoke about issues concerning their members in the social care sector. Listening to their contributions led me to make an intervention.

I stated that some 160,000 disabled people with social care packages have fallen into debt. Some personal charges can be very high, indeed I once paid over £90 per week as a personal contribution towards my care package.

As care packages are cut to the bone, this becomes a double whammy as it hits both the service user who has a reduction in their care and support; and it reduces the working hours of the personal assistant/support worker/carer. Thus, creating precarious and unsustainable employment conditions.

Picking up on Dave Prentice's link between social care and the health service, I agreed that there were indeed crossovers between the two. However, I went on to say that most people’s social care packages did not involve health interventions; and of the dangers of the over-medicalisation of independent living.  

Going on I put forward the idea of creating a National Care Service, or as the disability movement has named a National Independent Living Support Service. A stand-alone service working alongside the NHS and Local Authorities and at the point of delivery.

Finally, I called upon the TUC to arrange a seminar to discuss the crisis in social care for all users.

Lambeth Equality Commission Update Wednesday 27 June from 2-5:15pm, Assembly Hall, Lambeth Town Hall

Back in 2016 Lambeth set up an Equality Commission. However, at this time the council did not see fit to include disabled people or grassroots disability organisations. Thus, the Commission findings did not truly reflect the concerns of Lambeth's disabled people. In order to try to rectify this exclusion Lambeth is running an even to try re-launch the social model for disability.

As Chair of the Lambeth Pan Disability Forum I have, after voicing a number of concerns, agreed to speak the event as well as Co-chair one of the workshops.  It would lend strength to the cause of disable people in Lambeth if as many of us turned up onthe day and made our feelings felt.

The aim of the event is to re-launch the social model for disability, update attendees on the council’s work to address barriers and provide an opportunity for disability organisations/disabled residents to feed into council activity.

 

The event agenda will include speakers: CEO/Leader/Cabinet Lead for Disability / council updates /7 themed workshops /information stalls and networking. A very draft agenda is attached fyi.

 

The 7 themed workshops on areas where we know that there is particular appetite for activity and change are:

 

1. Being Counted: Visibility and Representation (voice in decision making) (VCS led)

2. Being Heard: Participation and Voice (Paul Simpson, Consultation and Engagement Team)

3. Being ‘at the table’ (representation and leadership) (led by Dem Services/ HR)

4. Access to information and support (needs a snappier title!) (To be led by customer services, comms and ICT colleagues)

5. Active lives: Transport, public realm and health (Public Health / transport/ parks)

6. Young People and Disability (ref to CY Plan/Lambeth Made)

7. Right for Everyone_HealthWatch programme

In Solidarity

Sean McGovern

Chair of the Lambeth Pan Disability Forum