Harry's Place

Cuts to the revenue local authorities receive from central Government is hitting support for the sick and disabled.  A report in today’s Independent lists some of the ways in which services are being cut around the country:
Darlington council will tighten its criteria to provide care only to those classed as critical and substantial from December after [...]

After requiring considerable persuasion to pull the plug on stocking News International publications following the hacking of Millie Dowder’s mobile phone – as numerable private companies were doing so – I would expect the Co-op to be more attuned to defending the little person against the corporate behemoth.
One such opportunity soon will be when their [...]

A detailed account in the Guardian’s Northerner Blog of a Galloway ’sermon’ to Muslim women in Bradford.
Galloway used the meeting as an attempt to rebuild his support among Muslim women, following his appalling comments about rape. It seems Muslim women, like most women and must people in general weren’t particularly impressed by G.G’s view [...]

George “The Inserter” Galloway apologizes from Indonesia for his use of the term “window-licker,” which he says he did not know was an offensive term for mentally disabled people.
He says he should have used the word “moron” instead. Which, um, is also an outdated and now offensive term for mentally disabled people.
(Hat tip: Martin Ohr, [...]

Atos’s role as sponsor for the Paralympics is coming under scrutiny following reports that it is not conducting work assessments properly.   According to the Independent, over 40 doctors working for Atos have been reported for professional misconduct, and many are asserting that they are mis-classifying physically and mentally disabled people as fit for work. Among [...]

I’d like to pass on a request from Sue Marsh to consider contacting Liberal Democrat peers if you are concerned by the impact of one aspect of the Goverment’s welfare reforms on the sick and disabled. This is the proposal that the contributory employment support allowance (ESA) will be time-limited to one year for [...]