Autism friendly film screening

Autism and learning disabilities support provider Dimensions, working with Odeon, has organised the screening of Hotel Transylvania for this Sunday 14 October, at 11.30am. 

More than 80 cinemas across the UK will show the film.

Autism friendly film screenings are designed especially for people who experience autism and learning disabilities, to provide more inclusive environments. 

The monthly screenings are mainstream films shown in a sensory friendly environment. Lights are on low, sound is turned down, trailers are omitted and people can bring their own food, make noise and move around the cinema as they feel comfortable.

For tickets call the Odeon accessibility helpline number on 0800 138 3315 or for more information see website www.dimensions-uk.org/autismfilms

Disability Strategy

Esther McVey, Minister for Disabled People

The Paralympics were a once in a lifetime opportunity to showcase the sporting talents of disabled people performing at their best. Above all though, it was about engaging with the public and changing their perceptions towards disabled people. Channel 4’s coverage allowed us to go on a journey with each of the athletes, letting us see their world, understand their obstacles and truly appreciate their resilience. We saw far beyond the sport, we saw their life.

In my new role as Minister for Disabled People I want to make sure we capitalise on this ‘attitudinal bounce’ so that there’s a legacy of lasting inclusion. That’s why I’m working with disabled people and their organisations on the development of a disability strategy. Last December we published Fulfilling Potential which invited disabled people to feed in their ideas about what should feature in our disability strategy.

Thousands of disabled people responded and one of the areas they said was important to them was the promotion of positive attitudes and behaviours towards disabled people and tackling discrimination and harassment wherever they occur.

A number of people put forward practical suggestions on how this could achieved including benchmarking attitudes to properly understand how to make changes over the long-term; producing and launching a media guide for journalists; and training for frontline Government staff to embed disability issues at the start of the policy-making process. These are all areas we are now looking at.

But we’re not stopping there. This strategy is about making a real difference and creating role models for future generations by supporting disabled people so they gain more individual control over their lives and realise their aspirations.

That’s why we have set up a new disability action alliance, so that we can deliver changes and carry forward the ideas that have been proposed so that disabled people can fulfil their potential. And as the new Minister for Disabled people, I look forward to working with disability organisations and disabled people on this new approach to bring about real change.

New spelling software for Dragon speech recognition system

A new vocabulary enhancement for Dragon Naturally Speaking speech recognition software has been launched to enable users to easily dictate and correctly spell healthcare, legal, and bioscientific and engineering words and phrases.

Launched by the Spellex Corporation Spellex Dictation is aimed at students and professionals.

Three new versions are available Spellex Dictation: Medical, Spellex Dictation: Legal and Spellex Dictation: BioScientific

For more information http://www.spellex.com/products/speech-recognition-products.htm.

Dragon speech recognition software aims to make it easier for anyone to use a computer. Users simply talk and it types. Users can use their voice to create and edit documents or e-mails, launch applications, open files, control the mouse and more. 

Deadline approaches for NHS continuing healthcare

The department of health is reminding families the deadline is approaching for NHS continuing healthcare. Anyone who believes that the NHS should have in the past carried out an assessment into paying for their or their loved one’s care due to health reasons has until Sunday 30 September to apply.

The deadline only applies to:

o those who have never received an assessment for NHS Continuing Healthcare – the package of health and social care that is arranged and funded solely by the NHS and is free to the patient; and

o those who believe they may have been eligible for periods of care which occurred between 1 April 2004 and 31 March 2011.

Anyone who meets these two criteria should contact their local Primary Care Trust before Sunday 30 September – details can be found online at NHS Choices www.nhs.uk/ or in the phone book.

They do not need any legal advice to request to be considered for an assessment and they only need to notify their local Primary Care Trust  before the deadline. There is no need to present a full medical history.

Public health minister,Anna Soubry said: “In March we asked the NHS to communicate this deadline as quickly and effectively as possible to local people through whatever means necessary.

“However, if you are not aware of the deadline then please don’t worry. If you believe that you or a loved one should have been assessed for eligibility for a past period of care, then all you need to do is contact your local Primary Care Trust by this Sunday. You can find their contact details online at NHS Choices, or in the phone book.

“The deadline to register for an assessment is fast approaching and we want everyone that should have been entitled to be assessed for a past period of care to be considered as soon as possible.”

NHS Continuing Healthcare is a package of health and social care that is arranged and funded solely by the NHS, subject to the assessment of a person’s care needs – this is free to the individual.

Guidance for care workers to help reduce fire deaths

For the first time care workers are to be given new advice in a bid to cut fire deaths by helping them spot the tell tale signs of someone who is at high risk of having a fire.

Figures in a London Fire Brigade report reveal that one person receiving care is dying from fire every month in London.

According to the statistics, over the last three years, 36 out of 119 accidental fire deaths involved people who had some form of care services. All but three of the deceased smoked, half had mental health issues and 14 were known to drink alcohol.

Care workers in England will now get extra information about fire safety to support their introductory training. The aim is to give them extra potentially life-saving information on how to spot the signs of a person who is most at risk of dying or being seriously injured, should a fire occur.

Fire chiefs are asking care staff to get in touch with their local fire and rescue service if they notice any of the vital early warning signs. Care workers are often the first to see the tell tale signs like burn marks on carpets from cigarettes or a smoke alarm that has run out of battery.

The chair of London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority’s Strategy Committee, councillor Crada Onuegbu, said: “This is a great example of London Fire Brigade working with other organisations to make not only London but the nation safer from fire.

“Care staff do a fantastic job of supporting people within our communities and those who have mobility issues. Sadly these people are among the most at risk from dying in a fire. Now care staff will have the skills to spot the warning signs and help prevent these terrible deaths.”

 Sharon Allen the chief executive at Skills for Care said: “This report is a timely reminder that people who use care services are often at serious risk from fire so we welcome this pro-active approach from fire brigades to tackling this problem.

“Brigades across the country have made significant progress in preventing fires so we would urge care workers and their managers to contact their local officers who can offer free expert advice to anyone they think might be at risk.”

Sense tribute to the co-founder of the charity

The co-founder of the charity Sense, Peggy Freeman has died at the age of 94. She was one of the parents who helped to set up the National Deafblind and Rubella Association in 1955, the organisation which later became the charity Sense.

Born in Sutton Coldfield, she is survived by her four children, sons Ian and Robin, and daughters Ann, who lives in Australia, and Bunty, who is deafblind and lives a in a Sense residential home in Birmingham. Her late husband, Peter Freeman, died in April 1992. 

Peggy Freeman contracted Rubella in 1952 just before becoming pregnant with her fourth child, Bunty who was born on 29 January 1953. Doctors assured her that her baby would be alright but Bunty was born deaf, blind and with heart problems. Peggy had no one to turn to for help until a teacher of deaf children introduced her to other parents of deafblind children. 

She met another parent, Margaret Brock, whose son was similarly born with Congenital Rubella Syndrome and together they formally set up the first parents’ Rubella Group in 1955.  

The group began with ten founder families. Today Sense employs more than 3,000 staff and meets the needs of thousands of dual-sensory impaired people from babyhood to old age.

Gillian Morbey the chief executive of Sense and Sense International and president of Deafblind International said: “At a time when people thought deafblind children couldn’t be educated or live full lives Peggy battled, not only for her own daughter, but what has become the whole Sense family. She is our last great ‘trooper’ from the early days of Sense and will be sadly missed.”

Peggy Freeman received an MBE in 1967 for services to deafblind people for her role in co-founding Sense.

Motability car scheme puts 'reliablity' first

Disabled motorists can benefit from added peace of mind by choosing a car that has been hailed for its reliability in a recent WhatCar? Reliability Survey.

Eight of the top 10 most reliable city cars are available from Motability, the car scheme for disabled people, including the top three – the Suzuki Alto, Toyota Aygo and Kia Picanto – all from no Advance Payment, which means no up-front additional costs to pay. 

WhatCar? and Warranty Direct teamed up to carry out the survey and create the ‘Reliability Index’ – a way to score cars based on factors such as the number of times a car breaks down, the average repair cost and the average repair time.

Nine of the top 10 most reliable superminis are also available through Motability, again, all from no Advance Payment. The compact Vauxhall Agila, spacious Skoda Fabia and practical Honda Jazz took the top three spots in this category.

 People who receive the Higher Rate Mobility Component of the Disability Living Allowance or the War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement, can exchange this weekly payment to lease a new car, scooter or powered wheelchair through Motability. Insurance, maintenance, servicing and breakdown assistance are also included in the lease.

Further highlights from the survey include Motability cars suited to small families, such as the Toyota Auris, which came in third and the Mazda3.

Mike Betts the chief executive of Motability Operations said: “For many of our customers, the reliability of a vehicle is one of the main areas of consideration when looking for a new car. Research like this is very useful to both us and our customers and it’s great to see that Motability offers such a variety of those highlighted in these categories. We strive to make a wide choice of cars available to our customers to ensure that they are able to get the right vehicle for their needs.”

Full details of all cars are available on the online Car Search tool at motability.co.uk. For more information on leasing a car from Motability call 0800 093 1000.