Introduction The Wellness and Inclusion Manifesto is a list of 75 suggestions designed by leading disability consultant and activist, Simon Stevens. It aims to be both a starting point for further discussion and something disability charities and organisations can sign up to as a challenge to them to be serious about some of the issues that affect real disabled people. Care and Support Proposal Free eligible assessed care and support for all Improved transition support for disabled graduates Minimum training guidelines for PA Employers National eligibility framework for care and support based on
Details To establish a national right to free care and support when a person has been assessed as eligible for in line with agreed outcomes and best value. Access to 'basic' care will an universal right while support would conditional on meeting agreed outcomes A recognition that for some disabled graduates the transition process into full adulthood is not at 19 but when they leave University and failure to provide support can add additional barriers to entering the workplace therefore wasting the education earned. To establish a national standard for the minimum level of training which should be provided to people before employing personal assistants including understanding legal duties and interpersonal skills. To established a national standard eligibility framework for care and support which is outcome based guidelines that details the criteria and desired
outcome National support fund for working aged adults
outcomes to which a person may be deemed eligible for care and support. The formation of a new national fund to provide total long term care and support funding packages as a personal budget which would be external to local authorities. It would be a national fund with national standards which is delivered locally.
Communication Proposal A right to directly email public services Effective support for meeting personal communication needs Free broadband for all
National government guidelines on official terminology Single government website for detailed public information
Details A legal right for all public services to have specific and direct email address available to the public including local authorities, police, GPs, hospitals, HMRC and so on. To provide effective support to all individuals at all ages with personal communication difficulties including the provision of appropriate AAC technology to ensure no one is left without a means to communicate to the best of their ability. A nationally agreed and locally delivered public provision of high speed broadband in the home, office and in public areas as a key component of cutting costs, providing new online services and providing access and inclusion for many people. A clear national government glossary of the official definitions used by governmental and other bodies to avoid confusion and increase transparency. To dramatically expand "Gov.Uk" to include vast amounts of information useful in the public as citizens, employees and employers amongst others in a manner that is effective and easy to understand.
Culture Proposal Celebration Fund for impairment pride Inclusive Culture Strategy
Details To establish to a fund which supports cultural activities that celebrate people's impairment and enable people to have pride in themselves as people with specific impairments. To develop a national cultural strategy which focuses on enhancing the inclusion of disabled people and other groups in cultural activities and so within the wider
National Disability Museum National film project to document experiences of impairment Research into postsocial model impairment identity
society. To create a National Disability Museum to record the history of disability and the struggles disabled people have faced to reach the inclusion already won. so providing people better understand of the issues. To commission a series of 'fly on the wall' films which provides an detailed everyday lived experience of having specific impairments to increase the public awareness of impairment as a part of a wider public debate. To commission extensive research into the meaning and identity of impairment within a post-social model environment when the social construction of disability is reduced or eradicated.
Democracy Proposal Inclusion Ombudsman
Locally elected disability representation projects
National Council for Long Term Conditions
Nationally elected long term conditions representation projects
Use of electronic voting
Details The formation of an Inclusion Ombudsman to investigate and rule upon initial complaints and concerns related to disability discrimination where informal resolution and solution is desired outside the remit of the courts. To ensure disabled people are able to directly elect the organisations funded by local government to represent them in local affairs as specific democracy projects and to ensure organisations who purport to represent disabled people locally are accountable to all disabled people. To create a National Council for Long Term Condition (NCLTC) to facilitate cost effective best value joined up thinking to the provision of health, social care and other services which can meet the specific and not exclusive needs of various conditions, and to ensure people with long term conditions have an effective say. In parallel with NCLTC, a system to ensure the organisations who have funding to represent specific long-term conditions are directly elected and remain accountable to those who have the long-term conditions. Those who are regarded as 'carers' should have a different parallel system of representation. A commission should be set up to explore the benefits and barriers of electronic voting in all
general and local elections for the future benefit of everyone. Education Proposal Development of opportunities for service users to be paid trainers
Details To set up a national qualification framework for service user involvement to assist users to develop their knowledge, experience and expertise so they are able to obtain relevant qualifications and paid work. Guaranteed access of To establish a national promise that everyone minimum education regardless of age will have guaranteed free access to obtaining a minimum level of education. Improved access to To create a system that enables improved access to lifelong learning lifelong learning opportunities using a diversity of opportunities methodologies and formats. Individual Learning Plans To develop Individual Learning Plans for everyone in full time education to ensure the education they receive is suitable to their needs, desires and outcomes. Transformation of special To transform all special schools into a new schools generation of mainstream schools which become leading examples of proper and meaningful inclusion for the benefit of pupils, parents and wider society. Employment Proposal Ban on government monies spent on projects using unpaid labour Creating a win win culture in the workplace Recreate volunteering as planned personal development Personal development as part of employment
Details To initiate a ban on government funding to be used for projects of any nature that uses unpaid labour that is not a part of a recognised volunteering scheme. To set up a commission to explore and develop what changes can be made to the 'workplace' for the benefit of all employees and employers, specifically employees with impairments and/or health conditions. To develop a volunteering strategy that ensures there is an interdependent relationship between organisations and volunteers with agreed personal development goals in exchange for volunteering. To develop a system of providing personal development tools to unemployed people to support
readiness Research into new types of employment
them to find themselves and increase their employability To research new types of employment like home working to meet the needs of a changing workforce and to include groups like disabled people.
Enterprise Proposal Amend benefits system to develop enterprise Develop innovation in assistive technology Greater support for innovations for good of the public Set up enterprise development agency for each sector Transform charities into social enterprises
Details To develop the benefits system to support individuals who are developing all kinds of enterprises in a manner that is fair and open. To set up a fund to develop the innovation of assistive technology as a wider strategy to reform social care and support the inclusion of disabled people. To provide detailed support for individuals and organisations who are developing new technology which could be deemed as good for the public, To restructure existing organisations to form single enterprise development agencies for each sector, like social care and broadcasting, which will include market development and workforce issues. To establish funding to support charities of all sizes and remits to transform themselves into sustainable social enterprises which support the aims of 21st century society.
Family Proposal Focus on maintaining family cohesion
Develop age appropriate relationships between families and disabled children Prevent children from being forced into caring responsibilities
Details To transform social care to focus on maintaining family cohesion, ensuring families of all types can function as interdependent units, moving away from a carer culture. To support parents and disabled children to maintain age appropriate relationships including the process of letting go and allowing disabled children to leave home as they grow older. To establish a national policy to protect and support children who are at risk of being forced into caring responsibilities, with the
Proper system to identify family decision makers
Provide support as assist parents to be parents
goal of ending the concept of young carers. To have a system within health and social care agencies to properly identify family decision makers especially in complex family situations, and therefore who is able to make decisions on behalf of people. To have a system of supporting parents to be parents, especially if they have disabled children, to avoid then becoming trapped into a carer mindset.
Health Proposal Ensure continuous active recovery Focus on mental wellbeing to avoid addiction Improve support through the emotional journey of sickness Individual Health Plans
Promote healthy enjoyable lifestyle
Details To have a system of ensuring anyone who has any condition which affects their function to contribute to society is provided a programme of activities to assist them in their recovery for however long it takes To have a new major focus for health and other services on ensuring good mental wellbeing with the goal to reduce addictive behaviour like smoking, drinking, drugs, gambling and obesity. To provide improved support for the emotional journey faced by someone recovering from sickness or injury with the goal to speed up their readiness to return to work or make a new contribution to society To introduce Individual Health Plans administered by GPs to change the focus of health services to prevention and good health maintenance where each person agrees health goals with their GPs. To focus funding to promoting healthy enjoyable lifestyle including the need to balance work with leisure and the importance of fun.
Housing Proposal Develop low cost moving support services Develop new forms of housing
Details To provide funding to develop low cost moving support services to assist individuals and families to move in order to take up employment, education or training opportunities. To research and develop new forms of housing to meet the changing needs of individuals and families including
shared housing and new smaller apartments To provide funding to provide more accessible housing which is not on the ground floor to enable people to feel safer in their own homes With the implication on the bedroom tax, the benefits system and other agencies should recognise the social value of home offices to preparing people for employment and provide funding accordingly To mandate social housing associations to systematically upgrade its homes over a reasonable time period to meet the lifetime needs of its residents including making properties ready to be easily adapted and changed according to needs.
Provide more accessible nonground floor housing Recognised social value of home offices in employment readiness Update social housing to lifetime homes
Leisure Proposal Consider NHS funding of specific leisure services Develop leisure funding in terms of mental wellbeing outcomes Enable all children and young people to have a wide range of experiences Enable workplace leisure opportunities Recognised leisure as a support solution for working disabled people
Details To research the benefit of NHS Funding to be used to commission specific leisure activities, like swimming, with the goal of improving physical and mental health. To restructure the funding of leisure towards achieving improvements in mental welling as a part of a wider proactive health strategy. To develop a national programme of suggested activities locally delivered that provides all children and young people direct experience of sport, art and other activities with the goal of enriching their understanding of the world. To work with employers of all sizes to develop the use of leisure activities within the workplace to enhance the working environment and increase productivity. To recognised within care and support packages the need to support people in their leisure if they are in paid employment as ensure good mental wellbeing.
Personal Mobility Proposal Accessible Statements for all buildings
Details To require all organisation to prepare and publish annual accessibility statements on their buildings meeting national guidelines including a timescale to when improvements
Driving driving license for electric wheelchair users Improve access to Electric Wheelchairs
Improved enforcement of taxis taking wheelchairs National Wheelchair Passport scheme
will be made. To develop a national driving license scheme for electric wheelchair and scooter users to improve safety for themselves and others. To improve the access to publicly funded electric wheelchairs to promote greater independence and to take into account the health needs of families, care workers and others as the average size and weight of users increase. To improvement the enforcement of the requirements for taxis to take wheelchairs and to make it easier for drivers to be investigated and prosecuted if they refuse to take wheelchairs when they are able to. To establish a national wheelchair passport scheme to ensure all wheelchairs are provided with a passport detailing information about that chair for the benefit of transport providers including buses, taxis and aircraft.
Public Services Proposal Develop of national virtual library Honest delivery of essential services Improved systematic local say in service design Online management of public services Requirement for inclusion strategies in tenders
Tax and Benefits
Details To develop a national virtual library to use online version of books available in many formats which are of public interest to replace the current system of libraries. To establish clear standards and transparency in the delivery of essential public services which ensures user involvement without the promise of choice where that is not realistic. To provide improved systems to ensure local people to have a say in how local services are designed and delivered To ensure all public services which provide services to individuals to enable 'customers' to manage their accounts online such as booking GP appointments and renewing blue badge. To require any tender for public services to include an inclusion strategy detailing how they intend to meet the needs of as many people within their remit as possible.
Proposal Personalised Individual Tax Allowance
Public debate on the concept of sickness and disability Requirement to demonstrate activeness when receiving support Review of non-means tested support for people with high incomes Transformation of disability benefits
Details To develop personalised individual tax allowances that may replace a number of benefits like child benefit to ensure people have an allowance that takes into their own situation in a way that is fair and transparent To launch an extensive public debate on what is the concept of sickness and disability within 21st century society and how should the tax and benefit system reflect the changing understanding of the issues A requirement for everyone receiving state benefits to demonstrate 35 hours per week "activeness", in terms of work, training, education or health treatment including resting as a condition of their benefits A extensive review of all non-means tested benefits and support for people with high incomes to consider their relevance to 21st century society. To research and develop major changes to all disability benefits to better meet individual need and outcomes and to promote inclusion not exclusion.
Transport Proposal Accessible Pedestrian Traffic Plans Design bus for 21st century requirements Development of light/dark blue badge scheme Review of Motability Unified transport concession scheme Â
Details To establish pedestrian traffic plans to ensure bus routes and othe accessible to wheelchair and mobility scooter users. To research and develop bus design to meet the needs of the 21st wheelchairs and other accessibility issues. To research and develop the implication of a lighter and darker blu differing needs of people with mobility impairments. To review Motability with the goal of transforming it into a low cost people and to meet the needs of 21st century society. To explore merging the national concessionary bus pass with the d create a new unified scheme.