http://www.disabilitylibdems.org.uk/newsarchive.php Recent News Stories from LDDA - The Liberal Democrat Disability Association en-GB LDDA - The Liberal Democrat Disability Association http://www.disabilitylibdems.org.uk/ Prater Raines Ltd http://www.praterraines.co.uk/ (c) 2008 LDDA - The Liberal Democrat Disability Association 2008-07-03T23:06+01:00 United Kingdom http://www.disabilitylibdems.org.uk/news/000968/dutch_common_sense_may_halt_mobility_scooter_tax.html A campaign against a new import tax on mobility scooters for disabled and older people may have been given a lifeline by a Dutch court ruling. 2008-05-15T00:00+01:00 http://www.disabilitylibdems.org.uk/news/000961/zimbabwean_protests_deportation.html A Zimbabwean woman has said her family will lose their independence if she is forced to return to her homeland. Kudzayi Zinzombe, 25, from Exeter, cares for her disabled brother while their mother works as a nurse. Kudzayi came to Britain two years ago, but now she has been told she cannot stay because she was over 18 when she arrived and therefore not a dependent. 2008-05-12T00:00+01:00 http://www.disabilitylibdems.org.uk/news/000957/care_home_ratings_may_mislead.html New star ratings for care homes in England have been criticised for giving a misleading impression. The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) gave 70% of providers a three star (excellent) or two star (good) rating. But the charity Age Concern says many homes may have been given a one star (adequate) undeservedly. Its research, found cases in which inspections had failed to establish if residents were treated respectfully. 2008-05-12T00:00+01:00 http://www.disabilitylibdems.org.uk/news/000962/crackdown_on_car_parking_abusers.html A crackdown is under way targeting hospital visitors who abuse disabled parking spaces in Leicester. Previously parking attendants have been unable to confirm if the person registered on a blue card was actually in the car. But from this week, parking staff at Leicester's three hospitals will check if the badge photo ID matches up. However the Leicester charity Mosaic fears the move will only cause confusion for disabled drivers. 2008-05-12T00:00+01:00 http://www.disabilitylibdems.org.uk/news/000953/royal_british_legion__honour_the_covenant_campaign.html The powerful Commons Defence Committee published a report in February which supports a number of the demands of the 'Honour the Covenant' campaign. There is more to do, however. 2008-05-12T00:00+01:00 http://www.disabilitylibdems.org.uk/news/000958/warning_over_social_care_funding.html Ministers are warning that England's social care system is heading towards a £6bn funding gap unless there is radical reform, the BBC has learned. Health experts predict the ageing population means state funding for the care of the elderly and disabled will face a huge shortfall within 20 years. The warnings come as ministers are about to begin a major consultation on how social care is funded. Currently, most people in England have to pay for home help themselves. 2008-05-12T00:00+01:00 http://www.disabilitylibdems.org.uk/news/000963/government_has_failed_to_tackle_the_stigma_of_mental_health.html Commenting on Friday's survey by the Department of Health which shows that people with mental illness are still stigmatised in Britain, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: 2008-05-12T00:00+01:00 http://www.disabilitylibdems.org.uk/news/000954/variation_in_child_asthma_care.html There is "worrying" variation in the number of children admitted to hospital for asthma attacks in different areas of England, a charity has warned. 2008-05-12T00:00+01:00 http://www.disabilitylibdems.org.uk/news/000959/depressed_fathers_hit_learning.html Children whose fathers are depressed have smaller vocabularies than those who do not, a US study suggests. 2008-05-12T00:00+01:00 http://www.disabilitylibdems.org.uk/news/000964/mentally_ill_go_without_food.html Almost three-quarters of people with mental health problems run out of money at the end of each week, a study says. The charity Mind said its poll of 1,800 people showed half had gone without food because of money worries. And virtually all those questioned - 91% - said debt had made their health problems worse. 2008-05-12T00:00+01:00 http://www.disabilitylibdems.org.uk/news/000955/adults_with_autism_to_be_audited.html For the first time the government is to calculate the number of adults with autism in England. 2008-05-12T00:00+01:00 http://www.disabilitylibdems.org.uk/news/000960/diabetes_is_no_extra_road_risk.html People with diabetes who use insulin have no more car accidents than those without the condition, research shows. 2008-05-12T00:00+01:00 http://www.disabilitylibdems.org.uk/news/000967/disabled_woman_wins_retire_case.html A County Antrim woman disabled in an accident has been awarded compensation after her employers refused to let her return to work. 2008-05-12T00:00+01:00 http://www.disabilitylibdems.org.uk/news/000956/care_home_residents_must_move.html A decision to close three residential centres in East Sussex will see 10 disabled people having to move home, the county council has said. Social care spokesman Keith Glazier said the residents would "no doubt find this a difficult time" but the authority would support them. 2008-05-12T00:00+01:00 http://www.disabilitylibdems.org.uk/news/000950/alzheimers_drugs_appeal_victory.html The Appeal Court has ruled an NHS advisory body should have been more transparent in the way it made decisions over Alzheimer's drugs. Eisai, which makes Aricept, had challenged the process by which it and similar medicines were restricted to people with late stage disease. Three judges said the advisory body should have released details of how it reached its decision. However, the ruling does not mean the drugs will be more widely available. 2008-05-01T00:00+01:00