North Wales MS Mark Isherwood has called on the Welsh Government to ensure that Public Bodies involve disabled people in the design, evaluation and review of services.
Mr Isherwood, who is Chair of the Cross Party Groups (CPGs) on Disability, Autism and Neurological Conditions in this Welsh Parliament, made the plea whilst speaking in the Welsh Parliament yesterday, ahead of the International Day of Disabled People on Thursday.
He said it is evident from his casework and work on the CPGs that “too many Welsh Public Bodies continue to tell disabled people what they can have, rather than work with them.”
Responding to the Statement ‘Marking the International Day of Disabled People’ by the Welsh Government Deputy Minister and Chief Whip, Mr Isherwood said:
“All public authorities have a duty under the 2010 UK Equality Act to ensure they meet the needs of disabled people, and actively involve disabled people in the design and delivery of their services.
“The UK Equality Act also states that ‘service providers must think ahead and take steps to address barriers that impede disabled people’ and ‘you should not wait until a disabled person experiences difficulties using a service’.
“However, I know from both my own casework and my work as Chair of the Cross Party Groups on Disability, Autism and Neurological Conditions in this Welsh Parliament, that too many Welsh Public Bodies continue to tell Disabled people what they can have, rather than work with them to agree their needs and ask them what they want to achieve. This is damaging, costly and entirely avoidable – and applies in particular to people with hidden impairments.
“Given that the 2020 theme of the United Nation’s International Day of Disabled People on Thursday is “Not all Disabilities are Visible”, when and how will the Welsh Government therefore ensure that Public Bodies involve disabled people in the design, evaluation and review of services in accordance with both the Equality Act and your own legislation?”
In her reply, the Deputy Minister thanked the Cross-Party Group on Disability for the work it has done and stated “I suppose that's one of the messages of the UN day, and what will be discussed on Thursday is not just how lessons can be learned; it's actually how we can now address— We have the legislation, as you say, we have the Equality Act; it's about implementation—I think this is the key point—of legislation to address those barriers”.