Still no access to Norwich assessment centre for disabled
Posted: 18 Dec 2014, 11:17Campaigners have vented their fury after pledges were made to move a Norwich disability assessment centre with no disabled access - but six months on it is still located on the second floor of a building.
Kim Briscoe Thursday, December 18, 2014
6:30 AM
Mark Harrison, chief executive of Equal Lives, with other protesters outside the Atos assessment centre at St Mary's House. Picture: Denise Bradley.
In June, the then Minister for Disabled People, Mike Penning said the inaccessible Atos-run assessment centre at St Mary’s House, in Duke Street, was “wholly unacceptable” and he was “taking action to exit St Mary’s House as soon as we possibly can”.
It followed a 30-month campaign by disabled people to highlight the injustice of having a centre to assess disabled people for the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), which could not be used by people in wheelchairs or those unable to use the stairs in the event of an emergency.
However, six months on the centre is still open, and people with debilitating illnesses and severe mobility problems have to travel to centres as far afield as Ipswich, King’s Lynn and even further.
Mark Harrison, chief executive of Norfolk disability group Equal Lives, said: “It is now over six months since they announced the centre will close but it is still open for business. As far as we know they are still expecting disabled people to travel to other parts of the region and country because they have an inaccessible building.
http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/sti ... _1_3890144
Kim Briscoe Thursday, December 18, 2014
6:30 AM
Mark Harrison, chief executive of Equal Lives, with other protesters outside the Atos assessment centre at St Mary's House. Picture: Denise Bradley.
In June, the then Minister for Disabled People, Mike Penning said the inaccessible Atos-run assessment centre at St Mary’s House, in Duke Street, was “wholly unacceptable” and he was “taking action to exit St Mary’s House as soon as we possibly can”.
It followed a 30-month campaign by disabled people to highlight the injustice of having a centre to assess disabled people for the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), which could not be used by people in wheelchairs or those unable to use the stairs in the event of an emergency.
However, six months on the centre is still open, and people with debilitating illnesses and severe mobility problems have to travel to centres as far afield as Ipswich, King’s Lynn and even further.
Mark Harrison, chief executive of Norfolk disability group Equal Lives, said: “It is now over six months since they announced the centre will close but it is still open for business. As far as we know they are still expecting disabled people to travel to other parts of the region and country because they have an inaccessible building.
http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/sti ... _1_3890144