Member of the Month / Disabled People’s Voice

Disabled People’s Voice (DPV) was set up to provide peer support and to fill the gaps in services as identified by Disabled People rather than by statutory bodies.

Action Hampshire are proud to have DPV as a member and for them to kick start our member of the month feature for 2020! They are a truly inspiring team that do amazing work to help disabled people help themselves and giving them a voice on the way they live their life.

They believe those with lived experience of a long-term condition often have insights into the practical day-to-day effects of the condition on daily life, which health and social care professionals don’t necessarily understand…

Their vision is a society where disabled people receive the support they need to live as they choose rather than as just the passive recipients of care. A future, in which Disabled People are empowered, informed, connected and valued.

Disability is natural. Everyone is an accident, a disease or years away from a long-term health condition. And if you or a family member should acquire a disability it may come as a shock that unlike the NHS social care isn’t free for everyone. How much you contribute to your care will depend on your financial situation and your care needs.

The great debate about how the social care system should be reformed has been somewhat side-lined by Brexit. Thanks to years of austerity and unanswered questions about future long-term funding the social care system is at breaking point. And despite decades of disability rights legislation, significant barriers to full independence, choice and control still exist for Disabled People. One such barrier in Hampshire is the shortage of Personal Assistants in Care, due to low levels of unemployment it is estimated that there will be more than a million Personal Assistants working in the UK by 2025.

DPV we have been working with Hampshire County Council to promote the role of Personal Assistants in Care, and to encourage more people to consider a career in the care sector. One joint imitative is free introductory training courses for PAs across Hampshire.

For more information about DPV and how you can get involved you can visit their website.