Gscene News Archive

The Federation of Disabled People, a group for disabled people across Brighton and Hove, has helped change hospital policy to allow patients' carers to be with them outside of visiting hours.

Historically, disabled people were not allowed a personal assistant or carer to be with them in Brighton hospitals outside of visiting hours. This meant that an unknown person would be looking after the disabled person’s individual and often very specific needs.

As a result of participation of the Federation's Get Involved! project, Brighton and Sussex Universities Hospitals Trust’s Privacy and Dignity policy has been amended to reflect these concerns. Working personal assistants and carers of family members and friends are now allowed full access rights to the person they are supporting 24-hours a day.

The Federation hopes this ground-breaking development will set the benchmark for access improvements in the future and inspire more disabled people to get involved to help influence local changes.

The Federation’s Get Involved! project would be interested to hear from people about issues that affect them and their community and ways in which these might be improved to encourage accessibility for all disabled people. Brighton and Hove City Council and NHS Brighton and Hove are working with the Federation to promote these developments.

If you would like to be involved in the project e-mail: alex.hawkey@bhfederation.org.uk

For more information on the Federation view:
www.bhfederation.org.uk