News - October
Disability Living Allowance petition - 26/10/09
There is now a petition available to sign on the Prime Minister’s Office website concerning Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Attendance Allowance (AA). The petition was started by Mencap and is asking that the Prime Minister recognise the vital support that Attendance Allowance (AA) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) provide to disabled people, and to ensure that these benefits are secured and are not removed as part of any future reform of the social care system in England.
Submitted by Mencap, the deadline to sign up by is 7th December 2009 with over 19,000 signatures to date. If you’d like to add your name to the petition on this issue then just click the link below:
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/AttendanceA/
A cause for celebration! - 12/10/09
When Keith Service turned 40, he knew the perfect way to mark the occasion. A traditional Birthday party with family and friends took place on the 5th September but, in place of gifts, guests were asked to make a donation to the National Eczema Society. As Keith explains: “Our son Louis has lived with eczema since he was six months old. It has been a difficult and emotional journey and he has suffered terribly throughout his childhood. Now ten, he is still battling with the condition and we just hope that some day he will grow out of it.
“My wife Claire and I therefore couldn’t think of a more deserving cause to support and we are delighted to have raised £520 thanks to the generosity of those closest to us.”
Come along to the Society’s Christmas stall - 12/10/09
Following the success of the charity’s market stall at Archway Market during National Eczema Week, we have secured a follow-up pitch for 7th November and invite anyone who can make it along to come and meet the Society staff and get in some early Christmas shopping!
We’ll be offering a wide range of Society Christmas cards along with gifts and general bric-a-brac all at very reasonable prices.
The Market is a short walk from Archway tube station down Holloway Road and we hope to see some of the Society’s supporters in early November.
Leeds General Infirmary plan to close the 14-bed dermatology ward - add your name to the petition! - 9/10/09
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/keep-ward43-open/
Without any formal consultation with the public, patients or clinical staff, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has announced that it will be closing the dermatology ward at Leeds General Infirmary.
The consequence of this being that patients who need hospitalisation will be spread throughout the hospital on general wards or on wards where there is a bed available - this will not guarantee them any specialist care at all. It will also result in the expert ward team being dispersed throughout the hospital or potentially being made redundant. Specialist staff, including the dermatologists, will spend more time going from ward to ward to see the inpatients, spending more time on the ward as they will not have specialist staff to discuss treatment and care with and valuable clinical time will be wasted.
Although the Trust has not yet confirmed it, the British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) and Skincare Campaign (SCC) understand that the closure should take place later this month!
Along with some local patients, including Victor and Anne Broughton, Mohammed Patel, Louise Morley, Pauline Cawood, and the BAD, the Skincare Campaign is lobbying to stop this potentially devastating decision and demand a guarantee from the Trust that quality of patient care will not be affected - this is, of course, only achievable by keeping a designated dermatology ward.
There is now a Prime Minister's petition to stop the closure, you just add your details including email - a link is sent to your email address and you click it to confirm that you’d like your name added.
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/keep-ward43-open/
*DEADLINE FOR SIGNING THE PETITION IS 21ST OCTOBER.
Tackling Intimacy Issues - a Changing Faces Event - 1/10/09
If your eczema is preventing you from forming close relationships with people, or you shy away from physical intimacy because of your appearance, the next Changing Faces Intimacy workshop could help.
Taking place on Tuesday 16th February the one-day event provides an opportunity for a small group of adults living with an issue affecting their appearance to come together and explore some of the common concerns around developing and/or maintaining an intimate relationship including - meeting someone new, talking about your condition with your partner and physical intimacy.
Held in London the course is free of charge to participants who are asked instead to make a £15 donation to the charity.
Places are limited and anybody considering attending should contact Isabelle Hans or Martina Leeven on 0845 4500 275 to register an interest. Alternatively, you can email both contacts at isabelleh@changingfaces.org.uk and martinal@changingfaces.org.uk.
Founded in 1992, Changing Faces is the leading UK charity for those whose appearance is visibly different. Providing invaluable advice and support it equips children, young people and adults with vital knowledge and skills which give them the confidence to get on with their lives in a positive way.
For more information, click HERE for the poster and reply form.
Financial help with water bills from WaterSure - 1/10/09
Ofwat, (the Water Services Regulation Authority) has announced that the number of customers successfully applying for financial help with water bills under the WaterSure tariff has risen by nearly 80% over the last two years.
Through WaterSure, certain customers with big families or medical conditions can save money on their water bills. The tariff ensures they pay no more than the average household bill for their region.
For further details, you can access the press release by clicking HERE.
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