On April 1st a woefully-ill-equipped private firm, Coperforma, replaced the NHS’s South East Coast Ambulance Service in a botched privatisation of NHS services. The mobile phone app the company uses often doesn’t work, especially in areas of poor mobile reception and its own ambulance drivers have said the company is ‘out of its depth’. The result? • Cancer patients have missed oncology appointments after ambulances failed to turn up to collect them. • Patients with kidney failure have not been able to receive scheduled sessions of kidney dialysis for the same reason, with some missing two of their three treatments in a week. • So many patients have become stuck at the Royal Sussex County hospital in Brighton because their transport has not arrived that it has paid for taxis and other private vehicle suppliers to take them home. • Staff there have had to stay until midnight to ensure kidney patients arriving hours after their scheduled start time have received vital dialysis. • Coperforma vehicles have turned up to collect patients who have already died. Patients, relatives, NHS bodies, Trade Unions and local MPs have severely criticised the service’s performance but still local CCGs persist with the untenable private company. The previous public provider regularly had approval ratings of over 90%. For more information http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/apr/12/patients-wait-hours-for-ambulances-nhs-transport-service-privatised-sussex http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/local/14432002.Patient_transport_company_out_of_its_depth__say_its_own_drivers/

I want to tell the story on behalf of two people, with the same disability, whose PIP, or Personal Independence Payment, reports and outcomes were totally different. This petition is anonymous because the claimants cannot cope with the additional anxiety and stress of being named. I recently attended assessments for both claimants. One received 14 points and is therefore now in receipt of PIP. The other person with exactly the same condition received NO points at all. Both are diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, which is an autistic spectrum disorder. Both were born with this highly complex, incurable and debilitating condition. Both, therefore, have a social communication and developmental disability, very often accompanied by poor mental health. Both suffer from associated problems of depression, paranoia, OCD, anxiety and stress. Both have the same problems with engaging with people face to face, verbal and written communication, dressing and undressing, bathing and washing, preparing food and planning and following journeys. So why the vast difference in the outcomes? I witnessed two very contrasting face to face interviews within the space of just six weeks. The difference between these two experiences was astonishing. 1) There was variation between the scripts and the questions covered. 2) There was a tremendous difference in the knowledge, experience and understanding of autism. 3) The atmosphere and approach in the second assessment was noticeably less understanding. The two outcomes completely reflected these variations. One received NO points at all and the other 14. One now receives PIP and the other does not. I also want to tell you about the steps in arriving at a decision: The final decisive face to face assessment with the 'Disability analyst', on which the outcome appears to be determined. 1) The PIP hearing took forty five minutes. 2) It was conducted by someone who did not know the person being interviewed, a real problem for people on the autistic spectrum. 3) It was carried out by someone who appeared to have little or no knowledge, experience or training in autistic spectrum disorder. 4) It was conducted by someone seemingly with no concept of how to carefully structure questions , communicate or interact with a claimant with autism. 5) The assessor's report, unseen by the claimant, is then sent to the DWP to confirm the decision. In contrast, the other evidence, was provided by a number of sources who know the individuals well. A close family member with thirty years experience of this lifelong, incurable disability, and additional input from autism and health professionals. 1) A PIP questionnaire was completed by both. In the case where no points were awarded this was by the designated advocate, a very close relative, because of the inherent communication issues. 2) It took considerable time and effort filling in the many pages of this PIP form with the claimants concerned, making sure the information was detailed, accurate and truthful,. 3) Supportive evidence from professionals was provided of the diagnosis of Asperger's, and a number of associated mental health issues. Many people on the autistic spectrum suffer poor mental health, such as severe anxiety, stress and depression. 4) All this took considerable time and effort from all the people concerned in order to truly reflect the significant level of impairment. 5) We filled in each different section of the form to clearly described the high degree of incapacity of the claimant to complete the tasks. YET, by awarding NO points at all, that information appears to be: 1) Totally negated in one case, and endorsed in the other. 2) Judged true in the first and false in the other, 3) Suggesting the claimant is legitimate in the first and a liar in the other. This is very distressing and offensive to everyone concerned. I have therefore started this petition because as the observer (not the named person) I want to know: 1) How two people with the same diagnosed disability and associated mental health issues can receive such contrasting PIP assessment outcomes? 2) How a claimant's mental health can be assessed accurately and appropriately in under an hour? 3) That people with autism to be fairly treated. In the light of my own concerns and the very serious issues highlighted in the Dispatches programme 'The Great Benefits Row' (Channel 4, 11 April 2016), please sign this petition. Please join me in calling on the new minister for the Department for Work and Pensions(DWP), Stephen Crabb and the Government to carry out an urgent review into the whole PIP assessment system.

Currently those with colinic/bowel disorders and who have a permanent condition as a result of this are rejected from the Blue Badge scheme. Granted that this is true of many others as well, but ostomates usually have to carry with them a set of spares (from clothing to appliances) and having easy and close access to these would be a huge relief, especially in an emergency. Believe me, walking through a supermarket car park knowing that you clothes are soiled is not pleasant, and being able to be back at the car and safety would be a huge physical and psychological benefit. Likewise, many ostomates end up with hernias as a result of their surgery, meaning that carrying heavy items and distance can be challenging if not actually harmful, let alone the issues of having to stack/pack these into a boot or onto a back seat. There are over 100,000 ostomates in the UK currently who have to fend for themselves (I speak as one of these). Seeing others abuse the scheme of course makes one think that it should be tightened, but not to the exclusion of those with genuine needs.

Getting out to enjoy concerts is something that I enjoy. Sadly, Glasgow's SSE Hydro's inflexible approach, unlike other venues in Glasgow like the King's Theatre, means people with visual impairments are unable to book seats close to the stage and still get a carer's discount. Instead, the venue has a designated disability area which is too far away for me to see anything. Disability comes in different forms and venues have taken care to provide services to help people's enjoyment. There are induction hoops for those with hearing issues and the venue has wheelchair accessibility. It's time to bring in some flexibility and allow those with visual impairments the right to enjoy the great shows that appear here.

My daughter suffers from wpw syndrome which affects our life massively There are times we can't work as we are in hospital do much we now call our hospital home. But not only are we suffering how many people are also affected by heart problems who ain't able to work an not getting the benefits they rightly deserve . Let's make this petition huge so this government listen and reconise all these heart conditions that are a disability . Please share share share an make them listen to us .

People awarded this lifetime status have ALREADY Proved to the government that their illness or disability WILL NOT get better or people will NOT Grow limbs back for the entirety of that person's life. The Government have ALREADY accepted and agree that these people are the most vulnerable BY AWARDING lifetime status when DlA was applied for. I personally have friends that were awarded DLA for life but when summoned for assessment for PIP they have had the ENTIRE award taken away from them... Ask yourself this: How can the government NOW decide AFTER their doctors and specialists have examined and assessed the person that they are no longer in need? THESE ARE Doctors and Specialist THAT THE GOVERNMENT pay for their services so are the Government now saying they have NO TRUST in the people THEY employ??

Mencap opposes the Employment and Support Allowance cuts. It is not acceptable for an MP who promotes himself as patron of North Somerset branch of Mencap to vote in favour of cutting the incomes of the people that Mencap represents. https://www.mencap.org.uk/news/article/house-commons-vote-favour-esa-wrag-cuts-mencap-response Part 2 of the Capability for Work questionnaire specifically covers activities that the people who Mencap supports will be finding difficult. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/421191/esa-50-capability-for-work-questionnaire.pdf

George Osborne has announced plans to take £70 a week away from thousands of people with disabilities, by cutting Personal Independence Payments (PIP). For many of us, this will mean losing the crucial support which enables us to get out of the house. Many people in our area would be hit hard by this cut. This petition calls on our local MP to do all they can to stop this cruel and unfair plan. Please, show your support for local people with disabilities and help stop the cuts to PIP.

"Displaying intelligence" and "Enjoying reading and writing" are not grounds to dismiss a person with a disability who has clearly stated that they are unable to go about day-to-day living unaided. Denying this benefit to anybody who has been on DLA is in direct breach of basic human rights, and the rights of the disabled in particular. To cause futher stress to people with mental and physical limitations who may well be already battling with suicidal thoughts is tantamount to potential genocide of a vulnerable group of people. If not a war crime, it is most certainly premeditated murder.

Our Government are supposed to be a democratically elected Government working for and on behalf of the people of our nation. In reality, we have a wannabe Mafia, hellbent on privatising our NHS, privatising our schools and destroying our welfare state. In 2012, Justin Tomlinson, the Tories’ Swindon North MP, voted to prevent disabled children from receiving at least a two-third higher rate of universal credit. His vote to block this increase is one that will seriously hurt some of the poorest children in this country, for example, those who are deaf, have cerebral palsy or even Down’s Syndrome. In addition, he's reaffirmed his cynical approach by supporting the cuts in ESA. The title ‘Disabilities Minister’ can be confusing. People can be forgiven for believing that this job is one in which the holder will be an advocate for the disabled. However, he's failed on that, and as such, should resign his position in Government immediately. If you or I were to so inept in our jobs, we'd be sacked. Let's give him the opportunity to do the right thing and resign.

The cost of maintaining independence by disabled citizens is difficult enough without the added worry of further financial pressures from the chancellor. Why is it that the most vulnerable in our society continue to pay the cost of government's financial mismanagement? Where has the "fairer society" ideal gone?

Jo Churchill, MP voted through the cuts to the ESA (Employment Support Allowance) for new claimants in the WRAG (Work-Related Activity Group). It is hypocritical for Jo Churchill to be gaining positive publicity by participating in this organisation's fundraising event for people who may be left worse off by this bill. Headway's Chief Executive states: "Making cuts to benefits for disabled people who have been independently assessed as being unfit for work will cause unnecessary hardship, leading to isolation and anxiety, and potentially increase their long-term dependence on state support." https://www.headway.org.uk/news/national-news/government-forces-through-esa-benefit-cut/