Alliance holds conference with input from over 250 disabled people

Disabled people and charities are meeting with Glasgow’s health and social care partnership (HSCP) today, demanding more input into the city’s care strategy.

Leaders from across the HSCP will meet over 250 disabled people to hear their views and priorities about the partnership’s plans for the next three years.

As local authorities across Scotland explore ways to empower citizens to have more say over budgets and decisions that affect them, Glasgow Disability Alliance (GDA) is aiming to give disabled people a meaningful say over the mainstream services that affect their lives.

GDA founder member, Susan McGinlay said: “We’re bringing decision makers together with the people they serve, to share ideas, experience and expertise – to get to solutions that really work, to tackle inequality and improve lives, for disabled people.”

The organisation’s members have made significant contributions to Scotland’s new Social Security system, and helped shape Glasgow’s ‘Rights Now!’ project to mitigate some of the impacts of universal credit in the city.

Proposals include creating a new GP contract, plans to tackle isolation and invest in prevention, to more challenging proposals around reducing Mental Health provision while reducing the face-to-face social care support available to keep people connected.

Tressa Burke, GDA chief executive officer, said: “GDA and our 4500 members firmly believe that we can only get there by listening, and working together to do things differently.”

Cllr Mhairi Hunter, who is convener for Glasgow’s health and social care integration, said the council wanted to enage as many stakeholders as possible to get the best results.

She said: “We’ve been engaging in a wide range of consultation, getting feedback on our strategic priorities for the coming years. I’m sure some of what we hear today will be challenging as well as informative and that is as it should be.”