15/05/06 - Government announces appointment of new learning disabled tsar
A new 'tsar' has been appointed at the Department of
Health to help lead government policy on the lives of people with learning
disabilities
Nicola Smith, 43, from West Sussex, will work alongside the current
National Director for Learning Disabilities, Rob Greig. She takes up
her salaried post with immediate effect.
Announcing the appointment at a cross governmental Office of Disability
Issues (ODI) conference, new Minister for Care Services Ivan Lewis said:
"It is important that we listen directly to the views of people with
disabilities in making policy, commissioning services and providing
care. Nicola will bring valuable personal experience to the job and
will help lead the cross government agenda for all those with learning
disabilities. I wish her the very best of luck in her new post."
Nicola currently works as a part time 'Powerful Trainer' with an organisation
that promotes awareness of learning disabilities. She first became involved
in the self-advocacy movement ten years ago when she founded a self-advocacy
organisation in Sussex and became its first chair.
Nicola was a National Assembly Member of Mencap for two years and has
been the elected member for the south east of the National Forum of
People with learning disabilities for the last two years. She has been
the Co-Chair of her local Learning Disabilities Partnership Board for
four years and has spoken at a number of national conferences and events.
Welcoming her to her new role National Director for Learning Disabilities
Rob Greig said: "The appointment of a person with a learning disability
to such a senior, and paid role shows that the Government is serious
about the Valuing People commitment to giving people choice and control
over their own lives.
"As a learning disabled person, Nicola will be able to make a powerful
contribution to the national agenda in a way that I could not hope to
do. I hope many other organisations will follow this lead and appoint
learning disabled people to senior, paid positions."
Delegates at the Office for Disabilities conference discussed the new
Disability Equality Duty, which will require public bodies to engage
with disabled people and promote their equality.
Speaking to delegates, Minister for Disabled People, Anne McGuire, said:
"Real involvement of disabled people will enable organisations to identify
the biggest barriers service users or employees face and put plans in
place and then make those changes that will have a major positive impact
on disabled people's lives.
"If we are to deliver modern services that meet the needs of the whole
community ensuring that policies, practices and services meet the needs
of disabled people from the outset is key."
Source : BBC
