More people have diabetes in Britain than cancer and dementia combined. Treatment sucks up some 10% of the NHS budget. This is a really serious problem, but it is still widely misunderstood.

This week, Diabetes UK is making a concerted effort to bust some of the myths around the condition: Type 2 diabetes is mild? Diabetes leads to blindness? You have to eat diabetic foods? You can't eat sugar, play sport or drive a car with diabetes? All these are false, incidentally.

Our own nutrition guru, Mary Farmer, has written a fascinating article on the subject - Honey-Tasting Urine? - including some history and an explanation of just why it is so important to keep this dangerous condition in check.

 

The government has made provision for an extra £700 million to be paid in the Better Care Fund – but not until the year 2017/18.

Now, the British Red Cross is joining those who have challenged them to provide the money now, when it is very much needed to support people who are stuck in hospital for want of care support to get them home.

The charity operates over 100 Support at Home services across the UK, and last year they helped more than 80,000 people. Some of the services are actually based in A&E departments to ensure people get home from hospital quickly and safely.

You can read more here

 

Doug Paulley is an indefatigable campaigner for accessibility, who you may recall sued First Bus Group in 2013 following an incident when he was unable to travel because the wheelchair space on the bus was occupied by a baby's buggy. The parent refused to move the buggy; the driver refused to ask them to move; the court decided that he should have done so. But this decision was overturned by the Appeal Court in November 2014.

Today sees the case arrive in the Supreme Court, where it is hoped that the original judgement will be upheld. The case has wide implications for disabled travellers. If Doug Paulley is successful, it underlines the legal right for a wheelchair or scooter user to have priority access to the wheelchair space on buses, and bus companies will have to enforce the law.

I will update you on the results, of course, as soon as I can. Meanwhile, here is an article about Doug Paulley's toolkit for challenging discrimination

 

The tidal River Dee in North Wales has become accessible for the first time in many years with the launch of two wheelchair accessible Wheelyboats. 

The Wheelyboats were bought with Big Lottery funding by the Quay Watermen's Association as part of their plans to revitalise an area which was once a prosperous port and boatbuilding hub.

The "Kathleen" and "May" join a fleet of 173 Wheelyboats around the UK, making river access safe and easy for everyone.

You can see more details here

 

I have taken the plunge and joined the Independent Living Facebook Group, which Frances set up about a month ago. Facebook is not my natural environment (yet!) so I spend more time lurking than posting.

I was disappointed to read about some very negative experiences that group members have had with mobility retailers: being mis-sold equipment; let down with after-sales support; and frankly being bullied.

I know that there are some great retailers, who really care about their customers and know their products inside out – so if you have had a good experience buying any sort of mobility or daily living aid, please let us know!

  

It is easy to become rather cynical about the honours system – gongs handed out to political cronies, party donors and timeserving bureaucrats. As an antidote, it's good to celebrate some worthy recipients, such as Tony Clough, who has been recognised with a well-deserved MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours for his campaigning work for Changing Places fully accessible toilets. He got the first Changing Places into an airport (East Midlands), the NEC Birmingham and Chessington World of Adventure, amongst many others.

The MASIS website (Mobility and Support Information Service) has had a makeover. The charity provides information on topics including motoring, travel, education, health and finances – you can check it out here.

If you provide high quality products and services, and you would like to reach our site visitors and newsletter readers, please email derek@independentliving.co.uk

As always, there are various ways you can get in touch with Independent Living: email me; visit our Facebook page and leave a message there; or if it's short and sweet, Tweet!

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Until next time, all good wishes,

Frances