1. DoLS ruling: Government guidance

Following the Supreme Court ruling on DoLS (Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards), which overturned the previous legal test used to decide whether a person was being deprived of their liberty, the government has now published interim guidance. 

This is intended to help health and social care organisations to understand how they should apply the Supreme Court ruling in practice, now that the framework provided by the 2014 Cheshire West judgement is no longer applicable.

Find out more here

2. More "Support Conversations"

Up to 40,000 disabled people and people with health conditions are set to receive personalised one-to-one support, as the Government expands its new "Support Conversations" programme across Great Britain.

The voluntary programme is aimed at people receiving health-related out-of-work benefits, including those waiting for a Work Capability Assessment and those who have already been assessed as having limited capability for work. Rather than focusing solely on employment, the conversations are designed to identify wider barriers that may be affecting someone's life and wellbeing.

Read more here

3. MyCare.scot

Having spent a fair amount of time feeling envious every time I hear about a new feature of the NHS app (which is actually an NHS England app), I'm delighted that MyCare.scot is now available for those of us who live north of the border.

Following an initial trial in Lanarkshire, it has been rolled out throughout Scotland, and once fully developed in 2030, is promised to provide the most comprehensive health and care app in the UK, integrating health and social care services into one space.

Find out more about what it does now and where it's going, here

4. Closomat: Environmental impact on falls

I think we're all acutely aware of the serious consequences that can follow a fall. Physical injuries such as broken bones and psychological impacts including a loss of confidence in one's ability to manage independently. 

Preventing falls is vitally important, so Closomat's latest free professional webinar, examining the role of the environment in the risk of falls, is not to be missed.

You need to act quickly if you would like to attend - the webinar takes place tomorrow, 9th July at 11 am.

We have more details including how to book, here

5. New MDUK grant fund

Aids to mobility and daily living equipment can be very expensive, so I was pleased to hear about a potential new source of grant funding available to people living with muscle wasting conditions.

Muscular Dystrophy UK has launched a Home Equipment Grant Fund which can cover the cost of buying equipment when statutory services are unable to help. The grants are not means-tested, and cover everything from stairlifts and Closomat toilets to pressure relief cushions and food preparation aids.

We have more details here

6. Motability changes

Last autumn, we learnt of proposed changes to the Motability Scheme, no doubt prompted at least in part by misplaced outrage whipped up by the hostile and misleading rhetoric concerning disabled people and their access to vehicles through the scheme. 

A parliamentary petition was launched to oppose the proposals, but although it was signed by many tens of thousands of people, it did not reach the 100,000 signatures required to trigger a debate.

We've now arrived at the moment where the changes have come into effect, so Independent Living has a round-up of what the new rules mean for the disabled drivers and passengers who depend on their Motability car to get around.

You can find the details here