Disabled people unaware of services

Significant numbers of disabled people have their choices limited due to not being aware of the services available to them, delegates heard today.

Speaking at the national social services conference Peter White, the disability affairs correspondent for the BBC, said that in order for disabled people to exercise choice, as outlined in the adult social care green paper, they needed to know what their options were but often this was not the case.

White added that disabled people were given misinformation by GPs, friends and the media and that awareness of initiatives such as individuals budgets were low.

He said he welcomed the proposals contained in the green paper but dismissed the government’s claims that they are “cost neutral”.

“There is much that I can’t see to disagree with in the green paper. The question is will we get any action?” he concluded.