Campaigner wants to “dynamite” day centres

A leading disability rights campaigner said she would like to
“dynamite” day centres for people with disabilities,
writes Janet Snell in Newcastle.

Frances Hasler, chief executive of the National Centre for
Independent Living, told a policy session in Newcastle: “I just
can’t see the point of most day centres,” adding that what
people wanted were accessible public buildings when they could meet
socially.

But several members of the audience warned that closure was just
not on the cards because of local opposition – most notably
from service users themselves.

Gerry Zarb, head of health and independent living strategy at
the Disability Rights Commission, said: “When you try to close a
day centre there is often uproar and I have every sympathy with a
local authority that finds itself in a bind and getting a lot of
grief.