Disability Positive has signed an open letter to Justin Tomlinson, Minister for Disabled People, calling on him to delay publishing the National Strategy for Disabled People until there has been meaningful engagement with people with lived experience of disability and long term conditions.

Earlier this month, as part of the Disability Rights UK Our Voices group, we shared concerns about the way the government is consulting on the National Strategy for Disabled People, which is due to be published in March.

Disability Rights UK Our Voices is a group of disabled peoples organisations (DPOs) that have come together, since the start of the pandemic. The group aims to promote the interests of disabled people and to provide support to each other.

Disability Positive and the other organisations that are part of the Disability Rights UK Our Voices group, feel strongly that  there haven’t been enough opportunities for disabled people to have their say. The government have recently published a survey which they say will support the development of the strategy, but we think the survey is too general, and doesn’t mention the strategy.  

As members of  the North West Regional Stakeholder Network (RSN) of the government Disability Unit, we have helped to  gather views on what should be in the strategy from around the North West, and to produce a report to government on the results.

You can find out more about the government’s National Strategy for Disabled people at National Strategy for Disabled People survey – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)