Richard has welcomed today’s announcement that disabled people living in residential care will continue to receive the mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and its proposed successor, the Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

The government had proposed to remove the mobility component of DLA from October 2012. Richard, who has campaigned on this issue for over a year, said he was delighted that since he first raised the issue in Parliament in November 2010, the Minister has taken the time to listen and consult to reach this decision, which allows disabled people in residential homes to maintain their independence.

As part of the listening exercise carried out by Maria Miller MP, Minister for Disabled People, Richard arranged for her to meet with a Bedford constituent, who had the chance to discuss the impact the removal of the mobility component would have on her son.  

The Government’s decision sends a signal that it will continue to protect our most vulnerable members of society, despite the difficult economic challenges we face. Richard thanked the Bedford residents that had contacted him, as well as the Minister for meeting with him on several occasions and listening to the strong arguments put forward by his constituents.

Richard with Mark Harper, Shadow Minister for Disabled People and Huggy

I was joined recently by Mark Harper, Shadow Minister for Disabled People, who was visiting the area to learn more about access and other issues for the disabled.

Mark and I toured the Elisabeth Curtis Centre, which runs Riding for the Disabled.  Based in Bromham, the Centre, which is volunteer run, serves the needs of disabled and other special needs children from many areas across our county.

It was a great visit and a chance for me to learn more about the history of the centre and hear some of the stories of success and help from the volunteers.  Mark and I also got to meet a couple of the horses – Chunky and, pictured above, Huggy.

Yesterday, David Cameron launched the Conservative Party’s draft health manifesto, which you can read here, Conservative Party Draft Health Manifesto.  

The draft manifesto has lots of sensible initiatives that will focus money on the provision of healthcare rather than management and process initiatives. 

The draft manifesto also points the way forward to give each of us more power to choose our public health providers, and it does it in a very sensible way, seeing the GP as our guide rather than relying on us as isolated – and, sometimes, ill-informed – “consumers”. 

The key points to me are:

• An independent NHS board to allocate resources and make funding of NHS fairer and less political
• Putting patients in charge of their health choices, but critically seeing the GP as their trusted guide
• Enabling new community providers of health care – broadening choice, but really the main impact will be improving convenience
• Increase single rooms in hospitals to help combat MRSA

David Cameron has signaled his strong commitment to the NHS by placing it first in his list of priorities – a policy that I strongly support.

Richard and Lucy with some of the replies to the Family Health Survey

Last year, over 1000 residents in Bedford and Kempston participated in my survey of local health services and issues – a huge response rate and one that indicates how important the NHS is to us all.

 A summary of some of the findings from the survey is available here, 2009 Health Survey Feedback.  

What was striking to me was the tremendous sense of “ownership” we have for the NHS, and in particular for Bedford Hospital.  Many people wrote about their personal experiences or about those of family or friends.  It was clear that people care very much about the standards of care and the quality of facilities that we have here in Bedford.  We have high expectations and are willing to point out shortcomings, but we are also very willing to share praise. 

I was delighted to be able to meet our hospital Chief Executive to share these findings – both criticism and praise – and also to visit the Putnoe Medical Centre earlier in the year to see the excellent services they offer.