Getting Things Changed was a research project into the many barriers faced by disabled people, indicating what needs to be done to remove these. Disability Rights UK was a partner on this project.
The findings from Getting Things Changed, which were presented at a conference held in Bristol on 25 May 2018, demonstrate that many public institutions such as hospitals or universities aren’t providing 'reasonable adjustments' for disabled people as outlined in the Equality Act 2010.
Each project's policy briefings
Each project's final report and outputs
Researchers have made a series of recommendations for policy makers and practitioners. These include:
- All public institutions must have systems in place, preferably led by disabled people, to monitor and report on how they’re adhering to the Equality Act 2010.
- Disability needs to be valued as part of increasing diversity within organisations, and to be seen as a way of promoting better ways of doing things.
- Informal, more relaxed settings are often the key to better practices, for instance in personal support but also at universities, within hospital waiting rooms, or in dementia groups.
Sue Bott CBE, Deputy Chief Executive of Disability Rights UK, said:
"Disability Rights UK were pleased to be part of this project. It's one thing to talk about the rights disabled people have but quite another to find ways to put those rights into practice.
"This research provides the evidence that many public institutions could do much better to promote the rights of disabled people and support us to fulfil our potential.
"Why should we disabled people continually have to fight for our rights? It’s a wake-up call to public bodies to put in place practices and processes that will guarantee our rights."
