With both main parties scrabbling for votes prior to the 2010 elections, it’s no surprise that neither wants to show their hand.  That’s a pity because for Britain’s 11 million disabled individuals the prospect of swingeing cuts in the NHS doesn’t fill any of us with confidence.  After all, it could be equipment for the disabled that suffers the chop.

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Will mobility budgets get axed?

Western democracy is a bit of a mockery because even if politicians don’t disclose to us what they intend to do prior to an election, they often renege on their promises once in power.  As Exhibit A I hold up Barack Hussein Obama who is as believable with his ‘change you can believe in’ mantra as Tiger Woods was with his marriage vows.  As Rupert Cornwall says in today’s Independent, ‘America is in a foul mood’, with Obama seen as an empty suit doing Wall Street’s bidding.  BTW, did you know that the Wall Street bailout would have paid off all US mortgages in one swoop?  No wonder the US is pissed….they could have been having one long party instead of the next great depression. 

Here in the UK, if a political manifesto was seen as a legally binding document then it would change the face of politics as we know it.  Perhaps even honesty might rear its ugly head??  Still, with my cynics hat on, Labour and the Tories would try to get round it with simplified one liners.  You know the sort of tripe…..“we’ll assist disabled people”.  Err, and what would ‘assist’ mean?  20p off a Costa Coffee when having a check-up?

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Anyway, here’s the problem….. the market for equipment for disabled people in the UK is about £1.6bn, up from about £1.4bn in 2004. The issue for whoever is next in power is that this demand for mobility equipment is increasing above the pace of inflation.

This growth is expected to continue for the next 5 years because as the number of elderly individuals increases, the overall size of the disabled population is also growing larger. I haven’t made these figures up btw.  They come from a report from the UK Office for Disability Issues, a Government department.

So how can the UK Government increase the money available for disabled equipment at a time when it wants to make big cuts in the NHS budget?  It can’t.

This problem will only get worse because mobility aids are becoming more sophisticated by the day, even basic aids like bath lifts, adjustable beds and disabled toilets. As they become more useful, patients and medical professionals are looking out for the next innovation to hit the market. 

This all costs money.

There is also a trend towards community care, and many more disabled people are living at home nowadays, both for emotional as well as financial reasons. This is increasing the need for individual equipment and specialist aids, like small hoists and stairlifts….this costs money too.

The solution?  If we don’t want to go back to the Stone Age, we’re going to have to make sure that the next Government is upfront about its intentions for equipment for the disabled. 

Let’s make a start by writing to Jonathan Shaw, Minister for Disabled People who can be reached at the Department for Work and Pensions, Caxton House, Tothill Street, London, SW1H 9DA. 

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On our own we’re powerless, but all eleven million of us?  Think what could be achieved.  All we’re asking is for honesty of intentions before the election.  Then we can cast our vote with confidence.