What is MediPAL®?

MediPAL is a Medical Alert ID Card.

How did MediPAL® start?

It all came about after the founder of the company suffered a stroke followed by a Triple Heart Bypass. He used to carry all his medical details around on an increasingly tatty piece of paper until he had a great idea. Why not have a small, credit-card-sized medical ID card which carried the important details of his medical history as well as a list of all the medication he had to take? And that’s how MediPAL® was born.

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Clarke tips the scales of justice

New Government plans to reform legal aid may hit disabled people seeking justice, says Paul Carter

The Government has been strongly criticised over plans to make drastic reductions to eligibility for access to legal aid.
Under proposals outlined in a new green paper, the Ministry of Justice plans to remove whole areas of the law from the legal aid system, including benefit appeals, SEN, medical negligence and employment discrimination; areas where disabled people are often disproportionately affected.

Big chance or big threat

The Minister for Disabled People, Maria Miller, has said that the Government's vision for a "big society" would put disabled people's organisations (DPOs) in a stronger position to support disabled people. But Stephen Lee Hodgkins tells Sunil Peck that it's too soon to know whether that will happen or not

The director of Disability LIB, the Big Lottery funded organisation set up to encourage capacity building in DPOs has a split view on David Cameron’s big idea.

Axed fund threatens independent lives

It’s the news thousands have been anticipating with less than excitement: that within five years, the fund which has kept them out of residential care will be no more.

Sunil Peck reports

The Government has finally confirmed that it’s to scrap the Independent Living Fund (ILF). Users have described the news as a disaster and say that it has the potential to set the lives of disabled people back decades

400,000 could lose DLA, alliance claims

Nearly half a million disabled people could lose their Disability Living Allowance according to a leading disability rights charity.

Using direct analysis  of Government figures published as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR), Disability Alliance calculates that 400,000 people would be taken off the benefit by the implementation of new assessment procedures...... "Click Here" for more on this.

Fife Fire and Rescue Service

Fife Fire and Rescue Service offer a free home fire safety visit to all householders in Fife who request a visit.   These visits include valuable advice on the prevention of fire, the detection of fire should it occur and the formulation of an escape plan for all occupants of the household.  This coupled with the free supply and fitting of smoke detectors provides reassurance to all those visited that they themselves can dramatically improve safety of themselves and their family.

Free Fire Safety Visit

Fife Fire and Rescue Service offer all householders a free Fire Safety Visit.

A Community Fire Safety Officer will visit your home free of charge and offer advice on a variety of fire safety issues including: 

• Fire Safety Action Plan - advice on what to do if your smoke alarm is activated
• Night time routines 
• Smoke detection
• Kitchen Safety
• Bedroom Safety
• Electrical Safety
• Access to property
• Smoking issues

Visits are arranged at your convenience and to suit the individual.

For more information, or to arrange a visit telephone one of these numbers:

If you would like a free home safety check please call Freephone. 0808 100 3141or Text the Word FIRE to 61611

Scope launches online forum for young disabled people

The charity already hosts a number of active forums on its site primarily geared towards parents of disabled children and disabled adults. This forum will be the first aimed at young disabled people aged between 10 and 18 years.
The forum was established in response to an increase in the number of calls the charity’s free information and advice helpline, Scope Response, had been receiving about young disabled people who are feeling isolated, different and misunderstood.

SAY NO TO 0870. COM website

The site lists many well known companies, and their equivalent geographical numbers.

Alternatives listed for 0500, 0800, 0808, 0844, 0845, 0870 and 0871 numbers.

Fife Law Centre is a registered charity which aims to improve access to justice and legal advice in the local Fife community for those who either have difficulty accessing legal services or who cannot afford other forms of legal representation.

The Energy Challenge
The Energy Challenge is a partnership between Energy Action Scotland and Community Service Volunteers (CSV) in Scotland and is funded by ExxonMobil. The Challenge aims to provide information and support to householders across Scotland to help them manage their fuel bills, save energy and keep warm in their homes. Members of the CSV's Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme (RSVP) have received energy awareness training from Energy Action Scotland, making them 'Energy Champions'. This leaflet is specially designed to help the volunteers provide information and advice on energy matters to people within the community.

Fuel Poverty
We would all like to keep warm in our homes at a price we can afford. However, this is not always easy to do. Sometimes our homes are difficult to heat, are cold and draughty or damp, no matter how much we turn the heating up. Poor housing conditions can also affect our health. This problem is known as fuel poverty.

A household is said to be in fuel poverty if it needs to spend 10% or more of its income on all fuel use, which includes keeping the indoor temperature between 18°C and 24°C (64°F - 75°F) for health and comfort.

Energy-saving light bulbs blamed for migraines
By Laura Clout
Last Updated: 12:01am GMT 03/01/2008

Low-energy bulbs 'could cause skin cancer'

Last Updated: 12:01am GMT 05/01/2008

Published: Tuesday 09 Oct 2007 by Fife Council
Revised charges for some home care services have been approved by the Council's social work and health committee. The revised charges will bring them into line with most other local authorities in Scotland. This will mean the Council will recover a larger proportion of the cost of service delivery from service users and introduce charges for some services which were previously provided free. This is in line with the Council's charging policy, agreed in December 2005, which adopts a consistent approach across all council services to the management of charges.

KINROSS WHEELCHAIR CURLING CLUB

Have a go and give it a throw

Wheelchair Curling is an adaptation of curling for people with a mobility impairment, it is played with the same stones and on the same ice as regular curling. The only exception to the game is that no sweeping is allowed and cues (extender sticks) are used to assist delivery of the stones from a seated position.

Provides regular contact by telephone for people who may feel cut off from friends, family and the wider community.  North East Fife.  Only for adults over 18 in North East Fife

First disability hate crime centres open  
Four centres for people to report disability hate crimes are to open in Yorkshire, in what is believed to be the first scheme of its kind in the country.