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WE ARE NOW ON FACEBOOK!

Disability CAN DO are now on Facebook - Why not follow us there and get all our latest news and updates, leave us a comment or even 'like' our profile.

ARRIVA TRAINS WALES

Making Rail Accessible: Helping Older and Disabled Passengers

DID YOU KNOW?

There is a guide available to assist you with your journey on Arriva Trains Wales/Trenau Arriva Cymru train services and at their stations. If you have reduced mobility or special requirement the guide will provide advice on how best to get help and assistance if you need it.

To download this booklet please click the following link and scroll down the page.

http://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/PassengerswithDisabilites/

A NEW WAY TO DONATE  

You can now send a text gift to Disability Can Do through JustTextGiving: a service provided by JustGiving and Vodafone.

Although operated by Vodafone, customers of all UK mobile networks can use the system to give by text.

Simply text the code CAND01 followed by the amount you want to donate (£1, £2, £3, £4, £5, or £10) to 70070 and we will receive your donation to our JustGiving account.

The best bit of all is that this service is completely free to both you and us -  So every penny you donate goes to support our work and will be very much appreciated.

Job Vacancy Available at Disability Can Do

Personal Assistant to the Advocacy Service

Salary £16,435 pro rata, £14,087 actual Part time 30 Hrs per week

Please apply by emailing a CV and covering letter to Helen@disabilitycando.org.uk

Closing date for application 12 noon Friday 27th January

Click here for a detailed Job Description

Welfare Bill: Changes to continue despite Lords defeats

The government says it will press ahead with changes to the welfare system, despite defeats in the Lords.

Labour and independent peers, and some Lib Dems, voted down restrictions on benefits for cancer patients and young disabled people. Employment minister Chris Grayling said the welfare state would support those in "genuine need" but "tough decisions" had to be taken to tackle the deficit.

Labour said ministers had crossed "the basic line of British decency".
The government says its controversial Welfare Reform Bill, which applies to England, Scotland and Wales, is the biggest shake-up of the welfare system in 60 years.

Among its plans are proposals to pay out "contributory" employment and support allowance (ESA) - which is currently not means-tested - for one year only, after which some claimants would be means tested. But it suffered defeats on three issues in the Lords on Wednesday night.

 
• Peers voted down plans that would have meant some cancer patients receiving contributory ESA would have been means tested for the benefit after 12 months. Instead they voted to make it two years to give them longer to recover.
• They also rejected the 12-month limit for ESA claimants who are judged capable of working at some stage in the future.
• And they rejected moves to stop disabled young people who have never worked, due to illness or disability, from receiving contributory ESA - usually paid to those who have been paying National Insurance.

Mr Grayling told the BBC the government would "look carefully" at what peers had said, but ministers would seek to reverse the amendments in the Lords when they came back into the Commons.

To Continue the story please click on the following link that will take you to the BBC News Page
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-16523649 

 HOSPITAL CLOSURES IN NOVEMBER

Your new Local General Hospital - Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr - will open in Mynach Hospital and Ty Sirhowy in Blackwood will close.
Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr will have a Local Emergency Centre which will be open November. This means that Caerphilly District Miners' Hospital, Ystrad on a 24 hour basis.

Caerphilly District Miners' Hospital

Minor injuries ('A&E') will close at 12 noon on Saturday 12th November. These services will be available in the new Local Emergency Centre at Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr from 9:00 a.m. on Monday 14th November.

Patients of Caerphilly District Miners' Hospital and Ystrad Mynach Hospital

Out Patients - Appointments will transfer to Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr by Monday 14th November. Patients will be informed by letter if their appointment has changed.
In Patients - In patients will transfer to Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr on a phased basis but all wards will have transferred by Monday 14th November. Ward staff will inform you when a patient you visit or care for will be moving to Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr, and their location in the new hospital.

Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr

Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr is located at Caerphilly Road, Ystrad Mynach. The post code is CF82 7XU. It is opposite the old Ystrad Mynach Hospital. Patient access by car is off the A469 dual carriageway. Bus stops are located on Caerphilly Road. More information about the hospital can be found here in the Patient & Visitor Information section.

If you need more information on the transfer of services please contact  Chris Hodson at Caerphilly Locality office on 01495 241244