"Disabled forced to lie on toilet floors" (From The Bolton News)

"Disabled forced to lie on toilet floors"

2:20pm Monday 29th June 2009

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DISABLED people in Bolton have to lie on dirty public toilet floors to get ch-anged because of a lack of facilities, campaigners claim.

Supporters of Mencap’s Changing Places campaign are lobbying Bolton Council to improve the town’s public toilets by installing hoists and changing benches.

No public toilets in Bolton currently have the required facilities, and campaigners say they are “dangerous, unhygienic and undignified”.

Stephanie Mitchell, of Kensington Drive, Horwich, is a member of the public who is backing the campaign by encouraging people to sign a petition aimed at persuading councils to install better equipped public toilets.

She said: “I think it is a disgrace that Bolton Council does not provide public toilets that meet the needs of local people with severe disabilities and their carers.

“People with profound and multiple learning disabilities need toilets with a hoist, changing bench and plenty of space.

“Without them, carers are often forced to change their disabled loved-ones on dirty toilet floors.

“People with profound and multiple learning disabilities should have the same opportunities as everyone else.

“Carers have enough to contend with — let’s not make their lives harder by denying them the right to basic public facilities.”

Town hall bosses say they are reviewing Bolton’s public toilets, and are considering installing disabled changing facilities.

A council spokesman said: “These facilities are required in any newly built conveniences, something which has not been the case in the past.

“Bolton does, however, provide disabled facilities in many of its public toilets.”

Visit mencap.org. uk/changelives for campaign details.

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