Oxfordshire woman highlights 'massive' barrier to working as a disabled person
Lucy Robinson says she is unable to take her care team on a work trip abroad
A woman from near Witney says disabled people are facing significant barriers in employment after being denied her usual care on a work trip abroad.
Lucy Robinson, who has a spinal cord injury and requires 24-hour care, is travelling to Germany today to deliver a keynote speech as part of her role as President of the European Spinal Cord Injury Federation.
Despite informing her local Integrated Care Board (ICB) months in advance, she said she was told just last week that she would not be able to take her support team overseas.
“I shouldn’t be prohibited from being able to contribute to society and improve the field in which I work simply because I require care,” she said.
Ms Robinson says the decision has left her needing family to assist.
“My mum is stepping in in order to help me go to the conference,” she said. “But really this is relying on family members that don’t have the training. Whereas in my day-to-day life, I have highly trained personal assistants.”
She stressed that cost is not the issue, as all travel and care expenses for the trip are being covered.
Ms Robinson says the situation is just one of several barriers disabled people may face at work.
“The majority of my medical appointments happen Monday to Friday, nine to five,” she said. “I have to organise my care in terms of handovers and finding cover if somebody’s sick.
"All of that time and energy has to be taken from somewhere.”
Travelling for work also requires significantly more planning.
"What happens if I can't get assistance on and off the train? Will I miss my flight?" she said.
“I have to spend extra time phoning the airline to make sure that they’re going to give me the aisle chair that I need. I have to phone the train station in Germany to make sure that they’re going to give me a ramp.”
Ms Robinson believes these cumulative challenges can discourage disabled people from entering or staying in employment.
She also pointed to the complexity of navigating multiple systems, including the NHS, social care, and government departments to try and confront issues.
“It can feel like you’re constantly hitting your head against a brick wall to get over these barriers,” she said. “It is very easy to just give up and not be part of the workforce.”
Ms Robinson suggests that health authorities take a more person-centre approach.
“Public bodies need policies but they also need to think about whether the decision-making around those policies makes sense and is ethical and moral,” she said.
Despite the difficulties, she says she remains determined to continue her work and represent disabled people internationally.
“I would like to be a productive member of society,” she added. “What I do has a meaningful place.”
We have contacted Thames Valley ICB for comment.