Firms ignorant of need to comply with Disability Act

Around 75 per cent of British businesses do not know about key parts of the Disability Discrimination Act which comes into force today (October 1). New research from the Royal National Institute for the Blind found that many companies are failing to meet their requirements to blind and partially sighted people. Only one in four of high-street shops and supermarkets contacted said they would provide a member of staff to offer unconditional assistance to a blind or partially sighted customer. And, in a 'mystery shopping' exercise, RNIB researchers found that around three-quarters of businesses were unaware new regulations were about to come into force. 'Far too many businesses are out of step with public opinion and the new law,' said Steve Winyard, RNIB head of public policy. 'RNIB is saying 'get the message' and don't leave blind and partially sighted people in the dark.' Permanent changes to buildings do not have to be made until 2004 under the Act. However, as previously reported (News, September 17), some believe practitioners providing upstairs access only to eye examination facilities may not avoid falling foul of the Act's requirement to make 'reasonable adjustments' to ensure disabled people can make use of services. Other findings include: - Eight out of 10 people think failure to provide information in a format which blind and partially sighted people can read should be made illegal. - Nearly four out of 10 people find it difficult to read the small print on financial and other official documents. - More than one-and-a-half million people in the UK struggle to read even standard size print. In a separate development Sue Grindey, the manager of RNIB's eye health programme, has left the charity for a position within the NHS.