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FOREWORD
I am delighted to introduce the Scottish Ministers' reports on disability equality.
Too often disabled people face barriers and discrimination that deny them equal access to information, education, health services, work and the opportunity and choice to live independently. The Scottish Government is committed to creating a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish. This is at the heart of our Economic Strategy and underpins the national performance framework.
The public sector duty to promote disability equality helps us and the wider public sector to deliver the changes that are needed to make real improvements to disabled people's lives. The duty is an instrument to drive both institutional and cultural change. It ensures that public organisations systematically consider the impact of all their policies and services on disabled people and are active in finding ways to remove disadvantage and discrimination.
The Scottish Ministers' Duty differs from the public sector duty to promote disability equality by looking across the entire Scottish public sector rather than focussing on the work of a particular organisation. We know that achieving equality for disabled people is not an easy task and not one that will be achieved quickly. The Scottish Ministers' Duty is designed to help us make progress by taking a strategic approach across the public sector.
I'm delighted that our work to review progress which is already being made has highlighted so much positive activity in Scotland. Of course there is more that can be done, and coordination across different parts of the public sector will be key to this. Scotland should be a place where all people are treated fairly and have the opportunity to fulfil their potential in all aspects of their lives. I hope that the suite of 7 reports that we have published in response to the Scottish Ministers' Duty will help us to make a real difference and deliver better outcomes for disabled people in Scotland.
NICOLA STURGEON
DEPUTY FIRST MINISTER AND CABINET SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELLBING
DECEMBER 2008
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