1 February 2011

IKEA opening marks milestone for Changing Places campaign

PAMIS, a University of Dundee-based charity, is today marking another step forward in its campaign for improved toilet facilities for people with profound and multiple learning difficulties.

Representatives of PAMIS travelled through to IKEA’s Edinburgh store for the unveiling of the retailer's 'Changing Places' toilet to enable anyone to use the facilities in comfort and safety, regardless of the difficulties they face. It is believed that it is the first store of its kind in the UK to install facilities that meet the standards championed by PAMIS.

Designed to be bigger and better than conventional accessible toilets, these toilets are large enough to accommodate a wheelchair and up to two carers, and feature equipment including a wetfloor shower area, a ‘Changing places’ standard fixtures of overhead hoist, peninsula toilet, basin and height adjustable changing bench.

Loretto Lambe, Director of PAMIS Co-chair of the Changing Places Consortium, said, 'We are delighted that IKEA has installed a Changing Places toilet that meets our standard in their Edinburgh store.

'This will allow families with a son or daughter with profound disabilities the opportunity to enjoy the experience, such as shopping and having lunch - retail therapy - just like the rest of the population. We hope that other retail outlets will follow IKEA’s example'.

PAMIS and MENCAP are leading the Changing Places, Changing Lives campaign, but there are almost 20 organisations which together form the Changing Places Consortium.

The Changing Places campaign is aiming to ensure that there is at least one public toilet built to the Changing Places standard in every town centre with a population greater than 15,000 and within each new public building such as shopping centres, concert halls, railway stations etc.

They have been working for several years to get these standards included in the building regulations. Without Changing Places toilets people with profound and multiple learning disabilities, as well as people with physical disabilities such as spinal injuries, multiple sclerosis and muscular dystrophy are forced to stay at home or their family carers have to resort to changing them on dirty toilet floors.

PAMIS aims to ensure that people with profound and multiple learning disabilities are valued both as individuals and in the contribution they make to the community, and that:

• they should receive all the support needed to realise their full potential;
• their right to a full life shaped by personal choice, abilities and needs underlies all provision and policy affecting their lives; and
• the knowledge and experience of family carers is recognised, and that their views are fully taken into account in service development.

For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07854 953277