Nottingham City Council opens Changing Places toilet

17 July 2006

Nottingham City Council has today opened a new Changing Places toilet, right in the heart of the city centre.

Martin Jackaman, day services modernisation manager at Nottingham City Council is the driving force behind it.

“The Changing places campaign has highlighted major needs,” he says. “It’s about recognising that there are many people with profound and multiple learning disabilities – and a range of other needs – who are being denied the opportunity to play a full part in the community.”

To get the Changing Place toilet installed, Martin brought together a cross-department working group made up of neighbourhood services, who have responsibility for the city’s toilets, housing, because of their knowledge of hoists and technology, design services, architects and access manager, and physiotherapy (from Nottinghamshire Healthcare Trust). He also had key support from the councillor holding portfolio responsibility for disability.

“It’s very much about being ambitious for Nottingham,” he explains. “My day services modernisation plan is called 'Taking our place in Nottingham', so this is just a part of that, and what better way to do it than to deal with the basics that support individuals and carers. We are already getting a great deal of interest from parents and carers, as well as day centres, residential establishments and colleges.”

The city is planning further Changing Places toilets in the new Nottingham NHS Treatment Centre at the Queen's Medical Centre. The challenge now is to see Nottingham’s success reproduced across the country.