8 THE LOCATION OF DISABILITY ORGANISATIONS IN SCOTLAND
8.1 A key objective of this work was to identify any geographic gaps in the extent of representation available to disabled people. This has been done in two ways:
- Identifying the distribution of all local organisations across Scotland (see figures 8.1 and 8.2)
- Illustrating the distribution of impairment and activity specific local organisations across Scotland (see maps on page 30)
8.2 Figure 8.1 below shows the distribution of local organisations and groups by their main areas of Scotland. These are primarily health board areas, with the City of Glasgow shown separately. The remit of a number of local organisations crosses public body boundaries - making it difficult to provide separate counts of organisations for individual authorities. This may be because some organisations pre-date boundary changes in public bodies or because some local organisations have a region wide remit.
Figure 8.1: Local disability organisations by main geographic area
(Source: Database)
8.3 This table shows that the most densely populated city areas of Scotland have the highest numbers of local disability organisations. For example 118 were identified in Glasgow City and a further 89 in the greater Glasgow area and 156 in Edinburgh and the Lothian's. These three areas account for 31% of all local disability organisations.
8.4 However the north of Scotland - Highland and Grampian, with smaller populations has 26% of all local disability organisations. If the three island local authority areas are included - the more sparsely populated north of Scotland also accounts for 30% of all local disability organisations.
8.5 Whilst disabled people are more likely to live in urban areas than non-disabled people 3, the distribution of disability organisations in Scotland does not mirror this population pattern.
8.6 More rural areas, such as Dumfries and Galloway, Scottish Borders and Highland have over 2 organisations per 1,000. The island authorities have the most disability organisations per population (see Figure 8.2).
8.7 Yet organisations in these rural areas might be much further from where someone lives due to low numbers and spread out population.
Figure 8.2: Number of local disability organisations per 1,000 population with limiting long term illness
(Source: Database)
8.8 The maps of the distribution of local organisations illustrate a visible gap in available representation and services in the West and North West of Scotland. This is in contrast to higher levels of organisations in the rural areas of the east of Scotland - Highlands and Grampian (see also paragraph 8.4)
