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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Disabled toilet access: 'I don't want mum helping me use the loo' | Disabled toilet access: 'I don't want mum helping me use the loo' |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A 21-year-old who uses a wheelchair has spoken of his embarrassment at having to rely on his mother to use a public toilet because of a lack of facilities. | A 21-year-old who uses a wheelchair has spoken of his embarrassment at having to rely on his mother to use a public toilet because of a lack of facilities. |
| Josh Rosenthal, who has limited mobility because of cerebral palsy, said there were no fully accessible toilets in his hometown of Llanelli. | Josh Rosenthal, who has limited mobility because of cerebral palsy, said there were no fully accessible toilets in his hometown of Llanelli. |
| Campaigners said larger areas of Wales had no toilet access at all. | Campaigners said larger areas of Wales had no toilet access at all. |
| The Welsh government has given councils a year to set out how they will improve the situation. | The Welsh government has given councils a year to set out how they will improve the situation. |
| Mr Rosenthal said he found it hard to leave home because of the lack of adequate toilet facilities in his Carmarthenshire hometown. | Mr Rosenthal said he found it hard to leave home because of the lack of adequate toilet facilities in his Carmarthenshire hometown. |
| "I'm a 21-year-old man and I don't want to have my mum helping me to use the loo," he said. | "I'm a 21-year-old man and I don't want to have my mum helping me to use the loo," he said. |
| The Swansea University student said he could barely fit his wheelchair into the disabled toilet in Llanelli Market. | The Swansea University student said he could barely fit his wheelchair into the disabled toilet in Llanelli Market. |
| He said he needed facilities with specialist equipment like a hoist lift. | He said he needed facilities with specialist equipment like a hoist lift. |
| But Carmarthenshire council currently has only two fully accessible "Changing Places" public toilets- one in Carmarthen and another in Kidwelly - which have a hoist and changing bench for people with profound learning or physical disabilities. | But Carmarthenshire council currently has only two fully accessible "Changing Places" public toilets- one in Carmarthen and another in Kidwelly - which have a hoist and changing bench for people with profound learning or physical disabilities. |
| "If you have to ask people 'can I have a hand to get in the loo', how is that going to make you feel?" said Mr Rosenthal. | "If you have to ask people 'can I have a hand to get in the loo', how is that going to make you feel?" said Mr Rosenthal. |
| "It's going to make you feel like you're a burden and then eventually, if you're not careful, you lose the ability to be independent because you stop trying." | "It's going to make you feel like you're a burden and then eventually, if you're not careful, you lose the ability to be independent because you stop trying." |
| He said he understood councils were struggling financially, but added "we're talking about a basic human right and a basic human need". | He said he understood councils were struggling financially, but added "we're talking about a basic human right and a basic human need". |
| In a directive last week, the Welsh government said under the Public Health (Wales) Act, councils have one year to set out how they will improve the availability of all toilet facilities. | In a directive last week, the Welsh government said under the Public Health (Wales) Act, councils have one year to set out how they will improve the availability of all toilet facilities. |
| But the accessible toilets campaign group, Changing Places Consortium, called on ministers to announce more specific targets. | |
| Wales has only 47 fully accessible toilets to serve an estimated 12,000 people who need them. | Wales has only 47 fully accessible toilets to serve an estimated 12,000 people who need them. |
| Marion Messmer, from Changing Places Consortium, said a map of accessible toilet locations across the UK shows huge gaps in Wales, especially in rural areas, which tourists who need fully accessible toilets may be avoiding. | |
| "Wales has large areas where there's no toilet access at all," she said. | "Wales has large areas where there's no toilet access at all," she said. |
| "That's devastating for those people because it means if they need to go to the toilet they can't go which means they need to stay home." | "That's devastating for those people because it means if they need to go to the toilet they can't go which means they need to stay home." |
| Carmarthenshire council said it was undertaking a review of toilet provision in the county. | Carmarthenshire council said it was undertaking a review of toilet provision in the county. |
| Councillor Hazel Evans, who is executive board member for environment, said: "Consideration of Changing Places toilets will form part of a review, which will look at provision and access across the county, making better use of existing facilities and finding creative solutions to increase toilet provision." | Councillor Hazel Evans, who is executive board member for environment, said: "Consideration of Changing Places toilets will form part of a review, which will look at provision and access across the county, making better use of existing facilities and finding creative solutions to increase toilet provision." |