Protect tenants with epilepsy by mandating walk-in showers
Protect tenants with epilepsy by mandating walk-in showers
Recent signers:
Michael MEINS and 19 others have signed recently.
The Issue
My son, a vibrant 27-year-old who had his whole life ahead of him, tragically lost his life due to an oversight that should never have happened. Bernicia Housing replaced his walk-in shower with a bath without fully considering the risks associated with his epilepsy. One day, during a seizure, he fell headfirst into the bath and drowned. His death was entirely preventable, and no family should have to endure such heartbreak.
People with epilepsy face unique risks that make everyday tasks challenging and potentially life-threatening. Installing baths in homes of epilepsy patients disregards their safety needs and exposes them to unnecessary hazards. It is crucial that housing providers prioritize the well-being of their tenants, particularly those with medical conditions like epilepsy.
We need a law to ensure all housing providers conduct comprehensive risk assessments before making adaptations to properties for residents with epilepsy. These assessments should focus on maintaining and enhancing safety, including mandating the installation of wet rooms or walk-in showers, which significantly reduce the risk of accidental injury or drowning during a seizure.
According to the Epilepsy Society, epilepsy affects approximately 1 in 100 people across the UK, and drowning is a leading cause of death during seizures. Between 25,000 and 40,000 individuals with epilepsy suffer life-threatening injuries each year due to inadequate accommodations within their homes. Implementing proper safety measures can reduce these staggering statistics and protect vulnerable tenants from preventable harm.
By signing this petition, you are calling on lawmakers to take immediate action and pass a law that will protect tenants with epilepsy from similar tragedies. Ensuring that risk assessments are thorough and adaptations are made with the tenant's medical needs as a top priority is a basic right that needs enforcement. Together, we can create safer living environments for those most at risk and potentially save lives. Please sign this petition to demand change now.
People with epilepsy face unique risks that make everyday tasks challenging and potentially life-threatening. Installing baths in homes of epilepsy patients disregards their safety needs and exposes them to unnecessary hazards. It is crucial that housing providers prioritize the well-being of their tenants, particularly those with medical conditions like epilepsy.
We need a law to ensure all housing providers conduct comprehensive risk assessments before making adaptations to properties for residents with epilepsy. These assessments should focus on maintaining and enhancing safety, including mandating the installation of wet rooms or walk-in showers, which significantly reduce the risk of accidental injury or drowning during a seizure.
According to the Epilepsy Society, epilepsy affects approximately 1 in 100 people across the UK, and drowning is a leading cause of death during seizures. Between 25,000 and 40,000 individuals with epilepsy suffer life-threatening injuries each year due to inadequate accommodations within their homes. Implementing proper safety measures can reduce these staggering statistics and protect vulnerable tenants from preventable harm.
By signing this petition, you are calling on lawmakers to take immediate action and pass a law that will protect tenants with epilepsy from similar tragedies. Ensuring that risk assessments are thorough and adaptations are made with the tenant's medical needs as a top priority is a basic right that needs enforcement. Together, we can create safer living environments for those most at risk and potentially save lives. Please sign this petition to demand change now.
Sharon OversPetition Starter
244
Recent signers:
Michael MEINS and 19 others have signed recently.
The Issue
My son, a vibrant 27-year-old who had his whole life ahead of him, tragically lost his life due to an oversight that should never have happened. Bernicia Housing replaced his walk-in shower with a bath without fully considering the risks associated with his epilepsy. One day, during a seizure, he fell headfirst into the bath and drowned. His death was entirely preventable, and no family should have to endure such heartbreak.
People with epilepsy face unique risks that make everyday tasks challenging and potentially life-threatening. Installing baths in homes of epilepsy patients disregards their safety needs and exposes them to unnecessary hazards. It is crucial that housing providers prioritize the well-being of their tenants, particularly those with medical conditions like epilepsy.
We need a law to ensure all housing providers conduct comprehensive risk assessments before making adaptations to properties for residents with epilepsy. These assessments should focus on maintaining and enhancing safety, including mandating the installation of wet rooms or walk-in showers, which significantly reduce the risk of accidental injury or drowning during a seizure.
According to the Epilepsy Society, epilepsy affects approximately 1 in 100 people across the UK, and drowning is a leading cause of death during seizures. Between 25,000 and 40,000 individuals with epilepsy suffer life-threatening injuries each year due to inadequate accommodations within their homes. Implementing proper safety measures can reduce these staggering statistics and protect vulnerable tenants from preventable harm.
By signing this petition, you are calling on lawmakers to take immediate action and pass a law that will protect tenants with epilepsy from similar tragedies. Ensuring that risk assessments are thorough and adaptations are made with the tenant's medical needs as a top priority is a basic right that needs enforcement. Together, we can create safer living environments for those most at risk and potentially save lives. Please sign this petition to demand change now.
People with epilepsy face unique risks that make everyday tasks challenging and potentially life-threatening. Installing baths in homes of epilepsy patients disregards their safety needs and exposes them to unnecessary hazards. It is crucial that housing providers prioritize the well-being of their tenants, particularly those with medical conditions like epilepsy.
We need a law to ensure all housing providers conduct comprehensive risk assessments before making adaptations to properties for residents with epilepsy. These assessments should focus on maintaining and enhancing safety, including mandating the installation of wet rooms or walk-in showers, which significantly reduce the risk of accidental injury or drowning during a seizure.
According to the Epilepsy Society, epilepsy affects approximately 1 in 100 people across the UK, and drowning is a leading cause of death during seizures. Between 25,000 and 40,000 individuals with epilepsy suffer life-threatening injuries each year due to inadequate accommodations within their homes. Implementing proper safety measures can reduce these staggering statistics and protect vulnerable tenants from preventable harm.
By signing this petition, you are calling on lawmakers to take immediate action and pass a law that will protect tenants with epilepsy from similar tragedies. Ensuring that risk assessments are thorough and adaptations are made with the tenant's medical needs as a top priority is a basic right that needs enforcement. Together, we can create safer living environments for those most at risk and potentially save lives. Please sign this petition to demand change now.
Sharon OversPetition Starter
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244
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Petition created on 9 May 2026