The care watchdog has finally agreed to investigate how a nursing assistant accused of abusing disabled people could then work for a care agency, even though she should have been barred from all care work. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) eventually […]
Law Commission proposes stronger hate crime laws
The government’s advisers on law reform have proposed changes to legislation that could make it easier for prosecutors to bring disability hate crime charges to court. The changes to the law – proposed by the Law Commission in a consultation launched […]
Trailblazers say live music industry is out of tune with young disabled people
Young campaigners have met in parliament with representatives of the music industry to ask them to stop discriminating against disabled music fans. The Access All Areas? report by the Trailblazers campaigning network says disabled people are facing barriers in buying tickets, […]
Solar Centre scandal: CPS criticised for latest hate crime blunder
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is facing fresh criticism after it made no attempt to persuade a judge that two care workers who abused disabled people in a day centre were guilty of disability hate crimes. The successful prosecution of the […]
MP and peers bid for answers on Atos PIP contract
A disabled MP and members of the House of Lords are set to question the government this week over the award of a £184 million disability assessment contract to the controversial contractor Atos Healthcare. Disability News Service revealed last week that […]
Government announces new PIP consultation, weeks before court case
The government has backed down and agreed to carry out a consultation on controversial changes that have tightened eligibility for the new mobility benefit, just weeks before it is due to face a court hearing over the issue. The legal battle […]
Queen’s birthday honours: Heaton’s battle against arts world’s ‘silent prejudice’
A disabled artist and campaigner recognised in the Queen’s birthday honours will use his OBE to continue a 40-year battle to improve access, and to defeat the “silent prejudice and discrimination” faced by the disability arts movement. Tony Heaton, chief executive […]
Queen’s birthday honours: MBE ‘will open more doors’ in bid for music access
As a child, her parents fought successfully for her to be educated in mainstream education. Now Suzanne Bull’s own campaigning efforts for a more inclusive music industry have been recognised with an MBE. Suzanne Bull – one of several leading disabled […]
Advertising watchdog to assess Crossrail’s ‘accessible railway’ claim
Disabled campaigners have complained to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) after managers of London’s £15 billion Crossrail scheme repeatedly described their project as an “accessible railway”, even though wheelchair-users will be barred from seven of its stations. Crossrail, a subsidiary of […]
Face-down restraint ‘must end’, say campaigners
Thousands of people with mental health conditions every year are being restrained using a life-threatening technique, according to a new report. The mental health charity Mind has discovered that more than 3,400 mental health patients across 27 NHS trusts were pinned […]