Access All: Disability News and Mental Health

The latest part of the Covid inquiry, which looks at the impact of the pandemic on the NHS, has heard powerful evidence from disabled people and their relatives for the first time.

More than 350 disabled people’s organisations have formed a coalition to oppose the Assisted Dying Bill.

The bill proposes that anyone aged over 18 in England and Wales who has a terminal illness with six months or less to live should be allowed assistance to end their lives. Safeguards within the proposals include two doctors and a high court judge approving the request.

The new coalition is being led by Disability Rights UK, which despite having long held a neutral stance on the issue has now announced it opposes it.

Emma Tracey speaks to DRUK Policy and Campaigns Officer, Bethany Bale and Professor Tom Shakespeare, who was one of eight disabled academics and campaigners to sign an open letter to MPs calling on them to support the bill.

Also on the show – Strictly Come Dancing insider, Reece Finnegan-Knight, comes on to spill all about blind contestant Chris McCausland and THAT blackout performance.

Reece himself is blind and works as an assistant producer on the show. He also runs popular TikTok account, Blind and Blonde, with his wife, Sophie, and during the interview reveals the inspiration behind their viral videos like “My Blind Boyfriend - the Stereotype edition”.

Presenter: Emma Tracey

Comedy actor Paul Whitehouse and his wife, Dr Mine Conkbayir have turned their focus to ADHD.

The Budget is done and dusted and the US elections about to start. How do disabled people fit in to these big political events?

Pop Idol star Gareth Gates and former Labour politician-turned-TV star, Ed Balls drop by the Access All studio to chat to Emma Tracey about living with a stammer.

Over the past five years, Elliot Caswell has let the BBC follow him as he searched for his first job after leaving college, but so far he’s faced nothing but barriers.

That frustration has coincided with the publication of a House of Lords report into how the transition from education to work could be improved for young disabled people.

Stephen Veevers, CEO of HFT, an organisation which helps disabled people prepare for employment, gives his thoughts on the report and offers some success stories too.

Plus, when Norwegian gamer Mats Steen died aged 25 his parents feared their son had lived a lonely life as a result of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. But, when they posted a final update on his blog they were inundated with messages.

Mats, it turned out, had lived a full and vibrant life online. Emma speaks with his parents – Trude and Robert – and two of his online friends - Xenia and her autistic son Mikkel - who learned to connect with each other with Mats’s help. Now a Netflix movie is set to be released on 25 October, about Mat's extraordinary, hidden life.

Presented by Emma Tracey

Teen drama Heartstopper has gained a huge following on Netflix and the third series, which has just dropped, is no different. This time the love story between Nick and Charlie comes with the added complexity of Charlie’s eating disorder.

This week, Access All lives up to its name - we’ve been granted permission to go inside MI5 and meet an autistic senior intelligence officer.

The opening weeks of the Lampard Inquiry into 2,000 mental health patient deaths in Essex have been devoted to so-called "impact statements" made by relatives of those who've died.

Presenter Emma Tracey

New research has revealed that the quality of life for some people with learning disabilities can decline after they hit the big 4-0.

Emma Tracey asks lead researcher, Professor Sara Ryan why this is happening and what can be done to improve the situation.

Also in this episode, Labour’s Marie Tidball gives an insight into her early days in office as a high profile, newly-elected, disabled MP.

Presenter Emma Tracey