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Pregnancy: hopes, fears and interference
Having now become a parent for the first time, Ruth Patrick reflects on her experience of pregnancy as a user of mental health services
Legal change: where's the justice
Proposed government changes to legal aid provision could directly threaten disabled people’s access to justice, says Ruth Patrick, just when it may be needed more than ever
Answering Shakespeare's big question
In considering the Government's proposed move from DLA to PIP, Ruth Patrick finds there's more than meets the eye to a change of name
New politics, new voice
From her perspective as a contemporary campaigner, Ruth Patrick wants to challenge the views of her fellow Disability Now columnist Mike Oliver
No benefit from welfare reform
It’s time, says Ruth Patrick, for a reminder of what the Government is proposing to do to reform disability benefits and why that is both inappropriate and potentially threatening to people’s livelihoods
Going back to old school thinking
Just ahead of the start of the new school year, Ruth Patrick focuses on some worryingly old-fashioned approaches to the education of disabled children being proposed by the Government
Welfare reform: who feels the benefit
With David Cameron gung-ho for reforming benefits, Ruth Patrick is sceptical about who really reaps the rewards of the back-to-work agenda
Cameron's bonfire for equality
The Government’s Red Tape Challenge is aimed at weeding out unnecessary bureaucracy. But, says Ruth Patrick, there could also be casualties which could rob disabled people of rights
Closure opens gap for students
As the class of 2011 traipses out of the playground and slowly into adulthood Ruth Patrick laments the passing of an organisation which gave valuable help and support to disabled students
Action and academe united for change
Looking forward, Ruth Patrick trails a day of action against cuts and welfare reform coming soon to the streets of London
Spring migration brings no joy
Following on from our interview with Chris Grayling, the employment minister, Ruth Patrick takes a close and critical look at government back-to-work statistics
A hidden twist in the plot
Having discovered the hidden intent behind a recent consultation on libraries, Ruth Patrick explains why the threat to them is needling her
Let's talk about sex
Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, the day when glowing women skip through the streets, arms overflowing with bouquets, and every restaurant is crammed full of smug couples. Ruth Patrick feels that now seems as good a time as any to look at issues of sex and disability
One for the money
As his Welfare Reform Bill makes its way through Parliament, Ruth Patrick asks, is Iain Duncan Smith's Universal Credit a simple or simplistic solution
Work Choice: a drop in a leaky bucket
With the latest series of The Apprentice reaching its finale, meaning that we've discovered which "lucky" contestant walked away with first prize, a £100,000 job with Lord Sugar, Ruth Patrick says it's timely to turn our attentions from reality TV to the lived reality faced by disabled people seeking to enter paid employment
Big deal or no big deal?
With David Cameron's "big society" playing big again in his conference speech, Ruth Patrick ponders whether she's right to be suspicious
Anti social housing reform
With the Government's policy reform agenda in full swing, says Ruth Patrick, attention is turning to yet another area where the effect on disabled people will be disproportionate
Welfare reform: time for action
With the arrival of coalition governance to Britain, we have been promised "a new politics". On welfare reform and disabled people, however, Ruth Patrick warns that early signs suggest the proposals for change are almost identical to those developed in opposition by the Conservatives, and there is nothing very new about the reforms
Turning up the heat on fuel poverty
With the economic outlook as bleak as coming winter weather, Ruth Patrick says it's imperative for the coalition Government to act early for disabled people in fuel poverty
It's good to talk
Accessing psychological therapies - such as counselling, psychotherapy and the popular Cognitive Behavioural Therapy - can enable people living with a variety of mental health conditions to better manage and cope with their symptoms, says Ruth Patrick
Work assessment isn't working
Recent research by the Citizens Advice Bureau has provided evidence of what Ruth Patrick and others always feared: the new Work Capability Assessment (WCA) which determines people’s eligibility for Employment Support Allowance (ESA) is not fit for purpose
Fitness regime: a question of balance
As of April 2010, people going to their doctor to be signed off as too ill to work will no longer receive the traditional sick note. The Government has introduced changes which replace sick notes with fit notes. Under the new regime, a doctor can either determine that a patient is entirely fit to work and thus refuse to sign the fit note, or sign them off as “not fit to work”
Britain's next top model
For years, disability has been defined in medical terms. More recently, campaigners have put the emphasis on how society fails disabled people. Ruth Patrick argues that it’s now time for an entirely new way of thinking
Locked up thinking: prisoners and mental health
Following the execution last year of a British man in China, Ruth Patrick says it’s time to look closer to home at how British justice deals with people with mental health conditions
Who should feel the benefit
The current harsh economic reality looks set to continue well into 2010. While politicians talk of difficult times, and the need for tough decisions, Ruth Patrick poses some tough questions about universal benefits
High five - resolutions for the new or old
This is the season for resolutions. As Britain enters the second decade of the new millennium, and a General Election looms, Ruth Patrick says it is timely to set out five inherently achievable aspirations on disability for this or the next Government
Time to challenge work test spin
As the Government’s new Employment Support Allowance reaches its first birthday, there’s no cause for celebration says Ruth Patrick
Failed Messiah's flawed utopia
With the Conservatives possibly six months away from election victory their ex-leader, Iain Duncan Smith has just produced a blueprint for extensive welfare reform. Ruth Patrick considers this report’s overarching message as a possible model for policy
Rights control and reality
As the Government’s consultation on what they’ve called the Right to Control comes to a close, Ruth Patrick asks whose right is it to control what and what does it all mean in practice
Two cheers for the Government
While Ruth Patrick is glad the Government has finally ratified the UN Convention on Disabled People’s Rights, celebrations, she says, should be muted
Cameron's disability challenge
A dismal showing by Labour in the recent local and European elections suggests that the next British government will be Conservative. With less than a year at most before the next general election, Ruth Patrick turns her critical gaze to the right and considers what a Conservative Government might deliver for disabled people
Prescription for action
In the wake of MPs’ expenses, Ruth Patrick argues that it’s time to put prescription charges very firmly on the disability agenda
Cold blast of reality
After too many months of cold weather and dark nights, summer seems to have finally arrived. But, as Ruth Patrick points out, winter will be back all too soon and it is vital to spend some of the summer considering the on-going issue of fuel poverty and disabled people if we’re not to see again thousands struggling to afford to heat their homes
Welfare reform - threats and promises
In her new regular campaigning slot, Ruth Patrick takes a critical look at the current welfare reform bill
Putting power into pedal power
London Cycling Campaign (LCC), with support from Transport for London and the Big Lottery Fund, have just produced an All Ability Cycling Guide for Greater London, with an accompanying DVD, Go Cycling. Alan Sutherland explains why they’re somewhat off track
Hate crime: the Extra Factor
Following the concerns of Sir Ken McDonald, former head of the Crown Prosecution Service over the failure to recognise disability hate crime, Senior Policy Adviser with the CPS Nadine Tilbury says that something can be learned from Simon Cowell
Accentuate the positive
People increasingly rely on the information they get from media sources about hate and violent crime. The issue, asks Stephen Brooks, is has the media’s continual and intense sensationalising contributed to an increased fear of hate crime?
Dream on…
Alistair Darling’s Pre-Budget Report contained some good news for disabled people, but it could have been so much better, says Ruth Patrick
Two cheers for blue badge plans
Long-awaited plans to improve the blue badge parking scheme are good news. But the government could go even further, says Ian Macrae
Justice system 'failing' on hate crime
The government’s chief prosecutor has admitted that the justice system’s performance on hate crime is ‘catastrophically low’. Katharine Quarmby reports
Insulation, insulation, insulation
Disability groups are angry about government inaction on fuel poverty, says Katharine Quarmby
It's eat or heat this winter
Rising energy bills and a steep increase in the cost of living are likely to drive many disabled people into debt this winter, says Janet Slater
Protestors target dopey drug laws
Disabled people who use cannabis to ease their conditions held a protest to complain at being criminalised. Sunil Peck reports
Air laws welcome despite flaws
New air travel laws should improve access for passengers, says Sunil Peck
Out of sight, out of mind
The child abuse scandal unfolding in Jersey has concentrated minds on how so many children could be victimised with near-impunity. But are disabled children even more at risk? Katharine Quarmby investigates
Asda fines slash bay abuse
After years of campaigning by Disability Now and other members of the Baywatch campaign, one major supermarket has started to fine bay abusers – and the results are startling, reports John Pring
Fuel figures aid campaign
The government has admitted that many disabled people are in fuel poverty. Sunil Peck reports
Brent case sparks outcry
It has been a very busy month for our disability hate crime campaign. By Katharine Quarmby
Government fuels campaign fire
New figures show more than half a million disabled people are living in fuel poverty
No hiding place
Five months ago, Disability Now published an in-depth investigation into the murders of Steven Hoskin, Barrie-John Horrell and Rikki Judkins, the manslaughter of Raymond Atherton and the torture and death of Kevin Davies. In this edition, we publish a damning analysis of 50 cases nationwide – and details of our new hate crime campaign. Katharine Quarmby reports
Shock cases add to hate file
Disability Now is liaising with police and disability rights groups over our hate crime campaign as two more cases come to light, says Katharine Quarmby
Help us stamp out hate crime
Disability Now is poised to launch a major new campaign, as evidence mounts of hate crime against disabled people.
Pressure builds on Tesco to act on abuse
Asda’s decision to start fining customers who abuse accessible parking bays has cranked up pressure on the leading supermarket chain, Tesco, to follow its lead.