Access All: Disability News and Mental Health

Being in a mental health crisis is an already distressing experience, yet for hundreds of patients the situation is made worse when sent away from home for treatment due to a lack of beds. Experts call it an "inhumane" practice which was meant to stop in 2021, so why is it still happening? American singer, Lizzo, made headlines around the world when an ableist slur featured on her latest track, Grrrls. Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey get to grips with what that really means and the impact such insults have had over the years. And actor Arthur Hughes, whose credits include Then Barbara Met Alan and The Archers, talks about becoming the first disabled actor to play the ultimate (disabled!) villain, Richard III, for the Royal Shakespeare Company. Produced by Beth Rose, Keiligh Baker and Alix Pickles Recorded and mixed by Dave O'Neill The editors were Damon Rose and Jonathan Aspinwall

As singer Kate Bush climbs the charts once again, disabled super-fan Nikki Fox reveals she believes dancing to Bush's music helped her keep walking for longer than she expected. Nikki and Emma Tracey chat about Love Island's first deaf contestant while trying not to play Top Trumps with their disabilities. And, getting serious, as the cost of living crisis begins to bite, Rob tells Access All the impact on his mental health and the strategies he uses to cope with it. Produced by Beth Rose and Keiligh Baker Recorded and mixed by Dave O'Neill The editors were Damon Rose and Jonathan Aspinwall.

Disabled people who live in high-rise flats reveal to Access All their fear of not being able to escape from a fire after the government turns down mandatory evacuation plans that were recommended by the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. Joe Kimber says "the fear of being cremated alive is horrendous" while Sarah Rennie, who runs campaign group Claddag, says "a lot of disabled people across the country are very frightened". They talk about their personal experiences and how they plan to fight the decision. Blind TikTok star Lucy Edwards joins Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey to talk about her latest fashion campaign, how her two million followers accidentally got her in the dance music chart, and her hopes for future motherhood. Produced by Beth Rose and Keiligh Baker Recorded and mixed by Dave O'Neill The editors were Damon Rose and Jonathan Aspinwall.

After the BBC's Frank Gardner was left on a plane at Heathrow Airport waiting for his wheelchair to be returned to him upon landing - we ask, why does this keep happening to wheelchair-users? Nikki and Emma explain the very complex and very Covid reasons behind it and reveal some possible solutions that might be coming your way soon. We also hear from wheelchair-users who join in with Frank's annoyance. Aidy Smith was a successful child actor until he developed Tourette's Syndrome and the industry stopped booking him for jobs. With a bit of imagination and a knowledge of drinks he developed and produced the hit TV show, The Three Drinkers. He reveals the highs, lows and horrors of schooling at a time when little was known about Tourette's, and he talks about his brand new documentary which busts myths surrounding the condition Presented by Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey. Produced by Beth Rose and Keiligh Baker With thanks to Mary Doyle and her wheelchair and airport knowledge. The editors were Damon Rose and Jonathan Aspinwall.

The number of blind and visually impaired people who say they have fallen from train station platforms onto rail tracks is shocking, and something Access All explores this week.It follows the death of Cleveland Gervais who died in 2020. He fell from a London platform into the path of a train. A recent inquest ruled his death an "accident" but found the lack of tactile paving on the platform edge contributed "more than minimally" to his death.Artur Otega reveals his own harrowing story. He and his guide dog, Mercer, fell onto the rails at a busy London station which didn't have tactile paving. "The guide dog was screaming," he says, with a train just moments away. We ask what's being done to stop these incidents happening again.It's also Mental Health Awareness Week with a focus on loneliness. Sophie Potter, who has Down's syndrome, talks candidly about her experience of loneliness following a bereavement and the closure of her day centre during the pandemic. She also gives Nikki a glimpse into the world of modelling following her recent shoot with Cosmopolitan magazine. With Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey.This week's Access All was made by Beth Rose and Keiligh Baker. The technical producer was Dave O'Neill. The editors were Damon Rose and Jonathan Aspinwall.

When he was a child, Australian singer Sheldon Riley was diagnosed with autism and says he was never expected to talk. But next week he’ll be competing in the Eurovision song contest. He tells Nikki about the challenges he faced growing up and how he deals with performing at large noisy events. Nikki also chats to life coach Mary Doyle after figures from the Office for National Statistics revealed disabled employees are paid, on average, 13.8% less than their non-disabled peers. And actor Ruth Madeley talks about her latest film project with Rebel Wilson, why every film set should have an accessibility co-ordinator and the best writing advice she got from legendary screenwriter Russell T Davies. With Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey This week's Access All was made by Beth Rose and Keiligh Baker. The technical producer was Dave O'Neill. The editors were Damon Rose and Jonathan Aspinwall.

In the very first episode of Access All, Nikki Fox meets the families with disabled children who rely on specialist medical equipment and are facing very difficult decisions as energy bills in the UK soar. Dan’s taken to lifting his 12-year-old daughter, Emily, from sofa to wheelchair rather than use her power-guzzling hoist. It might save money, but it’s damaging his back. Single-mum, Adele, wants to take her terminally ill daughter, Molly, out on day trips but with lifts and suction machines needing to be charged, it’s become impossible to pay for these outings. Nikki and Emma Tracey explore exclusive figures obtained for the podcast from the charity Contact, which surveyed 5,500 families about the impact of increasing energy costs. Almost 2,000 families said they feared their child's condition would get worse as a result of rising prices. Ever wanted to join a gym, but found the biggest barrier is walking through the door? Emma has the lowdown on how to begin your gym-journey while revealing her own blindie anxieties. And baking legend, Briony May Williams chats cake, limb difference, learning to love the ‘d’ word and why she’s so excited about her brand new comedy show. This week’s Access All was made by Beth Rose and Keiligh Baker. The cost of living producer was Alice Cuddy. The technical producer was Dave O’Neill. The editors were Damon Rose and Jonathan Aspinwall.

Wheelchair user Tanya fled Ukraine for Poland, worried she couldn't evacuate from her fourth floor flat in an emergency. And an autistic journalist left Moscow when her article denouncing the war on Ukraine went viral, afraid she'd be detained by the Russian government. The two disabled women tell their stories to Ellis Palmer and Emma Tracey. This is the last episode of Ouch. Stay tuned to this feed for news of an exciting new programme. For now, say to your smart speaker "ask the BBC for Ouch" and subscribe so you're ahead of the game for a new weekly programme to keep you on the inside track.

The Winter Paralympics are under way in Beijing, featuring a host of daredevils who ski, board and sometimes crash down mountains. A large portion of ParalympicsGB is made up of military veterans who were wounded or became ill during active service. They took up the sports as novices through the Armed Forces Para-Snowsport Team (AFPST). So why is snow so good for rehab? And what skills will they be sharing now the Olympic team has come calling, and want to work with them? Elizabeth Winfield and Simon Allanson from AFPST reveal all, along with Jonny Huntington who experienced a brain bleed in 2014 and took up skiing afterwards. He’s also hoping to become the first disabled person to travel from Antarctica to the South Pole, solo. With Beth Rose. Subscribe to Ouch on BBC Sounds and email the team on ouch@bbc.co.uk

As the Winter Paralympics begin in Beijing, join us on a whistle-stop tour of disabled life in China.Jia, a 26-year-old student who uses a wheelchair, says she sees more disabled people out and about in China than ever before, but access to education and the workplace can be challenging.China expert Stephen Hallett, who has a visual impairment, says progress accelerated when Beijing hosted the Summer Paralympics in 2008, but when President XI Jinping came to power, grassroots disability activism was squashed. Presented by Beth Rose. The editor was Damon Rose (no relation) To listen, say "Ask the BBC for Ouch" to your smart speaker, and subscribe on BBC Sounds. email ouch@bbc.co.uk