Two mothers whose children have a rare hip disorder have lobbied MPs at Westminster in their battle to change the rules on disabled parking badges. Helen Grindrod and Kelli-Ann Rushton's daughters both suffer from congenital hip displacia leaving them immobile and requiring regular hospital treatment. But due to the girls' age and type of disability, their mothers are not entitled to blue badges.
According to the Local Government Association, half of the blue badges in London are being abused. What needs to be done to restore the credibility of a scheme that was originally designed to make life easier for disabled people?
Six blind patients have had their sight partially restored by a "bionic eye" surgically implanted on to their retina. Although it restores only very rudimentary vision, the device has proved so successful that its developers are about to begin a study of a more sophisticated version with between 50 and 75 patients.
Britain has got better for many disabled people over the past decade and it is easy to forget that, until recently, there was no such thing as "disability rights". Yet we still need a new agenda because, in some cases, things have got worse. And without action now, the challenges of the coming years will create new patterns of inequality and disadvantage that Britain can ill afford.
'Miracle' that daughter, 4, survived horrific violence
Clare Allan complains that the "logic" of no-smoking policies in mental-health settings escapes her (The unfair smoking ban will mean fuming on the wards, February 7). We'd like to help. Second-hand smoke is dangerous.
