COVID-19 having unequal impact on people with disabilities

Sixty per cent of the deaths resulting from COVID-19 have been people with disabilities. Research found that the death rate from COVID-19 was three times higher in people with severe disability and six times higher in those with learning disability.

The London Assembly has today agreed to call on the Mayor to raise the unequal impact of the pandemic on Londoners with disabilities with health partners at the London Health Board and with Sir David Sloman, NHS London region chief.

Dr Onkar Sahota AM, who proposed the motion said:

“Tragically, the pandemic has highlighted that people with physical and learning disabilities are more likely to die from COVID-19.

“Only recently, we learned of the scandal that some hospital patients with learning disabilities during the second wave had do not resuscitate orders imposed upon them.

“This is deeply worrying, and the Care Quality Commission has found that these orders could have led to potentially avoidable deaths. It is a stark failure of our society if people with disabilities are not adequately protected during this national crisis.

“This is why the London Assembly is urging the Mayor to step in and raise these issues with London’s health chiefs and the Health Secretary, and to lobby the Government to include the voices of people with a range of disabilities in its national recovery plans.”

The full text of the motion is:

“This Assembly recognises that 60 per cent of the deaths resulting from COVID-19 have been people with disabilities. Research found that the death rate from COVID-19 was three times higher in people with severe disability and six times higher in those with learning disability. The death rate is thirty times greater with a learning disability in the age group 18-34 years.

People with disabilities, including those with learning disability, continue to experience hardships across all areas of life: increasing mental distress, social isolation, food poverty, financial difficulties, health inequalities, difficulties in accessing healthcare including the COVID-19 vaccine.

This Assembly notes with concern the reports that people with learning disabilities have been given ‘do not resuscitate’ (DNR) orders during the second wave of the pandemic and also notes the CQC’s findings that inappropriate DNR orders have caused potentially avoidable deaths during the pandemic.

This Assembly believes that despite messages about protecting and supporting those in greatest need, the government’s approach has been to introduce legislation, guidance and policies which have actively undermined the ability of people with disabilities to protect themselves and their rights to critical support.

This Assembly urges the government to address the unequal impact of the pandemic on people with disabilities and calls on the government for a commitment to fully include people with disabilities in the ‘‘building back better’’ agenda.

This Assembly also urges the Mayor to address the unequal impact of the pandemic on people with learning disabilities and calls on the Mayor for a commitment to fully include people with disabilities in London’s recovery plans.

This Assembly calls on the Mayor to raise the unequal impact of the pandemic on Londoners with disabilities with health partners at the London Health Board and with Sir David Sloman, NHS London region chief.

This Assembly also calls on the Mayor to raise the issue of inappropriate DNR practices with Sir David Sloman and with the Health Secretary, Matt Hancock.”