The BBC has reported on research which it says shows that thousands of deaf and disabled people across the UK experienced a devastating impact from the pandemic.
The Corporation said more than 3,300 people took part in the research. Most said their disability had worsened and more than 2,400 said routine, often vital, medical appointments had been cancelled.
Disability charity Scope said the findings confirmed that disabled people’s needs “had been forgotten”.
The BBC said many of the people who contacted them had experienced huge physical and mental decline since March 2020.
They included young people with autism who had attempted suicide because they could no longer cope with drastic changes. Others were isolated and alone, their support networks gone or hours of care cut.
The BBC said access to healthcare was a huge issue and one woman was told not to go to hospital if she contracted Covid as this might put her more at risk. The Corporation added that a family told how care had been almost stopped for their disabled daughter, while her father, who had had Covid, was offered a range of treatments.
Scope, has said the BBC’s findings “confirm the government’s failure to provide support for disabled people throughout the pandemic.”
James Taylor, the charity’s executive director, said: “Millions spent months shielding, having to battle for basic support like healthcare, supermarket deliveries, financial support and social care.
“Horrifying reports of DNRs [do-not-resuscitate orders] being placed on people without their consent left many fearing they’d not get treatment if they caught the virus.”
The Department of Health and Social Care responded that it recognised the pandemic has been “incredibly difficult” for disabled people.
A statement said: “Among other support, we have invested £2.4m to help charities offer vital projects to improve disabled people’s physical and mental wellbeing.
“The government has provided a range of help for disabled people throughout this period and through our forthcoming National Disability Strategy we are going to go even further in addressing issues that disabled people say affect them the most.”
