Care England, the largest representative body of independent
adult social care providers, has called for people with a
learning disability to be prioritised in the public health
response to Covid-19.
Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care
England, says:
“The Covid-19 pandemic has accentuated the need for urgent
action to address the long-standing health inequalities
experienced by individuals with a learning disability. The dark
picture painted by emerging research, namely the Public Health
England (PHE) report published on 12 November, only increases the
pertinence of placing people with a learning disability, as well
as the people who support them, at the front of queue to receive
the forthcoming Covid-19 vaccination.”
The report from PHE detailed how deaths from Covid-19 amongst
those with learning disabilities was up to six times higher than
the rate experienced by the general population in the first wave
of the pandemic.
This report underscored previous research, such as the annual
Learning Disability Mortality Review, which has consistently
reported health inequalities and discrimination that individuals
with a learning disability experience which consequently leads to
negative health outcomes and premature mortality. This message
was again highlighted at Monday’s Health and Social Care
Committee and Science and Technology Committee meeting on
Coronavirus Lessons Learnt.
Much of this picture is preventable. This is why Care England has
co-signed a letter with Learning Disability England, and other
national bodies, to the Joint Vaccination Immunisation Committee
calling for urgent addressal of these health inequalities as well
as the prioritisation of this group for the Covid-19 vaccine.
Martin Green continues:
“We must learn lessons from the first wave of the pandemic.
Prioritising these individuals for the Covid-19 vaccine and other
public health measures will help safeguard some of society’s most
vulnerable.”
