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Disabled people forgotten during Covid, BBC research reveals
Thousands of deaf and disabled people across the UK have
told the BBC of the devastating impact the pandemic has had on their lives.
Most said their disability had worsened and more than 2,400
said routine, often vital, medical appointments had been cancelled.
More than 3,300 people took part in the research carried out
by the BBC.
Disability charity Scope said the findings confirmed that
disabled people's needs "had been forgotten".
The findings paint, for the first time, a comprehensive
picture of a hidden fallout of Covid-19.
Nearly 100 more disabled people also contacted the BBC
wanting to share their stories. Many of them had experienced huge physical and
mental decline since March 2020.
Out of 3,350 people surveyed:
- 2,604 said mental health had got worse
- 2,427 said their disability had deteriorated
- 683 had seen all of their appointments cancelled/unable to
attend
- 241 had not left house at all
There were 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.
Access to healthcare was a huge issue - one woman was told
not to go to hospital if she contracted Covid as this might put her more at
risk.
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.
Nikki Fox - Disability correspondent, observed:
All the people we have spent time with over the past few
months have shared their own, heart-breaking stories. Considering everything
they have had thrown at them this past year, they have managed to get through
it the best they can, almost entirely on their own.
But what really hit me is that none of them kept a "who
had it worse during Covid" scorecard.
Yes, they all pretty much described themselves in one way or
another as "the forgotten ones", but they were all incredibly measured
and understanding of the fact that the pandemic has touched us all in very
different ways, disabled or not.
One of the biggest disability charities in the UK, Scope,
has said the BBC's findings "confirm the government's failure to provide
support for disabled people throughout the pandemic."
"Millions spent months shielding, having to battle for
basic support like healthcare, supermarket deliveries, financial support and
social care," said James Taylor, executive director at disability equality
charity Scope. "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 government "must take bold action now to put
disabled people at the heart of the recovery, and end the growing
inequality".
