A new survey by disability charity Sense shows that over three quarters of Disabled people want next year’s Covid Inquiry to investigate their experience.
More than three quarters (77 per cent) of Disabled people say the Covid Inquiry must investigate what has happened to them, and if it doesn’t, fear the same mistakes will happen again.
With six out of ten Covid deaths those of Disabled people, three quarters say our needs have been overlooked and haven’t received enough support. Two thirds of respondents say their mental health has got worse during the pandemic, with over half citing a deterioration in physical health.
DR UK’s Head of Policy Fazilet Hadi said: “Almost 60% of all deaths during the pandemic were of Disabled people and we absolutely believe that our voices and our issues should be at the heart of the public inquiry. Decision makers did not engage with us, our needs were often overlooked and communications were largely inaccessible. Health bodies treated our lives as less valued, Disabled people receiving social care were inadequately protected, some Disabled children were denied education and support and supermarkets failed to ensure that we could access food. There is a long-standing phrase in our community: “nothing about us without us.” As such, it is imperative that Disabled people’s voices are front and central to the Inquiry.” Sense has now launched a petition calling on Disabled people to be put at the heart of the inquiry.