We're pleased to be acting pro bono with @SteveBroach for a group of disability campaigners to challenge the failure of the SoS for Health & Social Care and/or NHS England to publish guidance on how NHS treatment for COVID-19 will be prioritised if demand outstrips supply 1/5
The campaigners are concerned that, if they contract the virus, they may be deemed less likely to benefit from life-saving treatment than non-disabled people – meaning that they may not be offered life-sustaining treatment but will instead receive palliative care 2/5
We've written to the gov't and NHS England today, arguing that their failure to produce guidance on how decisions will be made is discriminatory, amounts to a breach of our clients’ human rights and is irrational, given the proliferation of guidance from other bodies 3/5
The campaigners are concerned that there is no explanation about how patients will be prioritised and that value judgements will be made about disabled people’s quality of life which will lead them to be placed at the back of the queue for treatment 4/5
The SoS and NHS England have been asked to respond by the end of Thursday 16 April 2020 to avoid the need for an application for judicial review - we'll provide further updates here 5/5
