04 Sep 2020

VODG joins coalition of charities in collective statement about human rights and equality during COVID-19

VODG has joined more than 70 other charities and social enterprises in a joint statement about human rights and equality as the country’s health and social care sectors move through the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The statement, led by National Voices, outlines concerns that the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic could lead to an erosion of important human rights values and calls for national and local guidance and decision making to ensure there are no blanket bans on groups of people receiving treatment, particularly based on protected characteristics such as age or disability.

Dr Rhidian Hughes, chief executive of VODG, said:

“Equality and human rights must be upheld as our country responds to the COVID-19 pandemic. Blanket bans to treatment, collective do not resuscitate orders or other approaches that see groups of people being deemed less eligible for healthcare based on age, disability and other protected characteristics must always be challenged. The only criterion that should be applied to critical care decision-making is the likelihood that someone will recover and return to a good quality of life.”

You can read the statement in full here.