VODG Response on Minister for Disabled People

UPDATED 

In response to the appointment of a new Minister for Disabled People, Dr Rhidian Hughes says:

'Despite the conflicting reports and confirmations of the day, we are pleased that Mims Davies MP has been appointed as Minister for Disabled People; although the delay and confusion around this appointment missed an opportunity to demonstrate that disability is a genuine priority for the current government. 

'Given the many challenges being faced by disabled people, including a cost-of-living crisis, the loss of essential services due to funding cuts and incoming changes to benefit and employment support, reappointing a Minister with a focus on disability is the right thing to do. 

'There is a great deal to do to ensure the rights and experiences of disabled people are at the heart of policy making and the ableism and intersectional challenges faced by disabled people during the pandemic is not repeated. 

‘Following the experience of disabled people throughout the pandemic, most recently voiced through the COVID-19 inquiry hearings and our Commission on COVID-19, Ableism and Racism, now should have been a time for more engagement and joint decision-making with disabled people, not less. Reducing this post and cross-government focus does little to instil confidence that the government is prioritising the needs and equal rights of disabled people across the country.

‘Six out of 10 people who died from COVID-19 were disabled. That is a shocking indictment, yet instead of acting on the lessons learned and recommendations for change, the government has again deprioritised disabled people and their families, who deserve so much better.’ 

ENDS

Notes

• For more information please contact Sarah Woodhouse, Head of Policy and Influencing, VODG by emailing [email protected]
• The Voluntary Organisations Disability Group (VODG) is the membership body representing over 145 voluntary sector organisations who support and work alongside disabled people. The combined turnover of our member organisations is £2.8 billion, employing 85,000 staff who support more than one million disabled people.
• The Health Foundation found 6 in 10 people who died of COVID-19 were disabled: https://www.health.org.uk/news-and-comment/news/6-out-of-10-people-who-have-died-from-covid-19-are-disabled
• The VODG Commission on COVID-19, Ableism and Racism report found major failings in how the government communicated with disabled people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups during the pandemic. 

The Commission, led by people with direct experience of ableism and racism found: 

• Government public health information was hard for disabled Black, Asian and minority ethnic people to understand,
• The government did not meaningfully engage with disabled people or Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities
• The government said that COVID-19 was only serious for ‘vulnerable’ people including disabled Black, Asian and minority ethnic people. However, ministers did not try to understand why that was or to address this increased risk
• Disabled Black, Asian and minority ethnic people experienced increased discrimination and disruption when accessing health and social care services.

The report says that these failures led to disabled people who are Black, Asian and from minority ethnic communities feeling:

• isolated from the wider community and their own families. They were unable to access support or have visits from family or carers terminology around COVID-19 was confusing and accessible information was scarce
• confused about whether it was safe to go out. This was because they were labelled ‘vulnerable’ and were unclear when social isolation applied and stopped

• discriminated against because of existing stigma linked to disability and race, exacerbated by being labelled as ‘vulnerable’ without the government explaining why.