Coronavirus: Care watchdog warns of risk to learning disabled people as deaths double

More than 42,000 people have now died with Covid-19, new statistics reveal

People with a learning disability are at an increased risk of respiratory illnesses (Shutterstock/Ajit Wick)

The number of people with a learning disability or autism who died in a care setting between April and May has more than doubled, the care regulator has revealed.

An analysis of deaths by the Care Quality Commission revealed there had been a 134 per cent increase in deaths. It has warned the deaths are also occurring at a younger age.

Chief inspector of social care Kate Terroni said this needed to be factored into decisions on prioritising testing at a national and local level.

Overall, 386 people described as having a learning disability or autism on their death certificate died between 10 April and 15 May this year compared to 165 people in the same period last year.

Of the 386 people who died this year, 206 were suspected of or confirmed to have Covid-19. A total of 180 were not linked to Covid-19.

The figures have been released as new data from the Office for National Statistics on Tuesday revealed a total of 42,210 people in England and Wales had died with coronavirus since the outbreak began.

Scotland has recorded 3,779 deaths and there were 705 coronavirus-related deaths in Northern Ireland in 2020 up to 22 May.

The ONS said there had been 12,142 deaths in care homes in England, and 591 in Wales.

For the latest week up to 22 May the ONS said 2,589 death certificates mentioned coronavirus, the lowest number of Covid-19 deaths in the last seven weeks and 1,221 fewer deaths than the previous week.

In total, the ONS said there had been 51,466 more deaths from all causes than would normally be expected during the outbreak.

The watchdog’s research into the deaths of learning disability patients follows mounting concern for vulnerable patients detained at length in hospitals without visitors or routine inspections by the CQC.

The CQC looked at all deaths from homes caring for people with a learning disability or autism including social care providers, independent hospitals and community providers.

Care homes are required to submit data on deaths of people in their care to the regulator.

Kate Terroni, chief inspector of social care at the CQC said: “Every death in today’s figures represents an individual tragedy for those who have lost a loved one.

“While we know this data has its limitations, what it does show is a significant increase in deaths of people with a learning disability as a result of Covid-19. We already know that people with a learning disability are at an increased risk of respiratory illnesses, meaning that access to testing could be key to reducing infection and saving lives.

“These figures also show that the impact on this group of people is being felt at a younger age range than in the wider population – something that should be considered in decisions on testing of people of working age with a learning disability.”

Dr Rhidian Hughes, chief executive of the Voluntary Organisations Disability Group (VODG), said it had taken the CQC “too long” to produce this data.

He said: “These findings are a sad and stark reminder to us all of the impact that coronavirus is having on people with a learning disability and/or autism.

“The figures are a wake-up call for government to put right its testing programme that is currently neglecting disabled people of working age who use care services.

“The current focus of the testing programme is on older people in care homes with a diagnosis of a dementia. That decision needs to be reviewed urgently so that symptomatic and asymptomatic disabled people can readily access tests.”

The CQC cautioned that it was not mandatory for providers to report whether someone has a learning disability when they die. It also revealed around 4 per cent of reports were illegible and could not be analysed. Its analysis excluded patients detained under the Mental Health Act.

There are around 30,000 care home beds for people with learning disabilities across England.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “Every death from this virus is a tragedy, and we are working hard to save lives and protect people most in need of support.

“We have significantly increased testing capacity so everyone with symptoms of coronavirus can be tested, and have already carried out more than four million tests.

“We are working to improve our understanding of how different groups may be affected by the virus, including those with learning disabilities or autism, to ensure we can provide the best support and protect those most at risk.”