ResPoNCE
ResPoNCE: Respecting People with Disabilities Needs and Rights in Crisis and Emergency
The Project Abstract
There was concern from leading disability rights, medical and legal experts that disabled people have been treated as collateral in this unfolding crisis. Disabled people are more likely to live in an institutional or congregated setting and be less able to self-isolate due to a reliance on care or support. Some states are prioritising groups, imposing blanket DNR (do not attempt resuscitation) orders, allowing the removal of long term ventilation, and operating a triage system that excludes sections of society.
This project explored the impact of strategic decision-making created by states and healthcare systems in Europe in order to establish whether the rights and needs of people with disabilities are being met. It has been established that people with disabilities are a high risk group, but there there was disagreement and uncertainty as to how their needs should be met. This project provides guidance to governments, medical councils and healthcare professionals in order to maintain states obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (CRPD).
Many systems used during the pandemic by general populations (e.g. remote working) existed because of reasonable accommodations hard fought for by disabled people. Using the CRPD framework, this project critically analysed relevant laws, policies and guidelines that emerged in response to the Covid- 19 pandemic in Ireland, Spain, UK, Italy, Sweden, France and Germany, It established whether, these states complied with their CRPD obligations during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how public health measures and human rights could worked in tandem to disseminate guidance and best practice to relevant stakeholders. It seeks to assess the impact of strategic aspects of decision-making on the lived experience of disabled people in Ireland, UK and Spain to inform and reflect a shared lived reality among disabled people.
The central project Objectives were:
- To critically analyse and provide a disability rights perspective to the normative framework put in place in several highly affected European countries during the COVID-19 pandemic
- To develop guidance on best practice for states as well as health care practitioners in times of public health crises such as a pandemic
- To explore the impact of strategic aspects of decision-making on the lived experience of disabled people during a public health crisis such as a pandemic in Ireland, the UK and Spain
The project's final report is available at this link Final Report - ResPoNCE.docx. Two toolkits were also developed by the project - one directed at states is available at this link State Toolkit - Final.docx and another focused on health and social care professionals is available at this link H&SC Toolkit - Final.docx
