Challenge made to failure to collect and publish data on deaths from Covid-19

A group of disability campaigners who have come together under the banner of 'Every Death Counts' have sent a letter before action to seven different public bodies, challenging the failure to mandate the collection of data and to publish full data in relation to the deaths of people with learning disabilities and autistic people from Covid-19. These population groups already had higher early mortality rates than other groups before the pandemic, and are particularly vulnerable to the virus. However until very recently, there was little if any information in the public domain as to the deaths of these groups. Although some data has recently been published, the campaigners are clear that the full picture of the numbers of people with learning disabilities and autistic people is not yet known.

Steve Broach is instructed for the Every Death Counts campaigners by Alex Rook of Rook Irwin Sweeney LLP, leading Alice Irving of 1 Crown Office Row. Further information on the proposed claim, and the text of the letter before action, is available on the CrowdJustice website.