The Joint Committee on Human Rights is investigating human rights concerns of patients, older people and others living with long-term disabilities, including learning disabilities and autism and whether they are currently undermined or at risk.
The inquiry will cover people living in a range of care settings from residential care homes, hospitals and supported housing, as well as those receiving social care services in their own homes.
During the pandemic, the Joint Committee reported on the detention of young people with disabilities or autism and called on the lifting of blanket bans on visiting people in care homes. But as the Committee explain, human rights concerns extend beyond those which came to the fore during the pandemic, with ongoing concerns with Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation notices, poor use of treatment escalation plans, over-medication and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.
The Joint Committee will look at four key areas:
- What human rights issues need to be addressed in care settings, beyond the immediate concerns arising from the Covid-19 pandemic?
- How effective are providers at respecting the human rights of people under their care?
- How effective are regulators in protecting residents from human rights breaches and in supporting patients and residents who make complaints about their care provider?
- What lessons need to be learned from the pandemic to prevent breaches of human rights legislation in the future?
Have your say – by Tuesday 2 November 2021
The Committee are keen to hear views from anyone with answers to the questions outlined in the call for evidence and the Committee has also set up an online web survey to hear a wider range of views.
Our content explained
Every piece of content we create is correct on the date it’s published but please don’t rely on it as legal advice. If you’d like to speak to us about your own legal requirements, please contact one of our expert lawyers.