Sarah’s legal win as DHSC sees the error of its ways
WOMAN TOOK GOVERNMENT
A VISUALLY impaired woman has reached a settlement in her legal action against the government’s policy of sending letters in the post to blind people during the coronavirus pandemic.
Sarah Leadbetter, 45, was sent literature in the post while she was shielding due to the coronavirus but she was unable to read it.
She launched a legal challenge, accusing the government’s health department of breaching the Equality Act 2010, and the two sides have now agreed a settlement.
Her lawyers said she had received “promises of changes to government pandemic communications to people with communication needs”.
Solicitor Kate Egerton, who represents Ms Leadbetter and is based at law firm Leigh Day, said she was pleased that the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) had now agreed to reconsider how it provided information to disabled people who were shielding.
She said: “Sarah’s case raised important issues about the Accessible Information Standard, which requires health bodies to identify, record and then act on communication needs, and there is no greater time to ensure this is implemented than in a global pandemic.”
Sarah, of Narborough, said she was very happy that the DHSC had “agreed to change its practices”.
“It has been a long battle for me to get important information about my health in accordance with my communication needs,” she said.
“I hope these changes will mean that I, and other disabled people, will now start getting information in an accessible format.”
A DHSC spokesman said: “We are doing everything we can to protect the most vulnerable in our society.
“The government has supported disabled people throughout this pandemic and we continue to assess what further support can be offered.
“This includes options for providing accessible shielding information to patients directly.
“It is vital that people have access to the right materials, and we’ve made a range of public health information, including guidance for the clinically extremely vulnerable, available in a variety of formats, including easy read, British sign language, audio and Braille.
“Letters summarising shielding advice for the clinically extremely vulnerable are also available in a number of formats and languages, and are also sent electronically by email where an individual has registered an email address with their GP practice.”
TO COURT TO HIGHLIGHT ITS FAILINGS OVER COVID MAIL