Please read DRUK’s letter to the Government raising ethical, practical and legal issues with the idea of a state owned list of disabled people.
If you’ve put your name on this Register, PLEASE READ THIS!
The list of Vulnerable People is created via an NHS Number. There is no information at the point of provision of that information about what information the Government will collect and how it will use your information. But worse still, unknown sensitive and confidential information about you is now being sent to private limited companies without your approval…. on this occasion to Supermarkets.
I understand that Supermarkets need a hand in working out who their disabled customers are, in order to make long overdue reasonable adjustments for them. But this is not the solution. There are 14 Million disabled people in the UK, qualifying for reasonable adjustments of one sort or another, but this register will only assist an anticipated 10% of disabled people.
So not only is this a data breach, it doesn’t help the majority of disabled people trying to access supermarket services. It potentially allows Supermarkets to believe that it only has to help people on the register – which puts them in breach of the Equality Act 2010 obligations to make reasonable adjustments. We will provide letters to assist in challenging supermarkets later today!
Finally, is Government happy to flag you as a vulnerable person to allow people you don’t know, and who may not be DBS checked to know where you live and what your disabilities are??
Frankly, although I understand that this is well intentioned; it is terrifying and should be stopped. Please do what you can to alert your MPs. Find out how to remove yourself from the Register! Report issues with the Information Commissioner.
To the Government. Please work with Disabled Peoples’ Organisations who are very keen to be involved in decisions affecting disabled people.
Hi there, I and a full time carer for my disabled son, have a serious heart condition, born without heart valves, we need help to get food and essential basics, so I checked out the government register. I was alarmed that it seemed to give blanket permission to I’m not sure who to have access to my medical records. It also only had a list of very specific and sometimes rare conditions to qualify to go on it. I may have misunderstood but heart conditions are not included unless you are also pregnant. Found it alarming and was relieved to find I could leave site without a record of my partially filled in form. This was via Sainsbury’s who are only giving priority deliveries to those on government list. Have already informed Tesco’s of need to be priority as can’t shop on foot due to heart condition but no delivery slots available. Very anxious and running out of everything, last delivery, more than half items ordered not available from Morrisons on 23rd March 2020.