Concern has been expressed by human rights and disability groups over how young people with disabilities will be dealt with, should intensive care unit resources have to be rationed.
In the Department of Health's guidance document, 'Ethical Framework for Decision Making in a Pandemic', healthcare professionals are advised on deciding how ICU resources should be rationed.
An accompanying document, 'Ethical Considerations Relating to Critical Care in the Context of Covid-19', has also been published.
However, there are concerns that neither document explicitly states that long-term, stable disabilities will be disregarded when deciding if a person is frail.