Petition · past parliament
Stop issuing unnecessary DNACPRs to people with Learning Disabilities
Rejected
14 signatures
What the petition asks
Stop the unnecessary deaths of COVID-19 patients who have learning difficulties.
The Do Not Resuscitate orders given to those with learning difficulties is discrimination, and causing many avoidable deaths, purely based on their disability.
Put an end to these unavoidable deaths
The Do Not Resuscitate orders given to those with learning difficulties is discrimination, and causing many avoidable deaths, purely based on their disability.
Put an end to these unavoidable deaths
These deaths are based purely upon their disabilities, not because they are frail or wouldn't benefit from CPR.
This ableism is murdering innocent people, which is treating them as less than human and deciding if someone is “good enough” to live.
This ableism is murdering innocent people, which is treating them as less than human and deciding if someone is “good enough” to live.
Why it was rejected
It was not clear what the petition asked the UK Government or Parliament to do.
There is no legislation regarding do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DNACPR) decision. These are decisions made by individuals and clinicians.
The NHS has written to all trusts and accountable officers stating that ‘do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation’ (DNACPR) orders should only ever be made on an individual basis and in consultation with the individual or their family, and that the key principle is that each person is an individual whose needs and preferences must be taken account of individually: https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/04/maintaining-standards-quality-of-care-pressurised-circumstances-7-april-2020.pdf
You can find out more about coronavirus and how you can protect yourself and others here:
www.gov.uk/coronavirus
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
The Government has also created an online service to help you find out what you can do if you’re struggling because of coronavirus: https://www.gov.uk/find-coronavirus-support
You can read NHS tips to help if you are worried about coronavirus here: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coronavirus-covid-19-anxiety-tips
You can read impartial analysis of the Government response to coronavirus and policy developments here: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/coronavirus/
The NHS has written to all trusts and accountable officers stating that ‘do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation’ (DNACPR) orders should only ever be made on an individual basis and in consultation with the individual or their family, and that the key principle is that each person is an individual whose needs and preferences must be taken account of individually: https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/04/maintaining-standards-quality-of-care-pressurised-circumstances-7-april-2020.pdf
You can find out more about coronavirus and how you can protect yourself and others here:
www.gov.uk/coronavirus
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
The Government has also created an online service to help you find out what you can do if you’re struggling because of coronavirus: https://www.gov.uk/find-coronavirus-support
You can read NHS tips to help if you are worried about coronavirus here: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coronavirus-covid-19-anxiety-tips
You can read impartial analysis of the Government response to coronavirus and policy developments here: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/coronavirus/
Timeline
| 15 Feb 2021 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 22 Feb 2021 | Rejected by the Petitions Committee |
Key facts
Signatures
14
Status
Rejected
Rejected
22 Feb 2021
Follow this petition
Sign in to get an email when the government responds, a debate is scheduled or held, or the petition closes.
Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.