Vulnerable Canberrans would be "sitting ducks" in ACT Health system if a second COVID-19 wave hit the territory, with the government yet to complete a plan to protect people with disability, advocates say.
Questions have been raised about the ACT government's steps to consult with the disability sector despite being months into the COVID-19 pandemic.
Advocacy for Inclusion chief executive Nicholas Lawler says the ACT has been too slow to create an action plan for people with a disability, still waiting to see it months into the pandemic.
"The disappointing lack of an appropriate framework for the public health response this far into the pandemic period is unacceptable and profoundly unfair to vulnerable Canberrans who are sitting ducks within the ACT Health system," he said in a submission to a parliamentary inquiry into the pandemic.
"The publication of a national plan back in April was an important milestone for the disability community, however, the lack of progress in the ACT since then is of severe unease considering the potential for a second wave to break out in the ACT as it has been experienced in Victoria and NSW."
ACT Disability, Aged and Carer Advocacy Service chief executive Michael Bleasdale said human rights for those with disabilities had not been consistently upheld during the pandemic in the ACT.
He also criticised the government's lack of planning for people with disabilities.
"There is a risk of increased health impacts for many of the people with disability, people with mental ill health and older people during the pandemic," he said.
"Despite this - at time of writing, the COVID-19 - An ACT Operational Plan for People with Disability ... is still not finalised (months into the pandemic)."
"During these COVID-19 times, it is imperative that the human rights of all of us are upheld and respected.
"We thus urge continued and additional focus on the needs of people with disability, people with mental ill health, older people and carers during these times."
Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said ACT Health was finishing the COVID-19 ACT operational plan for people with disability.
"This is expected to be finalised and publicly released in the coming weeks," she said.
"Many of the actions in this plan have already been completed or are under way in partnership with people with disability and service providers.
"The release of this operational plan will streamline this work.
It will provide a clearer framework to guide our response and ensure people with disability are kept informed and have access to appropriate care."
