Nearly half the deaths of people in Essex with learning disabilities last year were related to Covid-19, an NHS review programme has found.

According to the Learning Disability Mortality Review programme (LeDeR), an NHS initiative, 185 people with learning disabilities died across the county between 2020-2021, of which 81 were from Covid.

But the findings, included in a West Essex CCG report, also said this 44 per cent rate dropped to 33 per cent when only considering cases where Covid was the direct cause of death.

A section of the report read: “Nearly half the deaths of people with LD were related to Covid.

“Pneumonia (linked to frailty or aspiration), cancer and sepsis are also common direct causes of death.”

West Essex CCG did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.

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According to the report, 185 deaths in 2020-2021 is an increase compared with just under 100 in the last two years.

People with learning disabilities are dying around 20 years younger than other people, the report continues.

In January 2021, the rate of deaths due to Covid in people with learning disabilities peaked at 73 per cent.

63 per cent of the deaths were in hospital and 27 per cent were in their usual place of residence, according to the report.

LeDeR has set vulnerable people in the community, lack of diagnosis, improving coordination and public health issues as its areas of focus going into the new year.