Families and charities say that the orders, which can deny people potentially life saving care, have been wrongly placed on elderly and disabled people over the past year.

At unprecedented rates are Social Affairs Correspondent Michael Buchanan has been hearing the experiences of one family.

She's just She was just lovely in every sense.

Sonia de Leon, sewn to her family, was defined by much more than her schizophrenia and learning disabilities.

Soldier Swan had an absolute zest for life, loved being with her family, always smiling always.

The 58 year old went to hospital last April.

Her lifelong conditions influenced her care.

Initially admitted with a fever and respiratory problems, she tested positive for Covid, and a do not resuscitate order was placed in her medical notes.

We've had no consultation at no point at no point where we told that that had taken place, we would have disputed that and we would have said we don't want that in place.

Sonya's records contained to do not resuscitate orders.

One sites are learning disabilities as a justification for it.

Breaching NHS guidelines.

The hospital said an error was made filling the form.

Absolutely, I felt like saying was totally written off.

She was dehumanized and you know her life wasn't off value.

I just thought it was just morally and ethically reprehensible.

It just shocked me to the court.

Sonia DeLeon was in and out of South End University Hospital throughout April.

She died at the end of the month from a heart attack.

The hospital said a second do not resuscitate order was appropriate and was discussed with two family members, Sally Rose and her 85 year old mother.

I can't describe the love that my mom has for so Ah, my mom has been waiting to hear your voice.

There is no way that she would agree to that being put in place absolutely no way at all.

The pandemic has exposed the vulnerability of people with learning disabilities that up to six times more likely to die from the virus, and charities have repeatedly highlighted the alleged misuse of DNA.

Our orders, we see kind of boxes ticked.

We see maybe when a conversation hasn't happened, but a box has been ticked.

We see issues like learning, disability or non verbal as a reason for Do not resuscitate order.

That's discrimination.

An external review of Sonia de Leon's hospital care found it fell short of expected good practice, a conclusion her family had long reached.

You know, everyone was like Not so yeah, yeah, I can't tell you how much we miss her.

Michael Buchanan, BBC News, Essex.