Scottish COVID-19 inquiry|Closing Statements|Health and Social Care Impact Hearings|28 June 2024 (morning session)

Testimony from Care home Relatives Scotland Group on the denial of human rights for residents who suffered 'the most extreme punishment' due to isolation.

Introduction

Another harrowing testimony from Simon Crabb (advocate) on behalf of Care Home Relatives Scotland Group. .

MULTIPLE breaches of human rights now CONFIRMED!

Below is a 4 minute highlights video. The full video will be at the end of the article.

‘The restrictions imposed on them reduced their quality of life and their dignity of life.’

Denial of contact with loved ones….

'THE MOST EXTREME FORM OF PUNISHMENT. It had a DEVASTATING effect.'

Residents asked 'were they in PRISON?'

Donald Macaskill (CEO of Scottish Care) said :

‘Such extended periods of isolation are unacceptable, disproportionate, unnecessary and HUGELY damaging.’

Further details in the statement:

‘Both she and Margaret Kilpatrick's mother felt that their situation was worse than it had been in World War II.’

‘Alison Walker spoke of her mother being physically pulled away from her in the garden — using the analogy of her being treated like an animal in a zoo.’

‘The Inquiry is asked to acknowledge the number of residents that will have died alone, without any visits — or only receiving one at the very last stage, when they may have been unaware: around 16,000 in the first 12 months of the pandemic.’

‘The restrictions faced by care home residents, in particular the lack of meaningful contact with loved ones, caused significant mental and physical distress, and is likely to have contributed in a number of cases to cognitive and emotional decline..

…and even death.’

‘The Inquiry also heard evidence that care home residents received inadequate medical care, ranging from GP services to more serious therapies and treatments, and were even refused admission to hospital.’

‘The evidence demonstrated that the use of masks caused distress, confusion and considerable difficulties with communication.’

‘The evidence demonstrated a widespread disregard for powers of attorney (POA) or guardianship orders.’

‘Morven Palmer had guardianship for her daughter…her request that her daughter's care home didn't test her without consent was ignored.’

Anne’s Law

The astonishing conclusion of this evidence is that DESPITE all of the above harms inflicted on care home residents from the isolation, the obliteration of their human rights, masks and over the top contagion paranoia is to have a LAW in place that GUARANTEES it can all happen again. eg-(no more ‘problem guidance’ which doesn’t need to be followed or can be enforced). Prolonged lockdowns are also not an issue with the group so long as ONE family member can access a loved one for a legally enforceable PPE/test/jab visit… likely also time limited visit in any future pandemic or in fact an ‘‘outbreak’’ of ‘‘any organism’’ cited by public health.

Sadly, the relatives, as outlined by Mr.Crabb in the statement have indeed finally ‘learned to be compliant.’

‘As part of the team these unpaid carers (family members) would be subject to the same RESTRICTIONS and RULES as paid carers PARTICULARLY during periods of ‘‘specific control requirements.’’

‘There remains NO GUARANTEE that another proloned lockdown which would imprison care homes residents could not happen again.’

So to be clear, in another pandemic every single harmful policy outlined by CHRS members will now have the force of LAW. You will have to wear a mask, get tetsed, get injected with as many ‘vaccines’ as the government demands and follow ANY other health mitigation that is deemed suitable or no access to a loved one.

This is what they call lessons learned?

Full video:

End

Links:

Full statement- https://www.covid19inquiry.scot/sites/default/files/ev-documents/sci-clsstn-000011.pdf

Appendix I to the closing statement on behalf of Care Home Residents Scotland (CHRS) titled Proposals for further investigations-

https://www.covid19inquiry.scot/sites/default/files/ev-documents/sci-clsstn-000010.pdf