Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry|Health and social care|16 November 2023 (morning session)

Harrowing account from a Scottish GP that worked within care homes.

NB: A very important testimony not previously covered.

Introduction

Sandra Ford has been a GP since 1996. She does not currently work in a GP practice, but is now a GP with a special interest GPwSI in adoption and fostering services who also works in an out of hour's service at weekends with NHS Glasgow Health Board. Ms.Ford is also a member of Care Home Relatives Scotland group.

‘‘By June 2020 i became concerned about care home residents not being admitted to hospital.’’

-Paragraph 90 of statement

Due to Ms.Ford working directly ‘on the front-line’ during lockdown her experiences are crucial to understand what was really going on during that time. She is at the inquiry to give evidence specifically in that regard as well as that of her father, a dementia sufferer, who sadly passed away on 28th December 2021 aged 83 after testing ‘positive for COVID’. He was prescribed ‘‘just in case’’ medication.

The witness statement evidence acknowledged below relating to sedation, dehydration and social care withdrawal was omitted during the oral session and also in the online mainstream media article.

‘‘I witnessed first hand with my dad that the impact of his dementia increased with the restrictions. The only option at times was to sedate patients. People were medicated more because of the isolation.’’

- Paragraph 98 of statement

‘‘I have a colleague who believes his mother died from dehydration secdondary to sedation. She had covid and was distressed so she was heavilly sedated as they did not have staff who could sit with her.’’

-Paragraph 99 of statement

‘‘It is not unusual for a person with dementia to become agitated when they are unwell and covid was no different. If a resident with covid was agitated and wanted to leave their room they would be sedated.’’

-Paragraph 100 of statement

‘‘During the pandemic especially in the first few months most of the people i visited died a few days or weeks later. I have never in my whole life experienced something like that.’’

-Paragraph 111 of statement

‘‘Social care in people’s homes was drastically reduced, people were dying from lack of care.’’

-Paragraph 112 of statement

‘‘We knew the impact on residents in April 2020 and isolation went on far too long.’’

-Paragraph 130 of statement

Testimony highlights

• Power of attorney overridden

• Wrong diagnosis by paramedics

• No consent DNACPRs

• Isolation harms

Ms.Ford, as a GP was able to advocate against a diagnosis made of stroke by paramedics. Ms.Ford was aware a hospital admission would be ‘highly distressing’ for her father due to isolation policies and was aware if he had been in hospital more than 2 hours he would then be restricted to his room for 14 days. She was able to watch what as going on in the home due to an Amazon Echo show device.

‘‘This was happening to many care homes residents during this time and i read many reports on CHRS of this. It was very distressing for people.’’

- Paragraph 51 of statement

‘‘I had power of attorney for my dad…i was inadequately able to carry out this role. Decisions were made about my dad’s care that i was not consulted about.’’

-Paragraph 19 of statement

No visits

The whole care home ‘shut down’ due to one ‘positive’ covid test. Essential visitor status for families was then revoked by the care home citing public health advice. Powers of attorney were again disregarded. Lord Brailsford interjects with concern over POA.

‘‘Care homes were blindly following public health advice.’’

Abandoned

Ms.Fords father says he felt abandoned.

‘‘You’ve just left me in here..you’ve put me to my death.’’

Before lockdown vs after lockdown

From happy, relaxed, lively family visits to the following dystopia.

‘‘When the pandemic started it was deathly silent apart from residents shouting out in distress.’’

Impacts on care homes

Ms.Ford states the neglect towards the emotional and spiritual needs of care home residents ‘‘caused an awful lot of damage.’’

‘‘The impact on care homes was terrible, the atmosphere was desolate.’’

‘‘Dementia in patients was accelerated due to the isolation. I saw this first hand with my dad and other residents who i was visiting.’’

‘‘Residents were lost and unsettled. Residents were barrier nursed in rooms with an infection control station outside.’’

‘‘Because of COVID and the neglect of family involvement very often DNACPR conversations were not taking place with family and they were shocked to find it had been put in place.’’

‘‘My colleagues and i were very upset. We felt that care home residents were an abandoned group of people.’’

-Paragraph 125 of statement

‘‘We knew the impact on residents in April 2020 and isolation went on far too long.’’

Media coverage

This testimony was featured online albeit with lots of crucial details excluded.

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End

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