Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry|Health and social care|5 December 2023 (morning session)

Testimony by Sharon McBride from the Scottish COVID Bereaved.

NB: Still working my way through some missed testimonies from late 2023.

Introduction

Ms.McBride is giving evidence about her mother who sadly died (no age given) on 20 January 2021 whilst within Monklands Hospital (Airdrie). She lived alone and had numerous health problems after a stroke in 2000 including angina, osteoporosis and COPD. The death certificate stated cause of death as hospital acquired Covid-19 disease with respiratory signs and symptoms; COPD, Ischaemic Heath Disease and frailty.

Is that the whole story?

‘‘I was told she may have beaten Covid, but she got hospital acquired pneumonia. He showed me pictures of her lungs and how they had deteriorated.’’

-Paragraph 79 of statement

‘‘One of my complaints centred around the staff giving mum an antibiotic which interacted with one of her heart medications. Within a matter of hours after this was administered, she was rushed for an ECG as mum's heart levels went through the roof. This happened twice. And after the latter, on 18 January, mum never recovered.’’

‘‘We also filed a complaint about the canula being dislodged from my mum's arm on the 18th of January. I picked this up after we obtained and read mum's medical notes.’’

-Paragraphs 134-135 of statement

Testimony highlights

• No lockdown GP or dietician visits

• Isolation leading to lack of appetite

• Lockdown mental health deterioration

• COVID fear kept family apart

• Family not happy with DNACPR put in place on admission

• Sedative medication administered before death

‘‘She tested negative when she went into the hospital on the 19th of December.’’

-Paragraph 64 of statemet

I will add the entirity of paragraph 38 as it was not read out.

‘‘Lockdown definitely contributed to her mental decline. Before lockdown, physically, she was not great, but she was mentally sound. I think this was because she had nobody to talk to all day. She just sat and watched the news about Covid on television all day.’’

‘‘A DNR had been put in place they we were weren’t aware of as i thought we had’nt finished the conversation on it.’’

DNACPR continued

Despite the family informed by the hospital DNR conversations ‘would continue’ the order was signed anyway. No consent was given by the family or their mother. A very concerned looking Lord Brailsford intervenes.

‘‘They didn’t tell me they had already put it on her file.’’

Treatment escalation plans

TEPs were adapted during lockdown. In her closing remarks Ms.McBride states the following upon further investigation of her mother’s medical notes.

‘‘My mum had THREE DNRs on her records.’

There is another very interesting intervention from Lord Brailsford in relation to TEP forms issued during lockdown.

‘‘I’ve looked at an awful lot of people’s medical records over the years and i have never heard of a treatment escalation form.’’

Statement highlights

‘‘The GP stopped coming out to see her when the lockdown started, and the dietician also ended.’’

-Paragraph 34 of statement

‘‘The problem with mum being on her own was that she would not eat properly. If we were physically in her presence, as we were before the lockdown, we would encourage her to eat. But as she was on her own and not being looked after, she would not do so herself.’’

-Paragraph 36

‘‘She was taken in the ambulance by the paramedics. Nobody else was allowed with her.’’

-Paragraph 41

‘‘I can recall the ward doctor then called me soon thereafter. It was during this time that DNR was first mentioned. Even though mum was not positive for Covid.’’

-Paragraph 51

‘‘I was called on 2 January 2021 and advised mum had tested positive for Covid and that there was a ward outbreak. I just started crying.’’

-Paragraph 63

‘‘Mum was tested again on 15 January and was positive again.’’

-Paragraph 102 of statement

‘‘DNR was first mentioned when I received the call from the ward doctor on 19 December 2020. This was before she had tested positive for Covid.’’

-Paragraph 108

‘‘The doctor called and said that they wanted to put a DNR on mum due to her frailties. I asked if they could do that, as we had not given permission and did not agree with it.’’

-Paragraph 109

‘‘I believe the doctors did have a discussion with my mum about this and she accepted it. But I know from reading her medical notes they also told her she was going to die.’’

-Paragraph 113

‘‘I have seen mum's DNR notice (in her medical file) but I can't recall seeing mum's signature on it. I think she must have given verbal consent.’’

-Paragraph 114

‘‘The impact on the family of mum passing, as I said previously, is that we were surprised, due to the conflicting information we were given from the medical staff. Some would advise her blood markers were good but then we were told to prepare ourselves for the worst.’’

-Paragraph 115

‘‘The funeral directors advised, as it was a Covid funeral, it would need to be a closed coffin.’’

-Paragraph 124

‘‘I also struggle with the fact that nobody is held accountable. Although the findings may issue recommendations to health boards or the government, they are not enforceable.’’

-Paragraph 142

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