UK COVID-19 inquiry|30 Jul 2025

Harrowing testimony by Catherine Griffiths. Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice Wales.

Contains distressing details. A very short 35min session.

Introduction

Testifying remotely is Catherine Griffiths (a retired A+E nurse) a member of COVID-19 Bereaved Families for Justice Cymru. Her father Harold (an RAF veteran) living with dementia sadly died on 17 November 2020 aged 86. After a fall in the care home he is said to have contracted COVID and was hospitlised. Mr Griffiths was discharged in 24 hours after making improvements to be placed on an end of life pathway as he was said to be dying.

Mr.Griffith’s care package which would have included fluids and pain relief was not put in place till 48 hours post discharge. Afterwards he died from ‘COVID.’

‘‘I was devastated and blindsided to discover that when he was most vulnerable, the care home/district nurses had failed to administer the fluids along with the rest of the care package. As a consequence of this neglect, he was dehydrated and in pain.’’

-Paragraph 12 of statement

‘‘His body was handled in an incredibly disrespectable manner. They simply zipped him up in a body bag and refused to touch him. As far as am aware, he was cremated in soiled pyjamas.’’

-Paragraph 14 of statement

‘‘My father's GP had called me early in the pandemic to request i sign a DNACPR. The GP was incredibly callous in his conduct towards me; he didn't introduce himself and his first words were that we needed to place a DNACPR on Harold Griffiths. I was overwhelmed and completely shocked that i had been asked to make this decision, as my father was fit and healthy prior to his fall. I was also completely taken aback by the manner in which the GP had asked me.’’

‘‘I believe these decisions were thrust upon myself and others when we were at our most vulnerable…

…in a way that felt deliberate.’’

-Paragraph 18 of statement

Testimony highlights

• Distressing impact of restrictions.

• Harms from mask wearing.

‘‘Dad’s birthday was in June and we still were’nt allowed to MEET OUTSIDE.’’

‘‘It was painful, he got very distressed, i left, i got in my car and i had to stop down the road because it was very very upsetting.’’

‘‘We sat outside we had to remain 2 metres apart, we couldn’t touch..it was incredibly difficult…it was hard to stop him from embracing me..from hugging me. The carers had to make sure it happened less.’’

End of life ‘visit’

• Saying goodbye outside a window at care home in winter conditions.

• Impersonal treatment after death.

‘‘He could hear our voices…he was reaching out to me, to help him…i was powerless.’’

‘‘It was the restrictions…dad didn’t receive the dignified care that a dead body should…he was wearing pyjamas that were soiled.’’

DNACPR

• Before lockdown 2020 ‘callous GP’ called family and insisted family agree to DNACPR despite father being in robust health.

GP-‘‘We NEED to place a DNACPR order on Harold Griffiths.’’

‘‘He was physically well my father’s only problem was the dementia…he had no comorbidities.’’

‘‘It felt brutal and in light of dad’s ROBUST physical health to place a DNACPR on him appeared to be simply because of his age.’’

Statement highlights

‘‘The first lockdown was intensely difficult…. The restrictions imposed were difficult to deal with. I had to wave through a window when visited Dad on his 86th birthday, which made him (and then me), distraught. Shortly after, for my 60th birthday, we were allowed to meet in the garden but could not touch. It was excruciatingly painful to stop Dad from hugging me.’’

-Paragraph 8

‘‘Dad had both tested positive for COVID-19 and had fallen, and an ambulance had been called. I insisted on speaking with him on the phone-visits were not possible during this time. Throughout the call he was sweetly hopeful, and his stoical self. He was very pragmatic, and promised he was okay. He believed in hospitals and the medical systems, never questioned it. I said goodbye. This was the last time we would ever speak before he died.’’

-Paragraph 10

‘‘I was forced to say goodbye to my father whilst standing in the icy rain, outside his window.’’

-Paragraph 13

‘‘My family and | still do not know exactly how our father acquired COVID-19.’’

-Paragraph 16

‘‘I have been on anxiety medication since this time, as a result of everything that happened to my Dad, and to me, during his time in the care home.’’

-Paragraph 19

Thanks for your attention.

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