Scottish COVID-19 inquiry Impact hearing | Health and social care|17 April 2024

Highlights from today's session include some startling revelations from the director of AGE Scotland Adam Stachura.

Introduction

Adam Stachura is head of Policy and Communications with Age Scotland based at 160 Causewayside, Edinburgh EH9 1PR and held the same role and title at the start of the start of the COVID pandemic. Age Scotland is an independent Scottish charity and is registered in Scotland. They have been in operation for the last 80 years.

The charity run a free call helpline for older people, their carers and families in Scotland.

Lockdown panic/severe impacts/excess deaths

During the first lockdown Mr.Stachura comments on how the charity received ‘‘panic calls’’ from people unable to get food. Crucial social care packages were stopped overnight with ‘‘severe’’ consequences.

‘This was really quite harrowing…people were told with a day’s notice your care package will be completely stopped…they were reliant on carers for medication…for showering..for food. It would have taken months for that to return.’’

‘‘People would have gone without…the impact…even for a few days nevermind weeks will be very severe on their health and undoubtedly resulted in needing medical care as opposed to social care.’’

''I am very sure sadly this resulted in excess deaths that we experienced in that first year.’’

‘‘So very severe consequences but this was a common theme across the country care packages just turned off with very little notice.’’

‘‘I know of people who have now died of cancers (due to) being diangosed incredibly late….well before their time.’’

DNACPR orders chilling

Mr Stachura then goes on to reveal the ‘chilling’ nature of how DNACPR orders were applied during lockdown. People in their 50’s in GOOD HEALTH were contacted '‘out of the blue’' by receptionists being asked to sign DNACPRs notices. This was an unprecedented situation for the charity to deal with. The government denied this was a problem.

'‘This is one of the most chilling parts for us...the SCALE of calls'‘

'‘They felt written off..it's their words'‘

In his witness statement Mr.Stachura further explains the DNACPR orders:

Here Mr.Stachura gives examples of what he describes as the 'cavalier' nature of the lockdown DNACPR orders.

• A 50yo runner with hearing loss.

• An able bodied 101 yo war veteran from Glasgow handed DNACPR paperwork by paramedics because he also had hearing issues or ‘‘communication difficulties.’’

'‘Whole care homes, every single resident, blanket DNRs'‘

More is revealled within his statement: eg-DNACPR orders were being singed off without patients ever being informed.

NRS data

The NRS data below demonstrates when these blanket DNACPR decisions were being implemented ‘COVID’ deaths from March -May 2020 (mostly without any reliable testing in place) and excess deaths increased almost exclusively in those aged over 50.

Care home policy harms

Mr Stachura goes on to explain more severe harms from the lockdown restrictions.

'‘It was OBVIOUS the quality of life for residents had diminished to a great extent..their conditions got worse..they were’nt the same person they were just a number of weeks beforehand….

…There’s a rapid decline in their health.’’

Despite regular briefings about this, the Scottish Government took no remedial action.

'‘Alot of people have died alot sooner than they otherwise would have or became alot more ill than they would have because of isolation'‘

Lethal lockdown

Mr Strachura explains in his statment that the lockdown itself was proviong to be lethal to many already very frail members of society.

Long term imapacts

Here Mr Strachura explains the effect of closing down healthcare for the most vulnerable with truly dire long term consequences.

A clinical director in denial

At the Age national conference in 2022, despite the evidence, the national clinical director Jason Leitch denied there was a problem with DNACPR orders. Accordiong to him ‘‘This wasn’t an issue.’’ The public however strongly disagreed.

‘‘The chat function was set alight’’ (in disagreement)..this happened to me.’’

You will note the weak mainstream media reporting of this testimony misses many crucial points in particular how policy decisions led to excess deaths.

Daily Mail reader comment

‘‘The SNP are content to let the elderly die as they are more likely to vote and to vote Unionist’’

End

Links:

Full video-Youtube-Scottish COVID 19 inquiry-Impact hearing | Health and social care | 17 April 2024 (afternoon session)

Full statement Alan Stachura- https://www.covid19inquiry.scot/sites/default/files/ev-documents/sci-wt0214-000001.pdf

https://www.agescotland.org.uk/about-age-scotland

https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/files//statistics/covid19/covid-deaths-report-week-19.pdf

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13320785/Veteran-aged-101-given-Not-Resuscitate-notice-pandemic-hard-hearing.html

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/democide