Scottish COVID-19 inquiry|Impact hearing |Health and social care|6 December 2023 (morning session)

Highlights from this session feature Ms Sharon Mair (a former BBC employee) from the Scottish COVID Bereaved Group who questions her mothers cause of death as COVID.

Introduction

Sharons mother was in a care home due to suffering from dementia which had been progrssive since 2014. She became a resident at Mosswood home since 2016 and sadly passed away on 26 April 2020 from ‘suspected COVID’, a mere 6 weeks into lockdown. One of 8 deaths at Mosswood ‘involving’ the disease the first 15 months of the pandemic (for which data is made available).

Lockdown

In this clip sharon explains how the care home had locked down 2 weeks before the general population. Sharon only ever had one complaint about the care home prior to lockdown and this was when she discovered her mother was being given unusual sedative medication. Bizarrely this was glossed over at the inquiry as ‘‘an abberation in her care.’’ Abberation meaning: ‘an incident that is not typical.’

‘‘In all that time we only had one complaint….

…this was when we found out they were giving her a tablet at nighttime to make her sleep. We found these accumulated in her room so began to ask questions. She never liked taking tablets and appeared to not swallow them and keep them in hankies in her handbag.’’

-Paragraph 31 of statement

‘‘The care home locked down on the 10th of March 2020, which was earlie than the first national lockdown. We were informed via email.’’ -Paragrah 37 of statement

Deterioration

During lockdown Sharon explains how her mother started to deteriorate quite rapidly whilst prior to lockdown the family noticed she has been in good health and was enjoying her birthday.

‘‘We have several photos of my mum in the early months of 2020. One on the 13th January where she looks so well. Several on the 10th February with her cousins where she looks great. A photo on the 20th March to celebrate Mother's Day…On the 11th April 2020 we also have a lovely photo taken from a Face time call where my mum looks happy and smiling.

..That was the last time I saw my mum smiling. She died 15 days later.’’

-Paragraph 40 of statement

Just five days after seeing her happy mum Sharon was contacted by the home.

‘I had no pre warning that she was unwell until i got that phone call on the 16th April.’

No GPs

There were also questions around access to care for her mother during lockdown.

‘‘ I don't know if mum was seen by a GP during the interim, from the start of lockdown until this date.’’ - Paragraph 44 of statement

Isolated

Here Sharon recalls arriving at the care home and explains the way her mother was isolated in her room with the staff appearing ‘overwhelmed.’

‘‘They put my mother in the room she was in and basically the door was closed…If i wanted to see her i’d need to be completely covered in PPE.’’

No COVID symptoms

Ms Mair explains in her statement how her mother did not have any typical COVID symptoms.

‘‘She was not wheezing or coughing.’’ -Paragraph 52 of statement

…and further elaborates

‘‘In my heart I don't ever really believe she had Covid.’’

-Paragraph 54 of statement

Her mother was never tested. Despite pleas to faciliate this process.

‘I’m personally NOT convinced my mum had COVID.’’

No food

Sharon explains the withdrawal of sustenance for her mother whilst she was unwell and in isolation.

‘‘I think the care home had stopped giving her solid foods and were only providing liquids. Everything seemed to happen so quickly. She was just in a room on her own, with the door shut.’’

-Paragraph 61 of statement

After death

After her mums death there were issues around retrieving her engagement rings. Despite never testing positive for COVID nor having typical symptoms her body was listed as ‘contaminated.’ Eventually the rings were given back to the family.

Sharon concludes her testimony stating her displeasure of Boris Johnson mentioning that whilst her family were unable to have a normal funeral, simultaneously there were parties ongoing at 10 Downing Street.

‘‘While we buried people and were left in isolation..him and his party…partied.’’

Her mothers death is under investigation by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.

End

Links:

Full video-YouTube-Impact hearing | Health and social care | 6 December 2023 (morning session)

Full statement-https://www.covid19inquiry.scot/sites/default/files/ev-documents/sci-wt0422-000001.pdf

https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/statistics/statistics-by-theme/vital-events/general-publications/deaths-involving-coronavirus-covid-19-in-scotland

https://www.scotsman.com/health/scottish-covid-inquiry-we-couldnt-even-hug-people-at-mums-funeral-on-the-day-boris-johnson-had-cheese-and-wine-party-at-downing-street-4436417