Scottish COVID-19 inquiry|Impact hearing |Health and social care|14 November 2023 (morning session)

Shona Wallace and Margaret Kilpatrick from Care Home Relatives Scotland Group.

NB: Neither of their loves ones died due to COVID.

Introduction

Ms Wallace (a care inspectorate employee) spoke about her 32 yo daughter Clare who has been a resident of Arran house since 2014 when she was 23. Arran house is a privately run 11 bed unit for adults with learning disabilities.

1.Shona Wallace statement

In her statement she recalls that during lockdown only being able to ‘see’ her daughter during socially distanced 2M CLOSED window visits.

Ms.Duncan later explains during summer 2020 garden visits were permitted but the conditions were the equivalent to that of a prison. Staff were also very much ‘hands on’ to make sure her daughter did not make contact with her mum.

She further explains that around late 2020 how the prolonged isolation was starting to negatively effect the well-being of her daughter Clare.

It was over 2 years since the first lockdown that things in her view returned to normal.

Throughout her statement clear evidence of lockdown harms was noted, far outweighing any impacts from the virus.

Ms Wallace resorted to writing an anonymised letter to Clare in August 2020 after the ‘‘horrendous’’ garden visits, it was published in the Fife Free Press.

Here she recites some of that letter, recalling the harrowing nature of the rules and harms of being seperated for so long and how the ‘carers’ very much had a ‘hands on’ approach with her daughter.

‘‘Today i could only blow you a kiss whilst wearing a face covering. Kisses are magic…It felt wrong on so many levels’’

In her concluding remarks Ms Wallace (as a care inspectorate employee herself) mentions how no one was measuring the negative impact of the restrictions on residents and families. Her own health suffered as a result and she feels the inquiry will ultimately prove to be a waste of time.

‘‘Nobody was measuring the impact this was having on the mental well-being of the residents and families.’’

2.Margaret Kilpatrick

Introduction

The second wintess for this session is Margaret Kilpatrick. Her mother sadly passed away 22 October 2023 aged 92. In her statement Margaret recalls that impact the restrictions and in particular the isolation was having on her mum.

Lockdown harm ‘worse than a world war’

As astute point made my Margaret was alongside the virus narrative there was also a separate ‘‘pandemic of terror.’’ Her mother referred to the restrictions as being worse than her experiences during a world war.

Hospital admission

In this segment, Margaret recalls a disturbing chains of events during her mothers admission to hospital for surgery. She found out her mother was placed on a ‘red pathway’ COVID ward despite not having tested positive for COVID not having ANY symptoms.

Closing remarks

In her closing remarks Margaret mentions her frustration at the methods used to effectively terrorise people and how human rights were non existent. She explains how the reality for families and residents ran counter to what what the government was promoting. She talks about feeling completely powerless to advocate for her mother.

‘‘They used words like shielding and protection…the harsh reality was people were just shutt off and isolated.’’

‘I had power of attorney for mum..i just felt i had no rights..i was powerless to see my mum.’’

MSM reports

There was one online article i could find of this testimony, excluding many of the details noted here.

End

Links:

Shona Wallace statement-https://www.covid19inquiry.scot/sites/default/files/ev-documents/sci-wt0362-000001.pdf

Margaret Kilpatrick statement- https://www.covid19inquiry.scot/sites/default/files/ev-documents/sci-wt0287-000001.pdf

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/elderly-woman-moved-red-ward-143122952.html

Full session-Youtube-Scottish COVID-19 inquiry-Impact hearing | Health and social care | 14 November 2023 (morning session)