Scottish COVID-19 inquiry|Impact hearing|Health and social care|23 November 2023 (afternoon session)

Harrowing testimony from Ms.Micheleine Kane speaking about the neglect of her mother who was later placed on end of life drugs.

Warning: Contains distressing details. Viewer discretion is advised.

Introduction

Ms.Kane speaks about her mother who was 73 years of age when she died after just 8 weeks in lockdown on 13th May 2020. She was a resident of Cumbrae Care Home which comes under the Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Board. The cause of death was noted as COVID-19. One of only 9 deaths ‘involving’ the disease in the care home over the first 15 months for which data is made available.

At aged 21 years old Micheleine’s mother was diagnosed with MS and eventually had a wheelchair, but she didn't need to use that much and fought the illness till she was around 60yo where the illness began to take more of a toll and care options were explored. She was always of sound mind and had full capacity up until her passing.

NB: Ms.Kane’s testimony is all the more powerful as she is the chairperson for the Scottish Kinship Care Alliance and a representative for many other Disability Groups.

Lockdown deterioration

In this clip Ms.Kane explains a strange deterioration in her mum prior to her death yet she had no typical COVID symptoms. The home had also stated no COVID and in her view this decline in health was a result of her mother being drugged.

‘‘She looked to me as if somebody has drugged her to be honest with you.’’

‘‘It all happened so quick, mum getting ill after the start of lockdown. I asked can I see my mum, can I take her out? But was told that I couldn't and nobody was allowed to leave.’’ - paragraph 46 of statement

Further lockdown deterioration

Here Ms.Kane further explains the deterioration of her mum’s health over the next few weeks. The care home was confident they had no COVID in the home. The GP then told Ms Kane to ‘‘prepare for the worst’’.

‘‘I couldn’t believe how we went from this sore neck to all of a sudden the GP says ‘‘you maybe have to prepare for the worst.’’

The GP diagnosed ‘suspected COVID’ even though the care home stated they had NO COVID. His logic was due to knowing a hospital staff member testing ‘positive’ and Ms Kane’s mum had been in hospital recently.

‘‘They told me they’ve not got COVID…what’s wrong with my mum?’’

‘‘How can you say my mum’s got COVID if there is no COVID in the home…how can she possibly have COVID?’’

The GP made it clear to Ms.Kane residents in care homes were NOT to be allowed out to be treated in hospital if they had ‘suspected COVID.’ Ms.Kane was insistent her mum goto hospital and as power of attorney this was her choice to make to which the GP seemed evasive.

‘They weren’t being allowed into hospitals.’’

Her mum continued to become unwell appearing drowsy which was noted from an ipad ‘visit’ the following days and mentioned she was scared to go into hospital.

‘‘Mum was all drowsy, just kept saying "I'm too tired, hen". What was wrong with her then? She had no strength, couldn't hold the !Pad, staff were holding it.’’

- Paragraph 58 of statement

GP terrorised mother

Here Ms.Kane states how she felt the GP’s attitude towards her mum was not helpful and exacerbated her decline.

‘‘The doctor said i won’t make it hen…they’ll leave me in the ambulance.’’

‘‘She was just so resinged.’’

‘‘He (GP) told her she would not make it to hospital.’’

‘‘See if they hadn’t said that my mum and she wouldn’t survive the ambulance my mum would have said right…send me to the hospital.’’

‘‘ I just thought you are terrorising my mum. Telling her she will not make it to hospital. Terrorising an old woman who is sick.’’ - Paragraph 73 of statement

No cigarettes, no coffee

Here Micheleine explains how her mothers life-long cigarette habit of 40/day was given up whilst in lockdown along with drinking coffee. The home would not allow her to smoke in her room.

NB: Such an abrupt cessation would not be recommended by any competent doctor. Common symptoms of nicotine withdrawal include restlessness, tiredness and difficulty sleeping or concentrating. Common symptoms of caffeine withdrawal also include low energy levels.

Could these have been mistaken as COVID symptoms?

‘‘My mum didn’t have a cough, didn’t have a temperature..who smokes 40 cigarretes a day neither of both.’’

‘‘All these symptoms that they are saying on TV why has my mum not got these then?’’

Micheleine was aware her mum had none of the main symptoms of COVID.

Care home neglect

When Ms.Kane could visit her mum it was later discovered her mother developed a sore throat not due to COVID (as many suspected) but it was due to being burnt after being fed hot soup. She was subsequently less able to talk to her family when they visited.

‘‘She (carer) said i was letting it (soup cool) we burnt her…we burnt her with soup that’s what happened to her throat.’’

‘‘I thought like everybody else it must be a COVID symptom.’’

Dehydration and starvation

Micheleine came to the conclusion neglect in the care home was responsible for the decline in her mothers health NOT covid after it was also confirmed her mum’s oxygen levels were normal. She mentioned this to the GP. Following her mothers death Ms.Kane reveals distress that followed.

‘‘My mum’s NOT dying of COVID, my mums dying of starvation and dehydration…her eyes were sunk right into the back of her head.’’

‘‘My mum was slight…she could not afford to lose weight.’’

‘‘So my mum’s NOT dying of COVID she’s not go a cough, not got a temperature, she’s dying with dehydration and starvation in here in front of you, in front of all your eyes, and we’ve seen it’.’’

‘I was five minutes away..my brother was outside they wouldn’t let him in…she died on her own..the one thing we never ever wanted for her.’’

Midazolam and social work

Upon grieving at her mothers bedside after death in the home Ms.Kane noticed an unusual needle mark on her mums hand as she was stroking it. She mentions again how weeks prior to her death her mum appeared to be drugged and was ‘‘delerious’’ unable to hold any conversations. Social work had called on a bank holiday to say there were going to place her mother on end of life drugs.

‘‘You also noticed as you observed a needle mark around her thumb…what did you think about that ?

-Stuart Gayle KC

‘‘They must have given her a jag there somewhere..by that time it hadn’t come out about Midaz..(olam)..i was always under the impression they were giving my mum morphine.’’’

‘‘I had FOUGHT with them not to give my mum stuff.’

‘‘I said (to social work) you give my mum palliative care medicines i’m getting you charged with MURDER if anything happens to my mum.’’

‘‘I said listen i’ve got power of attorneyover mum, full power of attorney and that’s her health aswell..if i tell you you are not giving my mum just in case or palliative care medicines you’re NOT giving her it.’’

‘‘They were saying my mum was only on liquid paracetamol, my mum was delierious for weeks before..i never got a coherent conversation out of her.’’

‘‘The only time i got conversation was for her to tell me she was frightened.’’

‘‘She looked as if she was drugged.’’

No human rights/funeral/’COVID’/Midazolam mark/Ring of fire

In her final remarks Micheleine explains the cruel funeral restrictions, reinforces her belief her mother did not died of COVID and the eerie coincidence surrounding Midazolam administration.

‘You could only get 10 people at a funeral…my aunties sat in a car park…we had to pick who would get in…it was the most horrible thing ever.’’

‘‘I wanted to know what had happened to her..i never ever believed for a minute it was COVID.’’

‘‘It said COVID on the death certificate.’’

‘‘They didn’t even tell me it was palliative care they said it was just in care medicine.’’

‘‘This is not a ring of protection you have put around these homes this is a burning ring of fire you’ve put around these homes.’’

No human rights

Ms.Kane finally pleads for honesty from officials and a real need for answers and accountability. She mentions a total disregard for human rights.

‘‘My mum was deprived of everything that’s natural…a cuddle…a hug.…time…she was deprived of all these things.’’

Concluding statement remarks:

‘‘I was and am convinced the home had killed her and I wanted a post-mortem…

…I spoke to the undertaker about the post-mortem saying I wanted to actually find out how my mum died, explaining the needle mark and that…

I wanted to know if my mum had been euthanised. I knew my mum was on palliative care, nobody told me about midazolam.’’

-Paragraph 127

‘‘I first found out about midazolam after my mum's death. My cancer turned aggressive, I nearly died and I was given midazolam, inprecisely the same spot as where I saw the needle mark on my mum's hand. I knew then that there was no coincidence.’’

-Paragraph 130

‘‘I just didn't think people could trample on peoples' human rights like that. Mine's and my mum's.’’

-Paragraph 136

End

Links:

Full video-Scottish COVID-19 inquiry YouTube-Impact hearing | Health and social care |23 November 2023 (afternoon session)

Full statement Michelenine Kane- https://www.covid19inquiry.scot/sites/default/files/ev-documents/sci-wt0069-000001.pdf

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/23944722.grandmother-died-long-care-home-informed-family-inquiry-told/

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/concerns-over-potential-kinship-crisis-20649988

https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/stopping-smoking/when-you-stop/cravings-when-you-stop-smoking

https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/stopping-smoking/how-to-stop/cutting-down-before-you-quit-smoking

Caffeine reduction- https://www.nhstaysidecdn.scot.nhs.uk/NHSTaysideWeb/idcplg?IdcService=GET_SECURE_FILE&dDocName=PROD_261261&Rendition=web&RevisionSelectionMethod=LatestReleased&noSaveAs=1