A group representing vulnerable people have described the Government’s decision to ‘evaluate’ the state’s Covid response rather than hold a statutory inquiry as a “betrayal of the bereaved” and a “missed opportunity for answers and reform”.
Care Champions, who are an advocacy group for all people who need care support in the community, have been strongly critical of aspects of the Covid lockdown, in particular the treatment of elderly people and those with disabilities in nursing home and care homes.
A 2021 report showed that nursing and residential homes “bore the brunt” of the number of deaths associated with Covid between March 2020 to February 2021, with a 50% increase in deaths recorded. Senior coroner for the County Kildare District and UCD Professor Denis A Cusack said, as an example, that close to 170 people had died in nursing and residential homes in Kildare during this period out of 1,700 residents.
A study in the Journal of Long Term Care, showed that Ireland had one of the highest concentrations of Covid-19 deaths in Long Term Residential Care (LTRC) residents globally, with 66% of all Covid-19 deaths in the first waves of the pandemic linked to outbreaks in LTRC.
In total, there were over 8,500 confirmed Covid-19 cases among LTRC residents and over 2,100 deaths, the study found. As noted on this platform previously, at a critical juncture at the beginning of the Covid crisis, the state told nursing homes to keep their doors open, it told their staff that there was no need to wear personal protective equipment, and it told them not to send sick patients to hospitals.
A decision was thereafter made not to allow visitors into nursing or care homes, which Care Champions say denied families the chance to be with their loved ones in their final hours, and that many therefore died alone.
Spokeswoman Majella Beatty said that “we need a public inquiry into what happened. We have been calling for this for some time. Families cannot move on until there are answers – not just about the number of deaths but an inquiry into the standards of care in nursing homes.”
Last year, Prof Martin Cormican, a member of NPHET – the expert group established by the government to manage the national Covid-19 strategy – said that fear should not have been used to persuade the public to accept policies he says were ineffective, and said that the decision to deprive those who were very ill or dying from seeing their loved ones was wrong.
Yesterday, the Cabinet signed off on terms of reference for the long-awaited investigation into the handling of the Covid-19 crisis, with work expected to begin in the coming weeks, but said it would be an “evaluation” rather than an inquiry.
That means it will not have statutory powers to compel witnesses or evidence, though it will consider the health service response, including hospitals, the community response and the response in nursing homes – and look at the wider economic and societal response and the impact of the pandemic on businesses and education.
In the UK, the Covid inquiry which began in June 2022 and has powers to compel witnesses to give evidence, has already issued its first report. The effect on bereaved families is being examined.
Care Champions said that “the government’s proposed “evaluation” of the COVID-19 pandemic response is a cynical attempt to evade scrutiny and silence the voices of the bereaved. This inadequate proposal fails to meet the basic standards of a credible inquiry.”
“We demand a full, independent public inquiry with the power to compel testimony and examine systemic failures. This is not merely a matter of political expediency; it is a moral imperative,” the group said.
“An inquiry must prioritize the voices of the bereaved and harmed; empower the inquiry panel; grant the inquiry full investigative powers to uncover the facts; ensure systemic failures are brought to light; and promote learning and Identify lessons learned to prevent future tragedies,” the group said.
“The government’s proposed evaluation is a slap in the face to the families of the deceased and those who suffered harm. We will not be deterred. We will continue to fight for a genuine inquiry that delivers justice and brings an opportunity to truly reform the care sector,” they said.
“The Inquiry must also provide a safe and supportive environment for patients, residents families, and healthcare workers to share their experiences,” the group added. “Our loved ones’ dignity and memory will not be compromised and those of us who will use healthcare services in the future deserve better.”
Taoiseach Simon Harris and Tánaiste Micheál Martin, who were Health Minister and Taoiseach at different stages of the Covid lockdown said that the evaluation would “look at what could have happened better and what could be done better in the future”.
A government spokesperson said that: “The evaluation would be on a whole of Government response to the pandemic and how Ireland might do better or be in a stronger position in terms of preparedness if another pandemic or similar type event were to occur.”
Nobody will be forced to give evidence to the inquiry, but rather will be asked to participate voluntarily. This could include Government ministers and leading members of NPHET, including former Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan, former Deputy CMO Ronan Glynn, and former HSE Chief Paul Reid.
But Peadar Tóibín TD said that what he described as a “wishy-washy” Covid evaluation would not be acceptable, saying a “full public inquiry with the ability to compel papers and witnesses is necessary”.
“It would be impossible for any government to get everything right in the middle of a pandemic. But we need to work out what decisions were beneficial and which ones caused societal damage. There must be accountability for waste,” he said.
“The self-interest of a government just before a general election should not determine the terms of reference [for] a wishy washy Covid Evaluation,” the Aontú leader said, adding that due to the high levels of deaths and enormous societal impacts, that a full public inquiry with the ability compel papers and witnesses is necessary.
In August, Care Champions announced that they will hold an independent inquiry looking into the experiences of some of those most impacted by the handling of the pandemic.
“We are announcing a groundbreaking initiative: The People’s COVID Inquiry,” Care Champions said in a statement. “This independent review aims to examine the policies and practices by which care facilities in Ireland operate.”
They group said the initiative was “fuelled by concerns about the government’s planned, but yet not in place, evaluation of the experiences and handling of Covid, referring to the government’s planned inquiry”, the details of which have not yet been published after repeated delay.
Care Champions said that the ‘People’s COVID Inquiry’ would hear from “a diverse range of experiences that include human rights experts, legal professionals and academics assembled to conduct this inquiry.”
“Representing the rights of vulnerable people in society, their families, and especially older people and those with disabilities, the Independent Peoples COVID inquiry will follow best methodological and reporting practice in collecting testimonials from survivors and the families of those who died or were affected in harrowing circumstances, as well as their subsequent experiences with officialdom in their search for answers,” the advocacy group said.
The said the independent inquiry would “drive a social media campaign to inform the public and recruit grass-roots support from citizens nationwide” – and that the campaign would be available on Care Champions social media channels “to communicate why an inquiry is essential, give voice to those who suffered and died, highlight ongoing issues, and present the need for urgent reforms”.
“In contrast, the planned Government ‘evaluation,’ will feature a large element of private investigation – behind closed doors – with limited public hearings,” Care Champions said. “Surviving residents, impacted family members, healthcare staff, healthcare experts and other key stakeholders are asked to contact Care Champions to participate.”
“On August 31st surviving residents, bereaved families, those impacted by Covid 19 and current relatives of those living in care facilities will launch this initiative by sharing their experience
consistently throughout the day in person and shared on social media,” they said.
Care Champions also said that in recognition and in memory of those who have died since 2020, a very special unveiling of a memory wall would take place in the Arlington Hotel at 2.30pm. “All are welcome and families can add the name of their loved one to the wall on the day”
Last year, a Care Champions event gave families an opportunity to share what were described as “heart-breaking” memories of vulnerable and elderly people dying afraid and alone because of what the group describes as “excessive” restrictions.
The group’s founder Majella Beatty said at the time that a Covid inquiry would examine why nursing homes and care centres refused to let any family member access their loved ones despite evidence from other jurisdictions that the blanket ban was hurting the most vulnerable, and causing real trauma to families.
She said that families were “tormented” by watching the deterioration of parents and loved ones through the window week and week, and watching their distress at not being able to touch and hold their family members.
She pointed to the decision by the Dutch government to allow visits – and to the Care Partner system in Northern Ireland which ensured each person in a nursing home or a care setting had a nominated person who would always be allowed in for a visit, with testing and PPE requirements, even during a pandemic.
Amongst those who spoke around that time were Elizabeth Mansfield’s family who say she died of a broken heart, denied family visits although she was on a non-Covid ward.
Her daughter Fidelma says that she “still lives with the heartbreak” of not being allowed to visit her mother where she was distressed and upset, and where she died without her family. Fidelma says that a system using PPE could have facilitated a designated visitor from the family.
At the Care Champions conference, Christine Brohan, from Farranree in Cork, said that she has watched her mother Kathleen alone through the window of a nursing home in February 2021.
“He pulled the curtains back and my mom was there, dying on her own,” she said. “For over two hours, we stood outside that window in a storm watching her, I was actually clawing at the window telling her I loved her”.
“I relive it every single day.”