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The Covid inquiry has begun its sixth part, focusing on the impact of the pandemic on care services for elderly and disabled individuals. Barrister Pete Weatherby, representing Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK, highlighted a civil servant’s assertion of “generational slaughter within care homes” in the early days of the pandemic as a reflection of the experiences of numerous families affected by the crisis. The government has expressed its commitment to learning from the inquiry’s findings.
Alasdair Donaldson, a senior civil servant, described the “generational slaughter” in his written evidence, noting the “complete chaos” within the Department of Health and Social Care at the onset of the pandemic. Concerns raised by families include the decision to discharge hospital patients rapidly into care homes in March 2020, potentially contributing to the spread of the virus among vulnerable residents. Other issues include the implementation of “do not resuscitate” notices and restrictive visiting policies that prevented families from seeing loved ones.
The inquiry, expected to last five weeks, will investigate understaffing in care homes, the challenges faced by care workers, and issues surrounding personal protective equipment (PPE) availability and training. Families who lost loved ones during the pandemic shared their stories, highlighting the emotional toll and shortcomings in the care system. Nicky Hastie, whose mother succumbed to Covid, emphasized the lack of dignity and support her mother received, spurring calls for change to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Jacqueline Carey KC, barrister to the inquiry, acknowledged the emotive and distressing nature of the hearings, especially for those directly impacted by the pandemic. Testimonies from care home workers underscored the rampant spread of the virus in care settings and the challenges they faced in protecting residents and themselves. The inquiry will delve into systemic issues within the care sector, including staffing shortages, PPE inadequacies, and the impact on migrant workers, aiming to uncover lessons to strengthen care services and prevent future tragedies
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