Anguish over wife’s death

A WIDOWER has vowed to keep fighting for answers from the authorities as he prepares to spend a first Christmas without his late wife.

David Nicol, 48, from Dundee, lost his wife Patricia to coronavirus back in May, aged just 46, while she was being treated for cancer at Ninewells Hospital.

He said it is going to be a difficult Christmas for him and his daughter Caitlyn, 19, because Patricia loved the festive season so much.

He said: “My wife did everything at Christmas.

“When it came to Christmas Day our daughter would open her presents and I would never know where they came from.

“I can’t do it, it is too hard for me and the nearer to Christmas it gets I am more teary,” Mr Nicol said.

“Tricia loved Christmas so it is hard for me to celebrate it when she is not here.

“My daughter is finding it hard as well. It does not feel like Christmas.

“It was just my daughter and I last year because Tricia was in hospital so our Christmas was postponed.

“But this year it will be worse because we can’t just postpone it, she is not here to celebrate it.

“When the Christmas songs come on the radio it upsets me, especially with it being two weeks to Christmas now.

“This year has gone so quickly, it has been seven months now since she passed away, where has that seven months gone?”

In the wake of his wife’s death, Mr Nicol has complained to NHS Tayside and tried to get answers about how she contracted the deadly virus.

He has also raised concerns with Dundee City Council over issues at Patricia’s funeral.

He took his complaint against the local authority – alleging council staff made insensitive comments at his wife’s graveside – to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO).

The SPSO said it cannot take his case any further but Mr Nicol is determined not to give up, saying: “I have taken the case to the SPSO but the council is still adamant on what they said.

“My main concern is they are making me out to be a liar, but if I was telling lies I would not go this far to get an apology.

“It’s been a nightmare and the SPSO seems to be the last resort but they said it can’t go any further.

“The complaints against the NHS have gone to the solicitors because they said she more than likely caught Covid-19 in the hospital.

“It is not ‘more than likely’ – she did. She was there from February; then no visitors were allowed in from the third week in March onwards.

“She then caught the virus on April 15 so she definitely caught it in there.

“The doctor said she would be safer there because of what was going on in the outside world and I feel everyone has turned their backs on me.

“I just want justice for her, I want everyone to admit to what they have done.”

A council spokesman said: “This issue has been fully investigated and there has been subsequent dialogue with Mr Nicol to appraise him further.

“Dundee City Council reiterates its sincere condolences to Mr Nicol and his family during this difficult time.”

A spokeswoman for NHS Tayside said: “Due to patient confidentiality, we are unable to comment on matters relating to individual patients.

“We have previously offered the family the opportunity to meet with the clinical team to further discuss their concerns and this offer remains open.

“Our thoughts remain with the family at this difficult time.”

David Nicol has vowed to keep on fighting for answers.