‘I was so shocked when they didn’t try to revive Dad’ HOLS ‘ OFF’
Third Euro wave makes break ‘extremely unlikely’
PICTURED in a proud pose with her dad on her wedding day, Amy Sheppard is now mourning him.
And she fears Martin, who died aged 75, is among hundreds of elderly who died in the pandemic after Do Not Resuscitate notices were issued without their consent.
Campaigners are now calling for a public inquiry.
The DNR orders – which mean that life-saving resuscitation will not be attempted – were put in place for 508 care home residents during the Covid-19 crisis.
But a group says the number, revealed this week in a Care Quality Commission report, is just the tip of the iceberg.
Care Campaign for the Vulnerable believes the true number of blanket orders is in the thousands and has called for an inquiry to investigate the extent.
The group has instructed solicitors to write to Prime Minister Boris Johnson demanding answers about the scandal, which was first brought to light by the Sunday People last year. Jayne Connery, chair of CCFTV, said: “Since March, our organisation alone has dealt with 103 complaints about the misuse of DNR. Other groups have had hundreds of enquiries.
Underestimated
“Clearly, the 508 figure appears to be vastly underestimated. The only way to know the true scale is to have a public inquiry.”
Amy, 37, believes an order was placed on dad Martin at Lister hospital in Stevenage, Herts, without his consent a day before he died. Mr
Sheppard, from Welwyn
Garden City, had heart problems but had been able to walk to collect his breakfast just hours before his death in December.
Amy said: “My dad had specifically said he didn’t want a DNR. He told them ‘Don’t be silly, I’ve got two grandkids’.
“But when he entered cardiac arrest it was such a shock when they didn’t try and revive him.
“It was only after we left the hospital it dawned on us they must have put a DNR on him.”
East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, said it was “working hard to provide answers as soon as possible”.
Kim Harrison, public inquiry specialist at Slater and Gordon, said: “DNR orders being placed on individuals without their consent and the agreement of the families is a serious breach of human rights.”
But hope at home as half of population jabbed
desperate for a break were warned not to expect any favours if they opt for a staycation as prices are rocketing.
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, said a “snapshot investigation” found “some prices have risen by a third compared with last summer”.
Average rates for a cottage in July are up 53% at £222 per night and in August they are up 34% at £229.
Mr Boland said uncertainty also meant there was a “financial risk to booking” any holiday. The sharp rise
in cases on the continent has plunged several areas into lockdown and residents in Paris face a month of tough restrictions as 35,000 cases were recorded in a 24hour period.
It comes amid ongoing debate in Europe about the Astrazeneca jab – despite the EU regulator approving it as safe after a review. In Denmark, a hospital worker died and anWARNING: Dr Tildesley other is seriously ill after both suffered blood clots and cerebral haemorrhages within 14 days of being vaccinated. Denmark was among over a dozen countries to pause use of the jab on March 11. Some, including Germany and France, reversed their decision after the EU’S drug watchdog said it benefits outweighed risks. With demand set to rise and supplies uncertain, Ms
von der Leyen told Astrazeneca: “Fulfil your contract with Europe before delivering to other countries. We didn’t get anything from the Brits while we are delivering vaccines to them.”
Separate supply issues already meant April’s planned vaccination of under50s had been pushed back to May.
Mr Johnson blamed the delays on a shortfall in deliveries from India and the need to re-test 1.7 million doses
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