Second family to sue ministers following death of mum

Yvonne Cullen

A second family are ready to sue Scottish Government ministers over the death of their mum from Covid-19.

Yvonne Cullen, 75, died at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, in April after being admitted there from a care home. Her family believe government policies towards care home cases had a role in her death.

Her daughter Liz, 56, a state registered nurse, said: “Mum began exhibiting symptoms of Covid-19 on April 8, but wasn’t sent to hospital for 12 days. Because there was an official policy of not testing more than five people in a care home, mum was not tested. By the time she was sent to hospital, we suspect she was too ill to have any chance of treatment or recovery.”

On admission to Ninewells from South Grange Nursing Home in Monifieth, great grandmother Yvonne had pneumonia, was dehydrated and needed oxygen.

The former taxi driver died on May 1 from Covid-19.

Liz said: “We’re not interested in the politics of this. We are only interested in getting justice for our mum and the truth of what happened to her. If the only way we’re going to get truthful answers is if Scotland’s First Minister and her Health Secretary are in the witness box giving evidence, then so be it.” We told last week how the family of Rodger Laing, 80, who died after being moved from hospital to a care home which already had Covid-19 cases, plan to sue First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Health Minister Jeane Freeman, saying it was ministers not doctors who decided policies around care homes.

The Scottish Government confirmed limited testing had been in place, but said it was not responsible for decisions about admitting patients to hospital and an inquiry into all deaths is planned.

NHS Tayside said it could not comment on individual cases.