Son lay dying in hospital but we were treated as criminals
A GRIEVING couple say they were treated “like criminals” when trying to visit their dying son in hospital due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Ollie Bibby, 27, died of acute myeloid leukaemia last month after spending seven weeks at University College London Hospital (UCLH).
His parents said they were “barely allowed in”, while his three brothers visited only once and were denied the chance to say a proper goodbye.
Ollie’s mother Penny, from South Benfleet, Essex, told BBC News: “Ollie was in a room on his own and it was horrific for him. He suffered from anxiety and depression and he would just spend all this time on his own, worrying about his future.
“It was clear that the hospital did not want us there. We felt like we were criminals. The security staff would be better off at a nightclub, they were so aggressive. We just wanted to comfort our son. The way he was treated was barbaric and inhumane.”
Penny said she understood that hospitals needed to cut infection risk but the family was shielding and regularly taking rapid Covid-19 tests.
Ollie’s brothers were only able to see him for 10 minutes on one occasion, when he was semiconscious, the family said.
Horrendous
And Ollie’s girlfriend Georgia was only allowed to see him twice.
His parents were eventually allowed to be there during his final days after Ollie refused to go into intensive care unless he was allowed to see them.
Penny said: “That was the only reason we were able to be there when he died. Nurses were constantly asking us why we were in there and if we were allowed. It made a horrendous situation 50 times worse.”
Ollie died on May 5, a day before disgraced former health secretary Matt Hancock was filmed kissing his married colleague Gina Coladangelo.
Asked about the incident, Ollie’s father Simon said: “I’m disgusted – for that man to be carrying on like that, and us following the rules.
“We feel cheated out of the last six weeks of his life.”
Helen Gravestock, of charity Young Lives vs Cancer, said: “No young person should have to face cancer, or end-of-life care, alone.”
A UCLH spokesperson said the hospital would learn from the family’s experience, adding: “We would like to offer Penny and her family our sincere condolences. We are confident Ollie received appropriate care and visits were allowed in line with guidance.”