Vulnerable need nominated carer in future crises
THE law must change so vulnerable people are not isolated even when a crisis such as a pandemic strikes, health secretary Sajid Javid will be told by a cross party group of MPS.
Tens of thousands of patients and care home residents were left alone over the past two years because of drastic public health measures to curb the spread of coronavirus.
It meant residents sometimes died alone or suffered serious illness without seeing their loved ones for weeks or months.
A cross-party group of MPS and scientists has written to the health secretary demanding a specific law to ensure this never happens again.
It asks that vulnerable people are granted legal rights to visits by a relative or carer even during crises.
Under the proposal all patients, care home residents, hospital and mental health patients could nominate an “essential carer” to provide individual support, regardless of any visiting restrictions.
The letter, being circulated by constituents to MPS for signatures, was written by Dan Carden,
Labour MP for Liverpool Walton.
It was jointly signed by Tracey Crouch, Tory MP for Chatham and Aylesford; Daisy Cooper, Lib Dem MP for St Albans, and Plaid Cymru’s Liz Saville-roberts, MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd.
It states: “From hospitals to care homes, there is an urgent need for the introduction of a legal right that guarantees contact with a ‘care supporter’ – a relative or friend to provide support when it is required.”
It comes after widespread criticism of Covid regulations brought
WE HAVE been fighting for Christine’s Law, but it could be John’s or Mary’s, Narendra’s or anyone’s name who died in isolation.
Ours is not a unique or even rare story: all those touched by the restrictions to “control” Covid may legitimately add a chapter to this.
Christine was a fit grandmother who had a catastrophic stroke in April 2020. Family members were prevented from spending time with her and touching her because of a glass partition.
Thankfully in a way, she died not knowing what was going on – but her family still shoulders the hurt and burden.
In 25 countries care home deaths were 30 per cent of total Covid deaths. Some were a consequence of isolation, hunger and thirst – in a word, abandonment. Closing care homes to visitors affected the wellbeing of residents who suffered more depression and loneliness.
Mistakes have been made and we are calling for legislation to prevent them from happening in the future. Christine’s law should ensure government policies do not harm the most vulnerable.
Risk assessments should be mandatory before policies that affect vulnerable people in care are enacted. Residents should have named family advocates with the right to make decisions.the human cost of visiting restrictions has been immense.the scars from dying alone are too great a burden for a family to shoulder.the law needs
to prevent this from happening again.
in from March 2020. They saw residents of care homes and inpatients forced to endure “inhuman” isolation rules, including being left alone in bedrooms for days at a time and denied visits from loved ones – sometimes even when they were dying.
One study by Oxford University found vulnerable residents died of thirst, starvation and “broken hearts”. The shocking report found almost 40 per cent of excess fatalities were not caused by the virus, with many deaths linked to neglect and loneliness.
Professor Carl Heneghan, coauthor of this report and director of Oxford University’s Centre for
Evidence Based Medicine said: “We should be outraged how the most vulnerable have been treated. We need legislation to protect people.”
Nicci Gerrard, inset left, of John’s Campaign, which has campaigned against “enforced disconnection between family carers” and those suffering dementia, said: “Care home residents became virtual prisoners and many homes are still restricting visits. On the one hand is the risk of Covid, on the other the risk incurred by enforced separation, of the final months of life being spent alone and bewildered, of dying feeling abandoned and punished.
“There continues to be shocking instances of denial of contact, which we know causes harm. Misery can have tragic consequences and this is a violation of human rights.”