HSE facing 42 claims linked to Covid deaths in hospitals and nursing homes

HSE weekly data shows high levels of hospital-acquired infections during the pandemic, peaking at 548 cases in the week ending March 27 this year. File photo: AP/Francisco Seco

The State Claims Agency has been notified of 42 claims against the HSE linked to deaths caused by catching Covid-19 in hospitals or nursing homes.

This comes as the World Health Organisation warns of severe consequences for 17 million people across Europe due to long Covid.

HSE weekly data shows high levels of hospital-acquired infections during the pandemic, peaking at 548 cases in the week ending March 27 this year.

Nursing homes were also seriously affected by the virus, especially during 2020. CSO data shows 29% of all Covid deaths between March 2020 and February this year took place in nursing homes.

The State Claims Agency (SCA) manages claims on behalf of State bodies, including the HSE.  

They said: "The number of claims currently being taken against the HSE, notified to the SCA, which arise from the death of a family member as a result of contracting Covid-19 in a HSE Hospital or Nursing Home setting is 42." 

Responding to a parliamentary query from Aontú TD Peadar Toibín, the SCA said these relate to events as recorded on the HSE’s National Incident Management System. Some 40 relate to nursing homes, and two to hospitals, a spokesman added. 

Mr Toibín expressed his sympathy to the 42 families, however, he thinks mistakes were made in the initial stages of managing the virus.

“We know that there were serious staffing issues in nursing homes and that PPE wasn't forthcoming at the start of the pandemic," he said. 

He said Aontu and independent TDs are proposing a Bill seeking a commission of investigation into how the pandemic was managed. Up to the end of August 7,758 people died with Covid-19 in Ireland. 

Long Covid

Meanwhile, modelling carried out for the World Health Organisation has estimated 17 million people experienced long Covid in the first two years of the pandemic across Europe.

It found women were twice as likely as men to experience this. The risk increases dramatically among cases needing hospital admission, with one-in-three women and one-in-five men likely to develop long Covid.

The research focused on respiratory, cognitive, fatigue or mood swings symptoms. WHO Europe called for urgent investment in research, recovery, and rehabilitation. 

Regional director for Europe, Hans Kluge, said: “We need all countries in the WHO European region to recognise that long Covid is a serious problem, with serious consequences, and requires a serious response to stop the lives of those affected from getting any worse — and not just on a physical health level.” 

He added the WHO is hearing of “so many individual tragedies, of people in financial crisis, facing relationship problems, losing their jobs, and falling into depression” as well as many healthcare workers affected by lingering symptoms. 

“They, and millions of others, need our support. The consequences of long Covid are clearly severe and multi-faceted,” he warned.