Relatives of people who died in nursing homes during pandemic say covid inquiry ignoring bereaved families

Majella Beattie of Care Champions: 'We are witnessing a process that prioritises professional distance over the trauma of the bereaved.' Picture: Moya Nolan

Families whose relatives died in nursing homes during the pandemic have criticised the Covid-19 Evaluation for continuing to ignore their experiences.

While the evaluation held its first public session with expert advisers and academics on Wednesday, it has yet to confirm dates for meeting with families. These were expected to begin in February.

Care Champions, the advocacy group representing dozens of families, pointed out the family meetings are to be in private anyway.

“There is a jarring contrast between the live roundtable for professionals and the private forums for families,” Majella Beattie said.

“One is a public stage — the other is a strategy to keep the victims in the shadows.” 

There is widespread confusion among relatives who made submissions to the evaluation.

“A couple of people in our group have had emails saying this [forum] is being pushed back,” Ms Beattie said on Wednesday.

“One woman was told people were sick and another email said it was because of staffing issues. I only know three or four people who got an email, the others got nothing yet.” 

She added: "We are witnessing a process that prioritises professional distance over the trauma of the bereaved." 

In addition Ms Beattie still hears covid-19-era visiting restrictions “being weaponised to shut families out”.

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She reiterated the group’s call for a full statutory inquiry. 

She welcomed, however, the submission by University College Cork’s Professor Ivan Perry, which she said “detailed exactly how the State underperformed in its response”.

She also welcomed comments by University College Dublin’s Professor Mary Codd on gaps in training for nursing home staff.