Latest news with #CovidInquiry
BBC News
23-07-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Covid Inquiry: 'Lessons can be learned' from care home lockdowns
Locking down care homes to protect residents from Covid was "one of the most difficult decisions" that had to be made throughout the pandemic, Northern Ireland's former commissioner for older people has told the UK Covid Lynch said his office heard distressing stories from families about loved ones whose conditions deteriorated due to not receiving family said he hoped lessons can be learned and that concrete changes can be made to how care homes will cope in the case of a future inquiry, sitting in London, is examining the impact of the pandemic on social care including people who lived in care homes and those receiving domiciliary care at home. Visitor ban consequences 'more serious than we initially expected' "I was aware of the impact that this was going to have on people, but at that stage it seemed like people's right to protect their lives trumped everything else," Mr Lynch told the inquiry that he had supported the visiting policy following advice from experts that fewer people going in and out of care homes from the community would reduce the risk for people in those care home he said that after a period of time he realised that the negative side of that policy was "very serious and probably more serious than we initially expected"."It was clear to me that for many older people that that system meant that they didn't see family members face to face for the last weeks or months of their lives."It was a very awful position to be in and I think in the future we need to weigh up the risk associated with contracting the virus and putting in place measures that allows continued social contact and direct human contact with family members," he added. Mr Lynch said that in those early stages of the pandemic care homes were in the firing line and it felt greater attention was being given to hospitals instead of care homes, when the care homes were clearly "more vulnerable". In March 2020, 23% of the population in Northern Ireland were older people, which is defined as those aged 60 years and former commissioner said from the outset of the pandemic he reminded officials that everyone needed to stop referring to care homes as buildings but instead as people's inquiry is examining how Northern Ireland dealt with personal protective equipment (PPE), testing and tracing the infection, discharge policy and Lynch said that in many of these areas "Northern Ireland played catch up" and testing could have been introduced at an earlier stage, but instead there was a feeling of "push back."He said, within the first couple of months, they knew the "devastating impact" the pandemic was having on care told the inquiry that experts were telling him that testing and tracing the virus was "critical" for care homes to get a handle on it, but that he felt testing was "far too slow in coming". Testing 'could have been done weeks earlier' When a testing programme was introduced by the Department of Health which became regular, Mr Lynch said he had " deep frustration" at the speed of that and what he saw was "a lack of urgency about how important that was in response to the pandemic".Mr Lynch claimed testing could have been introduced and ramped up earlier and that while resources may have been one of the issues, he did not believe it was entirely about said in the early stages there did not seem to be "a huge appetite" for testing, particularly in care home settings and that the roll out of testing could have been done weeks Lynch told the inquiry that the weaknesses of the social care sector for older people were "horribly exposed at the outset of the pandemic".He said that the pandemic had a devastating impact on older people and those with underlying health care problems who were at most risk."The nature of the virus was difficult to control once it got into those settings, " Mr Lynch asked about draft guidance that was issued by the DOH on 16 March 2020, Mr Lynch said the guidance was limited and there was little opportunity for others to influence it.
Daily Record
22-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Jason Leitch criticised over TikTok advert plugging private healthcare firm
EXCLUSIVE: Leitch, the former national clinical director, praised a "one of a kind" private hospital in Glasgow. Professor Jason Leitch has been criticised after he appeared in an online advert promoting a private healthcare firm at a time Scotland's NHS continues to struggle. In a video shared on TikTok and Instagram, the country's former national clinical director praised a "one of a kind" private hospital recently opened in central Glasgow by Elanic Medical. Leitch, who helped lead Scotland's response to the covid pandemic, is a non-executive director with a focus on clinical governance at the healthcare firm. Elanic has an established cosmetic surgery clinic in Glasgow but has now built a 15,000 sq ft hospital in Bath Street to provide more routine operations. Leitch became a household name when he regularly stood alongside Nicola Sturgeon as the then first minister delivered her daily covid briefings in 2020 and 2021. He announced he was stepping down as national clinical director in March 2024, shortly after he gave evidence at the UK Covid the social media ad, Leitch said: "I'm on the board here at Elanic. I'm responsible, along with a host of other people, for the safety and governance of the care and services here. It's fantastic to be back at the Elanic hospital and see it fully functioning, with loads of specialties now, seeing patients on a daily basis. "Orthopaedics, plastic surgery, urology, gynaecology, bariatric surgery - all getting care and service right in the centre of Glasgow with real state of the art operating theatres." Leitch continued: "It's fantastic to see Elanic at the forefront of modern care. It's now becoming routine for patients to go home on the same day and that's no different here, particularly for orthopaedics. "It's been terrific to see this project from the plans on a piece of paper to what is now a state of the art facility in central Glasgow. I think it's probably one of a kind, with operating theatres, outpatient clinics, and bedrooms with en suite facilities. It's fantastic to see it grow from the architects' drawings right up to what is now a fully functioning hospital." Alba MSP Ash Regan said some Scots would be left feeling "scunnered" after seeing a former senior NHS figure promoting a private healthcare firm. She told the Record: "Jason Leitch built his public profile during the pandemic as Scotland's national clinical director as a trusted voice at the heart of our NHS. "Seeing him fronting TikTok adverts for a private healthcare company, where he sits on the board, sends a deeply mixed message about the Government's priorities and commitment to our NHS. "The public is rightly scunnered. Time and again, we see the revolving door for those paid by the public purse to lead and represent public services going on to use that platform to cash in on private interests." Leitch faced criticism during the UK Covid Inquiry last year over the mass deletion of his WhatsApp messages. One message which was retrieved showed him saying: "WhatsApp deletion is a pre-bed ritual." When asked about the comments, he said: "It's an exaggeration. I didn't daily delete my WhatsApp." A spokeswoman for Elanic Medical said: "We believe that only by working together can the private sector effectively support the NHS in reducing waiting times and improving patient outcomes. "As of March 2025, over 559,000 patients in Scotland were still waiting for outpatient appointments, with more than 63,000 waiting over a year, and over 5,200 waiting more than two years—the highest number ever recorded. These figures highlight the urgent need for collaborative solutions to ease the burden on the NHS and ensure timely access to care." The Record asked the Scottish Government for comment.
The Independent
08-07-2025
- The Independent
Why a 10-second siren will sound on your phone on 7 September
The UK's Emergency Alert System is scheduled for its second national test on 7 September at 3.00pm, with millions of mobile phones expected to receive the alert. Smartphones will vibrate and sound a 10-second siren, displaying a test message, as part of a system designed to warn the public of nearby life-threatening emergencies such as extreme weather or terror activity. This test, the first since April 2023, is intended to strengthen the country's emergency preparedness, a measure recommended by the Covid inquiry. Concerns about the alert's impact on domestic abuse victims using secret phones have led to government plans for a public information campaign on how to disable the alert. Since April 2023, the system has been activated five times for real emergencies, including during major storms and the discovery of an unexploded Second World War bomb in Plymouth.
The Independent
07-07-2025
- General
- The Independent
Date set for millions of phones across UK to receive emergency alert test
Millions of phones will receive emergency alerts on 7 September in the second national test of the warning system. Smartphones will vibrate and sound a 10-second siren at 3.00pm on the Sunday in a test of the alert, which is designed to warn of nearby threats such as extreme weather or terror activity. Even phones on silent mode will light up during the alert, while a message will be displayed on the screen showing it is a test. There are approximately 87 million mobile phones in the UK, according to officials. The test will be the first since April 2023 and the government said it is part of plans to strengthen the country's emergency preparedness. The Covid inquiry recommended that ministers test the Emergency Alert System in the wake of the pandemic. Concerns have been raised in the past that emergency alerts can leave victims of domestic abuse at risk, by exposing those who have secret phones. But the government said it will run a public information campaign targeted at vulnerable groups to ensure they can turn the alert off on second phones. Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden said: 'Emergency alerts have the potential to save lives, allowing us to share essential information rapidly in emergency situations including extreme storms. 'Just like the fire alarm in your house, it's important we test the system so that we know it will work if we need it.' Since April 2023, the system has been used five times, including during major storms when lives were at risk. Alerts flashed up on 4.5 million phones in Scotland and Northern Ireland during Storm Éowyn in January, and was seen by 3.5 million people in Wales and the South West of England received an alert during Storm Darragh last December. It was also used when an unexploded bomb from the Second World War was discovered in Plymouth. During the last test, a slew of mobile phone users, including those on the Three network, complained that they had not received the alert. How to turn the alert off The British Red Cross welcomed the test but called for 'tailored and targeted advice for people, especially those who may be more at-risk' of how to respond in the face of an emergency. Chief executive Béatrice Butsana-Sita said: 'The real test will be how this translates into tangible action, down to community and household level, so that we aren't just warned but prepared and everyone is ready to respond in an emergency.' And the Centre for Long-term Resilience said the UK's national preparedness is 'being tested to an unprecedented extent', and welcomed the government's recognition of that. Users will have to acknowledge the alert, which will include telephone numbers or links to government websites with further information, before they can access any other features on their phones. The alerts will not work if phones are switched off or in flight mode, or if people opt out of the scheme, and it is estimated that they will reach about 90 per cent of mobile phones in a given area, via 4G and 5G phone networks. Previous alerts have read: "This is a test of emergency alerts, a new UK government service that will warn you if there's a life-threatening emergency nearby. Alert systems have been used successfully in a number of other countries, including the US, Canada, the Netherlands and Japan, during incidents such as severe weather events.
Channel 4
03-07-2025
- Health
- Channel 4
Hancock's ‘insulting' testimony at Covid inquiry criticised by families
The former Health Secretary Matt Hancock has told the Covid inquiry that discharging patients from hospitals into care homes in the early stages of the pandemic had been 'the least worst decision' at the time. Mr Hancock said the likelihood of things getting worse if they'd stayed in hospital was 'very high'. Lawyers representing victims' families called his testimony 'an insult to the memory of each and every person who died'. Former Health Secretary Matt Hancock gives evidence to Covid Inquiry Covid Inquiry: Matt Hancock defends decision to discharge hospital patients into care homes Covid inquiry: Matt Hancock denies lying during pandemic
