Campaigners have claimed that hundreds of care home residents were left to starve because relatives could not help feed them during the pandemic. One grandfather is thought to have lost six stone in 13 months before his death.
John McGrath’s sister, Claire Wilmore, has shared photos of his emaciated body taken two days before his death aged 74 from factors linked to Parkinson’s. Former nurse Claire 73, had not seen her brother for over a year because of Covid restrictions.
Claire, from Lee, South East London, told The Mirror online that the former jockey weighed 11st when first admitted to the Birmingham care home but withered away to 5st when he died. She said: “I couldn’t believe it when I saw him. He was a skeleton lying on a mattress on the floor I’ve worked in all areas of nursing and I’ve never seen anything like this. I felt that if I had been allowed to visit three months prior, I’d have taken him home with me.”
It is one of 748 cases of alleged neglect reported to the pressure group Care Campaign for the Vulnerable since the pandemic. Jayne Connery, its founder, said: “It is difficult to view photos of John and not be concerned. We know serious staff shortages existed [during the pandemic] but have no idea how providers ensured residents continued to receive the care they badly needed.”
A representative from the group attended a meeting with Claire and managers of St Giles Care Home in Tile Cross, Birmingham, last month. Managers denied neglect and insisted Mr McGrath had lost just half a stone while in their care, weighing 7.5st when he died. An internal probe found no evidence of neglect.
Care Campaign for the Vulnerable is calling for CCTV to be installed in care homes and has applied for core participant status in 2023’s public Covid inquiry. A spokesman for St Giles Care Home – which is part of Avery Healthcare Group – said Mr McGrath had been a “much-loved resident”. He added: “Mr McGrath’s sister raised concerns following her brother’s death, which was fully investigated and the findings shared with his sister and her representative.”
Kate Terroni, Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care at CQC, said: “Every person in care deserves a safe and dignified environment, free from harm. Where concerns are brought to our attention, we will not hesitate to act.”
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