‘They never got to say goodbye’

Review Hospital visiting regulations need overhaul

An emotional account of a family, denied access to their mother by hospital visiting regulations, who never got to say their goodbyes before she passed away, was given at the June meeting of Cavan County Council.

Cllr Aidan Fitzpatrick relayed the tale: “I am aware of a case where a patient was admitted to hospital before Christmas and had a stay of five weeks in hospital. During that time, no visitors were allowed for the patient’s 92nd birthday, for Christmas day nor a single visitor in the patient’s time there even though the family went each day but were refused on all occasions.

“Unfortunately this patient died two hours before her discharge, something that the family are left to carry with them every day. They never got to say goodbye,” he said.

The Fianna Fáil councillor was arguing that restrictions imposed in hospital and care home settings because of Covid regulations must not remove the rights of the vulnerable people to engage with visitors.

In a motion on the topic, Cllr Aidan Fitzpatrick called on the local authority to communicate with the Minister for Health and the Minister for Older People to urgently review visiting restrictions for long-term patients in our hospitals.

“In the last week, I have been contacted by two different people with regard to visiting restrictions imposed on sections of our hospitals both in Cavan and Monaghan,” Cllr Fitzpatrick told his fellow councillors.

“We received another email last night from a distraught young man with regard to another elderly patient in our hospital who is been deprived of visitors.”

The Fianna Fáil elected representative said there was high praise for staff and the medical attention received, but concerns raised about the personal needs and mental well-being of patients due to a lack of contact with loved ones.

“Being the daughter, son, husband or wife of a loved one in hospital and being told you’re not allowed to visit, is extremely stressful on both patient and those loved ones on the outside,” Cllr Fitzpatrick told members.

“I realise we are in unprecedented times and COVID–19 has upset and disrupted our way of life, but in this case the ‘Covid Card’ is been misused and the management of some hospitals or wards or institutions need to examine their procedures and policies immediately and reverse their ‘no visiting policy’,” he said.

The elected representative said it was important that the issue is acted upon: “I am appealing to our Ministers, our hospital managers, our people in charge to say stop. To say ‘no more’, to let our older vulnerable people have the right to dignity, the right to family and have their voice heard and to avoid another embarrassing scandal in years to come as we look back on COVID–19.”

All members of the local authority commended their colleague on the motion, and it was unanimously passed.

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