Families slam Devon care home where seven died after catching Covid

Relatives have spoken out

Relatives of seven elderly nursing home residents who died after contracting coronavirus at the height of the pandemic have criticised the care they received, an inquest heard.

The residents, who lived at the Holmesley Care Home, in Sidford, Devon, all died in March or April 2021 having contracted the Covid-19 virus.

Alison Longhorn, area coroner for Devon, Plymouth and Torbay, has resumed inquests into the deaths of William Wilkinson, 102, Doris Lockett, 92, Roy Gilliam, 96, Jean Hartley, 81, Susan Skinner, 70, Ronald Bampfylde, 92, and Stanislawa Koch, 93.

In written statements read to the hearing at County Hall in Exeter, family members questioned the basic level of care their relatives received at the home and also their concerns about staffing levels.

Mr Wilkinson, a retired RAF group captain, died in hospital on March 11 after testing positive for Covid. A pathologist found he had died from bronchopneumonia contributed by Covid-19.

His son, Peter, said that while his father was in hospital he discovered his hearing aid was blocked with earwax and his fingernails were unkempt.

"The home had advised me when my father first went into the home that they would take responsibility for the fingernails but not the feet, which we had to pay for," he said.

"To me it was a sign that someone wasn't doing the basic duties of care. The level of care that dad received he did not complain about."

"I don't want to be unfair, and I know caring for older people can be very difficult and can be a thankless task but for nearly £5,000 a month they should be able to ensure that a necessity like maintaining a hearing aid is well supervised and care plans understood."

"I believe there was a high turnover of staff at the home as I received different people every time I went there. Perhaps it was just normal staff rotation."

"In my experience there were failings in that home that wanted me to move dad out. I felt the inability to fulfil the simplest of problems made me doubt their ability to deal with more serious issues should they arise."

The inquest heard Mrs Lockett, who ran a farm with her late husband, died from a pulmonary thromboembolism and a secondary Covid-19 infection.

Her daughter, Miriam Brown, said she had concerns about the home's ability to manager her mother's diabetes and allergies.

"It was clear not all the staff were aware of either the diabetes or the allergies," she said.

"Mum would have to remind staff she was diabetic when they served her cake or asking if she wanted sugar in her coffee."

"The level of care went down after the New Year."

"Our hands were tied as in the last year of her life we were restricted in how much input we had in her care and totally relied upon the staff in the home."

"I strongly feel that mum was not getting the quality and level of care she deserved at this time of her life."

The family of Mr Gilliam, who flew Lancaster bombers during the Second World War, said in their view by the time of his death in March 2021 the home was "struggling".

"As a relative you have no idea what is going on and there was no contact with anyone else to raise issues. You rely on what the home is telling you," they said.

"There seemed to be a gradual decline in the level of staffing and activities over the years while dad was there, especially in the past year."

"Dad was paying over £1,000 a week and most of the time he lay on his bed or sat in a chair and didn't participate in activities."

"The staff tried to engage him, but I believe they lacked sufficient resources or staffing to create something stimulating for him."

"Although his basic needs were met, he often complained of being lonely and ignored, especially during the last year of the pandemic."

The inquest continues.