Following the news that families who lost loved ones during the Covid pandemic in Wales have set up a Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group fighting for an independent Welsh inquiry, another member of the group has come forward to share their experience.

Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice Cymru was set up four months ago by members of the public who lost loved ones during the pandemic in Wales.

Anna-Louise Marsh-Rees is one of the members who helped set up the group after her father Ian Marsh-Rees sadly died last October of Covid pneumonia after being admitted to hospital for a gall bladder infection. She spoke to the Chronicle last month about her concerns regarding her father’s hospital treatment.

Following Ian’s death, Anna-Louise and her family sent questions into the NHS complaints procedure Putting Things Right but were left frustrated and disappointed with responses that they claim were inaccurate, contradictory and incomplete.

Since then other local members of the group have also come forward with their own experiences of losing loved ones during the pandemic.

Sam Smith lost her father Phil during the pandemic, after he tested positive for Covid in hospital two weeks after being admitted for water-reduction treatment having been receiving radiotherapy for prostate cancer.

Sam said: “My father Phil was from Crickhowell, and could often be seen driving around town in his Opus Hotrod.

‘‘He had set many speed records at Santa Pod during his younger years and had recently rebuilt his beloved Hotrod.

“He was admitted to hospital on 5th January 2021 to receive two weeks of water-reduction treatment via a drip.

‘‘He told me how hot and stuffy it was on the ward with poor ventilation and he was concerned fellow patients were allowed to wander freely around the hospital visiting the shop and meeting family outside.

“As soon as he arrived in the Assessment Centre in the hospital I received a phone call asking me to agree to a DNR (Do not resuscitate) - I refused, as did my Dad.

‘‘He had only gone in for water retention, so I was shocked to be asked on admission.”

Two weeks after being admitted to hospital during the regular testing that took place in the hospital, Phil tested positive for Covid.

“I had so many questions at this time. I wasn’t really focussed on how he had caught it - I was focussed on what they were going to do to help him”, Sam said. “I asked about any additional drugs or oxygen - but they said he had no symptoms.

“On Sunday, the first symptom appeared, a blood clot had appeared blocking his catheter. He was in agony and needed the catheter flushed, but he was told that they had run out of saline and then later that they did not have the flushing kit.

‘‘I rang and complained at midnight, my dad rang me a few hours later at 3am to say that a doctor had finally called and flushed the catheter, although he was still in pain so they were giving him a sedative.

“At 10am I received a phone call from my Dad. It was 1min 28 secs of him struggling to breathe, as he could not talk through the gasps. I now realise he was trying to tell me that they were taking him to another hospital.

‘‘At the hospital he received an operation to fully clear the blockage. A doctor called me and said t he had arrived with a DNR on his notes.

“He was taken to a side ward and put on a driver. I was asked if I would like to visit, but I couldn’t as I am a carer for my Mum. To my huge regret I didn’t go. I know it was the sensible thing to do but it will haunt me forever. I had to text my goodbyes to a nurse who read them out to him, and he died later the next day.”

After taking time as a family to grieve, Sam contacted Aneurin Bevan Health Board to seek answers for the treatment and care her father received, but has so far yet to receive a response from the Health Board.

“It took me six months to feel mentally strong enough to write to ABUHB and ask all the questions that keep me awake at night. How did he catch it? When was the DNR put in place? Why was he left in pain for 24hours? So many questions.

‘‘We are now entering the third month without a response.’’ Sam now hopes that joining Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice Cymru will help answer some of those questions both her own family and others have.

She added: “A few months ago Anna-Louise Marsh reached out to me and I joined Covid Bereaved Families for Justice Cymru. We sadly have over 200 members in Wales.

‘‘Each of them have similar stories. Each has lost a loved one and the circumstances around it need to be questioned.

‘‘Each has been ignored or received a “we don’t know” reply. Together we are calling for Covid Inquiry in Wales.”

Peter Fox MS for Monmouth is also backing a call for a Covid inquiry. He said last month: “The UK Government has already committed to an inquiry, but sadly the Welsh Government has still refused to agree to one here in Wales. This is unacceptable because we need to learn past mistakes to ensure they are not repeated. t’s a grave injustice that families who have been through hell, are now enduring added stresses because their calls are being ignored.

“We desperately need a Wales-wide inquiry.”