Sir, – As a member of the health service I have been witness to the great efforts made by all in reaction to the threat of the Covid-19 pandemic.
But as a witness to my father in the final stages of his two-year battle with oesophageal cancer, I have seen the other side of the past 12 weeks; whereby sick patients did not get the care they needed and deserved.
I understand that treatment was no longer an option for my father but for the past 12 weeks of his life no one took responsibility for his health. Once services were restricted there was not even support available from hospice staff. There were difficulties getting a GP appointment, never mind being able to get a blood test to check previously abnormal results. His care was basically left to my mother who had no one to turn to for help or advice.
In the short time that he had left, support was needed to make him as comfortable as possible and to help him not be fearful and afraid all the time.
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I am sure he was not the only one and we were not the only family thus abandoned.
So while I say congratulations to all for their response to the Covid-19 crisis, the health service should also be ashamed for letting the most vulnerable down when they needed it most. – Yours, etc,
CHRISTINA RYAN,
Clondalkin, Dublin 22.