Scottish Covid Bereaved families meet with new public enquiry chair
The group has welcomed Lord Brailsford's "genuine empathy and compassion"
Families who have lost loved ones to Covid have welcomed the “genuine empathy and compassion” shown by the new chair of Scotland’s public enquiry into the pandemic, after meeting with him for the first time.
Lord Brailsford was appointed after Lady Poole quit as its chairwoman in October, citing personal reasons, alongside four lawyers who resigned the day before.
New chair has "pressed the reset button"
The Scottish Covid Bereaved group met with Lord Brailsford on Tuesday, saying he has "pressed the reset button" on the inquiry after it was “plunged into crisis.”
Aamer Anwar, the solicitor representing Scottish Covid-19 bereaved, said they "welcomed the genuine empathy and compassion that Lord Brailsford showed them today as they as they told him their heartbreaking stories".
Mr Anwar said: "The families recognise the mammoth task that is faced by Lord Brailsford, but believe that he has pressed the reset button on the Scottish inquiry and were heartened to learn he hopes to commence hearings in 2023."
Nearly a year since the inquiry was set up it still has not had any hearings, and has so far cost taxpayers more than £2 million.
Inquiry had been described as "a sinking ship"
The inquiry had been described as a "sinking ship" by Mr Anwar, but after meeting Lord Brailsford he said the new chairman appeared to have "hit the ground running from as soon as he was appointed" and was in meetings within 24 hours of taking on the new role.
It is not the first time the families have met with those working on the inquiry, with the last such event featuring Lady Poole being described by Mr Anwar as "not a happy meeting".
"The families felt that they didn't get the compassion and empathy they wanted, they didn't think they were front and centre," Mr Anwar said, who added that the meeting on Tuesday "felt like a very different experience".
Members of of the bereaved were also scathing about Lady Poole. Peter McMahon said their meeting with her felt like a "box-ticking exercise".
Families have welcomed Lord Brailsford's "empathy and compassion"
"We all felt like we weren't being listened to. She listened to the stories but she wasn't taking anything in," he said.
Mr McMahon said the meeting on Tuesday was a "different kettle of fish" and said Lord Brailsford showed empathy and compassion.
Dr Alan Wightman, who lost his mother Helen to the virus in May 2020 when she was living in a care home, said he thanked Lord Brailsford "for meeting with members of our group today and for explaining how the Scottish Covid public inquiry is being reset to address the concerns of the bereaved relatives in a timely manner".
The inquiry was set up to investigate areas such as pre-pandemic planning, the decision to go into lockdown, the supply and distribution of personal protective equipment and how coronavirus was dealt with in care homes.