• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Meet the Team
  • Contact us
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home Must Reads Heart Wrenching

Family of dead nurse criticise lack of testing and PPE for NHS staff

Thomas Harvey died at the family home in east London on Sunday.

Joe Mellor by Joe Mellor
2020-04-02 16:35
in Heart Wrenching, Must Reads
Undated handout photo of Thomas Harvey. The family of the nurse who died after treating a coronavirus patient said the Government has questions to answer about the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing of NHS staff.

Undated handout photo of Thomas Harvey. The family of the nurse who died after treating a coronavirus patient said the Government has questions to answer about the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing of NHS staff.

FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

The family of a nurse who died after treating a coronavirus patient said the Government has questions to answer about the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing of NHS staff.

Thomas Harvey, a father-of-seven, died “gasping for air” at the family home in east London on Sunday, having collapsed in the bathroom.

His son, also named Thomas, described having to punch a hole in the door as he and other family members made desperate attempts to get to the 57-year-old, who had spent 20 years as a nurse at Goodmayes Hospital in Ilford.

He said efforts to provide protective equipment to healthcare staff and to roll out Covid-19 testing were much too slow.

Thomas Harvey with wife Marcia at the graduation of son, Thomas Harvey Junior
Thomas Harvey with wife Marcia at the graduation of son, Thomas Harvey Junior (Family handout/PA)

Why has it taken to long?

Mr Harvey, 24, said: “Why has it taken so long? Why have we had to lose my dad, and similar situations, for you (the Government) to take action?

“It is frustrating to think that a situation like this could have been prevented with the correct care from the Government.”

He said the grandfather-of-three had been given only “gloves and a flimsy apron” to protect himself from infection, and had isolated himself at home after beginning to show symptoms of the virus a few weeks ago.

RelatedPosts

Hero plumber has helped more than TWO MILLION of UK’s most vulnerable people

Gay couple sent homophobic abuse after erecting pride flag outside shop – villagers have rallied around

Speedboat owner who ‘corralled’ pod of dolphins convicted in first prosecution under national clampdown

Meet the UK’s super dogs… including a mastiff and Staffordshire bull terrier cross which alerted its owner to cancer

Despite paramedics being called out when his condition worsened around a week before his death, he was not admitted to hospital or tested for the virus, a decision the family were surprised by.

Mr Harvey said: “At that point he wasn’t eating for eight days, he wasn’t breathing properly, which you could hear. He was very weak and was complaining about pains but they had told us that his case was mild so he wouldn’t be taken into hospital for treatment.

“We were like ‘If that’s a mild case, then what’s the worst case?’”

An ambulance was called to the house on Sunday but, despite attempts to resuscitate him, he was pronounced dead.

The family was informed by the nurse’s colleagues after his death that he had treated a patient with the virus.

Thomas Harvey (second right) with his siblings
Thomas Harvey (second right) with his siblings (Family handout/PA)

Mr Harvey senior had expressed concerns to his wife of 26 years, Marcia – also a healthcare worker – about the lack of protective equipment and testing, his son said, adding that mass testing of frontline workers like his father should have begun long before now.

Test

He said: “The test should have been offered as soon cases started popping up all over.

“If you’re supposed to be helping other people you should know that you are also well enough to do that and you’re not going to be passing stuff onto other people, because it works both ways.

“It’s sad that he had to get it but also his role, and what he loved to do, was ensuring the protection and safety of other people and he wasn’t given the opportunity to do that as he wasn’t tested.”

The family, who stressed that they in no way blame the NHS in relation to their father’s death, is awaiting confirmation on the Covid-19 test result.

North East London NHS Foundation Trust chief executive Professor Oliver Shanley paid tribute to Mr Harvey as a “a dear and valued colleague”.

GoFundMe

A GoFundMe page set up to raise money for funeral expenses, will see 10% of donations given to the Homerton Hope charity, part of the Homerton University Hospital Trust, to help provide protective equipment for staff there.

Mr Harvey said he and his family are now in a “weird situation” of having to continue to isolate in the house where their father passed away.

He said: “It’s a weird situation to be in. He died downstairs. We’re not able to leave the house. It’s just a horrible vibe.”

Planning a funeral in the current climate of social distancing will also be difficult, he added.

“My family is huge,” he said. “To think that we aren’t able to have a proper send-off as a family is also sad to think about.”

Related – Data indicates over 3 million key workers earn below living wage

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending on TLE

  • All
  • trending
Abdollah

‘Rescue us’: Afghan teacher begs UK to help him escape Taliban

CHOMSKY: “If Corbyn had been elected, Britain would be pursuing a much more sane course”

What If We Got Rid Of Prisons?

More from TLE

How Poetry can bring people together

Full Fact reprimands the Express for ‘vastly’ overstating impact of UK trade deals

BEE-DAY Experts have called for a people’s army to fight the invasion of the Asian hornet on the Channel Islands

A better Europe starts with yourself

Restaurant Review: Fare Bar + Canteen

Lucky Numbers and Horoscopes for today, 10 July 2021

Farage: Labour election campaign ‘is bombing’

Read this stirring open letter and plea from Jeremy Corbyn’s sons

‘Neverspoons’ app points out independent pubs near Wetherspoons

Trump spends big on defence as foreign assistance and environmental budgets are slashed

JOBS

FIND MORE JOBS

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.