09 January 2023 , 22:29
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A nurse who died with Covid-19 at the start of the pandemic knew he was at risk from it due to his diabetes, an inquest heard.
Gareth Morgan Roberts began feeling ill on March 24, 2020, the day after the first lockdown was announced, and died on April 11.
The 65-year-old, of Aberdare, South Wales, retired in 2015 after working in the NHS for more than 40 years.
Shortly after, he returned to University Hospital Wales as a bank nurse.
Colleagues told South Wales Central Coroner’s Court Mr Roberts was “hard-working” and someone “who never let anyone down”.
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He was fondly known for calling everyone “cariad” – “love” in Welsh.
The court heard in the very early days of the pandemic, he was mainly working on a non-Covid and non-aerosol-generating ward in Cardiff’s Heath Hospital and was therefore not given full personal protective equipment.
Nurse Dominga David died with Covid on May 26, 2020 (PA)He had type 2 diabetes and one of the questions the inquest will explore is what was known at the time about the risk Covid posed to those with the condition. The hearing will also take in the inquest of Dominga David, a UHW nurse from Penarth who died with Covid on May 26, 2020.
The court heard that just before he fell ill, all staff on Mr Roberts’ ward were told they were being moved to a ward for suspected Covid patients.
As a bank nurse, he had a choice of whether or not to go.
Colleague Jodie Davies said she recalled a chat in which she asked if he would be transferring. “His reply was ‘No, cariad, my age and diabetes are against me and I look after my grandson, so I can’t risk it’,” she said, adding tearfully: “I remember it because it was the last conversation I had with him.”
Sandra Coles, who managed bank staff at the time, agreed that had a risk assessment been carried out, he would have been considered high-risk due to his age and diabetes.
In statements read to the court, wife Linda said she noticed he had a cough on March 25 and his condition worsened until paramedics took him to hospital on April 2, where he later fell into a critical condition.
Senior coroner Graeme Hughes said the case was referred to the Health and Safety Executive but it decided not to investigate further.
The inquest continues.
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