Taking the P!ss

[presta]

For eight years relatives have been campaigning for a statutory inquiry into the 2000 'unexplained' deaths at Essex mental health trust, led by Melanie Leahy, whose son was found dead shortly after complaining that he was being raped by one of the staff. Anyhow, they were eventuially granted a non-statutory inquiry with no real powers, and two years later it turns out that of the 14000 staff who have been summoned to give evidence, just 11 have agreed.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001hrn1/look-east-evening-news-31012023 (from 10m 50s)

The Linden Centre where Leahy's son died is at Broomfield, the hospital that's been harming me in revenge for complaining.

 

[presta]

The BBC link's gone now, here's Hansard:

"rather than the 1,500 deaths we had been informed of, close to 2,000 fall within the scope of the inquiry. It is incredibly disappointing that, of the 14,000 members of EPUT staff whom the inquiry had written to, only 11 had agreed to give evidence"

"many staff are scared to come forward"

"I want to say to the families that they were right and we were wrong, and I am sorry that that was the case. I was therefore greatly concerned when I saw the letter from the chair, who says that she has now concluded that statutory powers are needed owing to the lack of co-operation from staff and former staff"

Essex Mental Health Independent Inquiry, Tuesday 31 January 2023
Hansard

 

[AuroraSaab]

Some background here:

https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/health/...-11-patients-including-beautiful-son-matthew/

An awful state of affairs, Presta. As you say, an inquiry with no powers can uncover very little. No closure for the families at all really.

 

[craigwend]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-64469205.amp

 

[AuroraSaab]

Statutory inquiry hopefully then. Appalling that it has taken a decade to get to this point though.