Couple of items today, the first is from Portsmouth-the news which says “Lib Dem shadow health minister Norman Lamb MP has pledged support for relatives of patients who died at the Bury Road site during the 1990s. And he is backing their calls for a full-scale inquiry to be held.”
Grieving families want the hearing to get the issues surrounding their loved ones' deaths out into the open.They are also calling for a criminal prosecution to be brought against Dr Jane Barton, the clinical assistant in charge of the day-to-day running of Dryad and Daedalus wards where the patients died.They believe large doses of painkillers and sedatives prescribed by the GP led to some patients' deaths.Mr Lamb said: 'Failures by the police, Crown Prosecution Service, NHS and health regulators can be exposed and lessons learnt only if there is an open and transparent inquiry.'Charles Farthing, whose 79-year-old stepfather Arthur Cunningham, known as Brian, died on Dryad ward in September 1998, said: 'We need some heavyweight political backing to move this forward and we're hoping Mr Lamb can give us this.'We want a proper public inquiry and we want the government to release all the facts.'We are fighting for justice here and we hope political support will start opening up doors and finally get all the information on the table.
The rest of the article is available by clicking the link.
So why is it that a Lib Dem is the only MP interested in finding out the truth?
My thanks to VON who sent the link to me.
The other item is a comment posted on the Independent site on Sunday by valdan70
Inappropriate use of painkillers - GWMH
I was the Patient Affairs Officer at GWMH during part of the period post 1994 when this situation was ongoing. Part of my job was to return personal effects, help with funeral arrangements and pass death certificates to the families of the bereaved. I was concerned about the number of deaths occurring, particularly when on one afternoon alone (I worked 15 hours a week, from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. Monday to Friday) the next of kin of 8 separate patients, who had passed away during the previous night, were waiting to see me. The cause of death on most of the death certificates was given as Pneumonia.I mentioned my concerns to several members of staff, and my manager, especially as I had been present on the wards when patients had been distressed and frightened about being prescribed painkillers administered via a driver. Some were frightened to go to sleep; they were afraid they would not wake up. I was always told I shouldn't involve myself in medical matters as it was none of my business. I have never been asked to give evidence at the inquests, or any of the enquiries. Eventually I resigned my post as I was unable to give the level of help necessary to the bereaved families in the 15 hours allocated to the post. In addition to counselling the bereaved, I arranged and attended funerals/cremations of those patients who had no family, and liaised with the Treasury Solicitor with regard to their affairs. I was also responsible for the patients' expenses and pensions, and the maintenance and auditing of the petty cash and other budgets on a weekly basis. The hospital's budgets were so tight; there was not enough money to fund the post in order to offer even a basic service.
This comment seems to have mysteriously disappeared from the site, so I cannot confirm it, I wonder why?
Other posts on GWMH can be read here.
Angus
Angus Dei on all and sundry
AnglishLit
Agnus Dei politico
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