Delay. The last 20 months or so have been characterised by delay. In July 2014 I wrote this about Sloven delay. Last summer. A year after LB’s death.

Delay is typically a negative experience. Often frustrating and stressful to endure. In many ways it involves being forced into a space that anthropologists call liminal. Neither something nor another. No longer here but no longer there. It involves occupying a sort of hinterland of nothingness, caught between what was and what may become. Even when there’s excitement attached to delay (birth maybe) there’s still an urge and urgency to get there. Or get out of the uncertain space.

From the moment LB died we were flung into a truly foul liminal space seemingly guarded and controlled by Sloven Health and the Bevan Brittans (their legal hench team). And, through a lack of action, NHS England, the CQC, Monitor, Department of Health and pretty much anyone else who may lay claim to any sniff of power to do anything to stop em. Even an independent report, clearly stating that LB’s death was preventable and the outcome of utterly shite practice, published in February 2014, has led to no outcome. Nearly 12 months on. [Howl].

Our beautiful son drowned in an NHS bath, the facts are known and nothing has happened. How can this possibly be? Can you begin to imagine how this feels?

Delay is clearly a key Sloven tactic and I can see why. It’s a form of torture to experience. And the Slevan B’s use it relentlessly, remorselessly and effectively. I won’t rehash the myriad examples here  – these pages are weighted with em – though I gather that the second Verita investigation into the wider issues surrounding LB’s death is in the process of, er, being delayed by Sloven practice. And I don’t suppose the police are holding their breath to receive documentation they’ve requested as part of their on going investigation into LB’s death in the near future.

So yep. We’re consigned to a hellhole space of continually waiting for some two bit, crappy NHS Foundation Trust who couldn’t be arsed to check if their provision in the pesky ‘north of their patch’ was good enough quality after they allowed a young laddy to drown in the bath in one of their units, and then were indignant to be publicly chastised by failing a series of CQC inspections laying bare their crapness. Behind the scenes documents (from FOI requests) are almost hilarious around this*. The Slovens (including Simon Waugh, a Board Chair who should really be removed from post after embarrassing demonstrations of ignorance of foul Sloven practice) attended one particular meeting with Oxfordshire County Council and the Oxon CCG last year which was almost comedic in their protestations/irritation around criticism of their provision. Indignant? When the CQC revealed a Fawlty Towers type level of operation.

But of course it ain’t funny. At all.

Anyway, readers may not be surprised to hear that despite an unrivalled record in delaying all and any action, Sloven and the Bevan B’s managed to call our solicitor on December 23rd. Eh? No way?? Yep. When a lot of the country were already on their crimmy break, this bunch of complete non deliverers picked up the phone at the last possible moment before Christmas.To deliver non urgent information we didn’t need or require but which fitted their strategic and calculated approach to this process*.

A cynical, nasty, deliberate and calculated action. Designed for maximum impact and pain. (More than happy to be put straight on this, if anyone has any alternative explanation for such a bizarrely timed action). Christmas is the time of pain for any family who have experienced a bereavement and they certainly managed to put the boot in brilliantly. But Sloven certainly play the timely card when they choose (like producing a briefing on my blog less than 24 hours after LB’s death). Simply cruel. And inhumane.

Now if anyone can let us know how this bunch of fuckers can really be part of the National Health Service, please crack on.

Cheers.

*We only delay (haha) publishing some stuff/detail because we have to be careful/wait for advice but we will make sure that the entire story is published in time.