A full on few weeks. Writing witness statements for the coroner a hideous task. Reliving everything that happened. Again. He died? While having to discard what we now know [unit records/CQC inspections seared into my brain/eyelids]. So blinking painful. Then a week or so later, receiving Sloven witness statements. Piercingly painful, sometimes enraging reading.

More reading as both big reviews commissioned by NHS England around LB’s death pitched up. The broader Verita review building on their original review which found LB’s death preventable. And the Mazars review into deaths in Sloven’s mental health and learning disability provision since 2011. These have been circulated for ‘factual accuracy checking’ (just drips off my tongue these days) and won’t be published now until after LB’s inquest. Around 500 pages that must be generating agitational agitations at top Sloven towers level. As it fucking should.

Yesterday was the fourth pre-inquest review hearing at Oxford County Hall. My Life My Choice turned up in force. It makes a difference to see family/ friends/campaigners in the public gallery. Sort of counteracting the apparent ease with which LB’s life seemed to be treated in a ‘deleted/trash emptied’ way. Like so many other people. George Julian brilliantly tweeted much of what was discussed on a new dedicated campaign account; LB’s inquest.

It was just incredibly sad. I don’t know. Maybe more so than the previous three meetings (if that’s possible). Earlier hearings involved thrashing out issues around whether or not the inquest should be an Article 2 inquest with a jury. This related to LB’s human rights – something he was always so (rightly) hot on – under the European Convention on Human Rights. How the state has a duty to protect life.

Back in the day, these were important points to us and we were worried Sloven would derail them. Yesterday it was confirmed that LB’s inquest will start on October 5th for up to two weeks. Discussion turned to witnesses, jury bundles, floor plans and photos.