Blimey. Six months ago now that Oxfordshire County Council’s (OCC) secret ‘independent’, ‘internal’, ‘review’ arrived in my inbox first thing one Monday morning. Without warning. Six months ?? I’ve written about this a lot because we’ve been so distressed, incensed, baffled and depressed that a local authority could act in this way. Without apparent remorse. LB died. In ‘care’ they commissioned…
It turns out they can’t behave like this.
We’re fortunate. Lucky? [I don’t know what the right word is here…] Just bloody grateful to have pro bono support from someone I can only describe as a tornado of human rights expertise, action, commitment and sense. A remarkably detailed 27 page letter was sent to the Legal Officers at OCC. Carefully documenting the wrongness of their actions and why.
Some lowlights from this letter [my flaky lay interpretation]:
You can’t conduct a review into support offered to a family without involving the family in the review. You can’t treat local authority records as a definitive record of what happened when they are clearly flawed. Inadequate record keeping and inappropriate records (describing people disparagingly) is wrong. You can’t offer contradictory explanations why a review is commissioned and proceeded. You can’t circulate an internal report to external people. You can’t deny pre-publication right of reply to one individual/family. You shouldn’t share people’s personal data without requesting consent or informing them. You shouldn’t spring a review on people without warning. Meaningless apologies are meaningless. You can’t make vague reference to stuff (like changing practices in the future) and not follow it up. You can’t defame people and present them in a particular light that is offensive and untrue. Circulating such a review is a breach of a person’s (human) right to a private and family life…
And so it goes on. Issues raised around maladministration, defamation, data sharing and the processing of personal data.
I sent the letter to Agent T (big sis) earlier. She replied; “Just realised my jaw has been really clenched for the last half an hour just throughout rereading that letter…”
I’ve given this post a bit of a flippant title. I don’t know why. Maybe I’m sick of being such a consistent harbinger of public sector related misery. Sadly there seems to be no end to this position.
We’re expecting a response from OCC by 4pm tomorrow.
LB died.
mydaftlife 
So sorry that you are still having to go through this shit – I hope that one day you are able to remember LB without any connection to OCC and the NHS and the heartbreak and upset that they have dealt you and your family due to the shabby way you have all been treated! On a positive note I get a smile on my face every time I see a Eddie Stobbart lorry – LB’s legacy!
One thing continues to emerge from this murky, dank mass of incompetence and lousy bad practice. It’s you, Sara, a shining light of determination and righteous rage. What you win for LB, you win for all our children. Thank you.
And Sara’s determination to achieve justice for all our sons and daughters is a massive lighthouse powered by her will. A lighthouse flashing in all directions exposing rows and rows and rows of worn out families; who have all fought for and have been refused respect and justice.
What a difference to the people that I have known and worked alongside in Public sector. People sans conscience carefully sidestepping accountability; fueled by ‘care’ speak they accelerate up the status ladder – to comfy retirement with HUGE pensions and the MBE etc tucked securely in back pocket…..
What an upside down world.
WOW At last. My day has improved- again WOW
I’m so glad you have a good person in your side who can cut through their vileness. I found that so helpful because sadly it happens to many others and so I’m going to share it to support you and others. this time it’s for the right reasons though. To help the people affected to be stronger. I can’t comprehend why they do this Sara. It leaves me cold.
As you say – thank goodness for Pro bono work done by kind hearted legal bods..Can you imagine the runaround you would be having from these people otherwise. In fact this would have been “wrapped up” by all of them long ago if it was down to Southern Health and OCC legal teams.
Having been unfortunate myself to have had “history” with these people, I knew what was coming and I have been silently predicting their moves and behaviour – so far sadly I have been spot on.
So I know the god awful shite you have been put through by experience myself from these soul suckers. Good luck to you both next week, you have an army of supporters including me who will be thinking of you throughout this 2 week period. From this there will be justice for LB.
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