Tim Smart makes public his judgement today. Smart was sent in by NHS Improvement, on the back of the findings of the Mazars review, of failing CQC inspections stacking up since 2013. Of clear warnings about safety issues flagged up as far back as 2011. Sent in on the back of (and only because of) the actions of people who have campaigned relentlessly, stepped up and refused to accept typical NHS (public sector) whitewash/cover up.
This has been an almighty battle. It too often is when the NHS fails. With the enduring culture one of deny, bat aside, ignore, obstruct, deny further, smear and obliteration. We have a series of NHS scandals (followed by reviews, well meaning but ultimately empty recommendations and rhetoric) to draw on. So much evidence. So little action.
The Sloven story, like any story, has many versions. The focus and attention of the post apocalyptic reviews conducted by Tim Smart, the improvement director (forgotten his name… Clive summat?) and the independent consultants brought in to review governance will all use different (but I suspect similar) lenses. None of them have engaged with families.
After a late, late night worrying about what is to unfold I’m left thinking If the people who died weren’t learning disabled or didn’t have mental health issues, none of this would have happened. If it had, to non disabled people, the CEO and board would have left Sloven pastures long ago.
A simple and damning as.
mydaftlife 
The last lines say it all and that’s why it’s so terrible. All though people’s lives their voices were less and their very existence not as important or just about tolerated. In death the same view of a lesser person, a lesser soul
Rest in Peace you are not forgotten or lost unimportant souls. You are going to see Justice
Sara & All – the battle will go on unless at least 5 directors are fired and not-so Smart too!
exactly so , lesser lives lesser deaths. When a person of the right sort dies unexpectedly you are asked whether it is a good time to talk, frequent contact is made touching on the death of your loved one, decency and timeliness. Scrutiny of their death to establish fact, as the norm, as you imagine it would be for anyone until you experience the rubber stamping of a lesser life. The CEO and Board must go, people need to be safe in the essential services the Trust provides.
Justice hope and humanity popped in a bag and swung hard against a wall ?.
steering groups and being overly focused , a bit of a dusting down needed then. Repulsive statement.
It is such a damning insight into the culture of the people tasked to look after and care for our loved ones who have mental health issues or have a learning disability.
Do they imagine that people who cannot articulate properly how they feel or why they are sad, angry or anxious are lesser human beings? Obviously they do. If not, why were there no investigations into all the deaths of disabled/mental health patients who died in their failing care? How can it be that an hospital management can almost treat these people like hospital waste. Thrown away and no questions asked.
Pauline – …. because they can.
It always is – because they can. I have seen this since 2000 – my eldest son says it is a Hydra.
If anyone saw BBC south lunchtime news, it was me looking (my wife tells me) very scruffy ‘chasing’ Alistair Burt up the road with a camera – that was my disguise. He knew me immediately and we ended up being filmed shaking hands and agreeing to meet me personally. He’s on the record with both crews – BBC South and BBC HQ. It should be on BBC South Today at 6.30 this evening – or afterwards on I-player. It you know the outcome – its a stitch up – directors all keep their jobs. Too angry to write more or to put anything on my blog!
Oh! There should be an announcement on Sloven’s web site soon.