The day after posting LB ain’t no Han Solo, I received an email update from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). There’s a pattern here that wouldn’t take the brightest social science analyst to identify. That is, being called out on social media for crapness can* be an effective mechanism to generate some action. This is a good thing. I mean let’s face it, us public ain’t typically served well by ‘official’, pigeon post type PALS and PHSO processes. (These organisations shouldn’t need calling out, of course. That we’ve consistently had to ask for updates over the past 3 years of so is an indication of how poorly families are typically treated.)

The action or response these blog posts or tweets generate varies. We’ve typically had stilted and clipped non updates that I read as woven with “vexatious” whisperings and stabbing needles. Them pesky parent-type stuff.

The latest communication from the HSE included acknowledgement and recognition that we shouldn’t have had to ask for an update. Good. A straightforward sorry, an explanation for the delay in updating and an update. Including notice that the investigation will be continuing beyond the expected end of October deadline. Not so good. But when you get an explanation for this delay it’s slightly easier to suck up. I replied with a brief, Han Solo, related question.

Today I received a detailed explanation of the complexity of different investigations and differing time frames. This was followed by a second email again acknowledging a failure to keep us updated and some reflection on what the experience must be like for families. These emails have reduced my intense rage about the length of time this investigation is taking. No mean feat. I feel reassured and relieved.

This respect and decency stuff isn’t complicated. Treating people who have been battered into unspeakable spaces by the actions of  health or social care organisations as human, with honesty, care and thoughtfulness shouldn’t be so difficult. Hopefully the other involved strands of the NHS can learn summat from this.

1. Update families regularly (even if there is no news).
2. Try and put yourselves in their shoes. Imagine what it must be like.
 

LB funnily enough wasn’t a Star Wars fan. But he laughed until he cried each time he watched this clip. Which was a lot.

*The effectiveness of this mechanism needs scrutiny. There’s a social media campaign type ‘labour’ that needs unpacking to identify what works and what doesn’t. To help families and campaigners [and NHS and social bods] be more effective.