After grieving loved ones’ met Wes Streeting in February to call for a public inquiry into the scandal-hit Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys (TEWV) mental health trust, he told them they’d finally get a decision by the end of March after years of campaigning.
Mr Streeting, who said they made a “strong case” for the probe, met with families a second time two days before his self-imposed deadline of March 31, but still no decision was made.
Now four months on, loved ones of patients who died in TEWV’s care are still in the dark, and fear more people will die unless he acts soon.
Last night they called for an update from the Health Secretary, and asked them not to forget their stories, including that of Ty Channce who would have turned 25-years-old today,
David Moore, whose daughter Emily, from Shildon, died under TEWV’s care in 2020, said: “Every day of delay is vital in my eyes. We don’t want more families to end up in our situation.
“We need to know as soon as possible or at least have some answers as to what’s going on.
David Moore with a picture of daughter Emily, who took her own life aged 18 while an inpatient at TEWV’s Lanchester Road hospital. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT) “We were all grateful Wes Streeting met with us, but those people he met want a decision. That was in March, it’s August now. It’s gone on too long.”
Jean Zaremba’s daughter Zoe, from Aiskew in North Yorkshire, took her own life after “systemic failings” in her care by TEWV in June 2020. She added: “How many more people have to die before they do something about it?”
Jean Zaremba believes TEWV drove her daughter to death. (Image: Sarah Caldecott)
The Department of Health spokesperson said last night that care “fell well below the safe, high-quality standards that patients should expect”.
They added they are working closely with those affected to prevent lives being lost and to learn from the failures at TEWV, but did not say when a decision will be made by.
The Northern Echo has been campaigning alongside families to demand a statutory public inquiry, and included it in our election manifesto last year, which was backed by the Labour government.
The families of Christie Harnett, 17, Viktor Scott-Brown, 23, Beth Cunningham, 21, and Jay Jones, 23, sat around the table with Mr Streeting during an emotional meeting in London on February 13, what would have been Christie’s birthday, when he vowed to make a decision on ordering an inquiry by the end of March.
Families calling for a public inquiry after a meeting with Wes Streeting. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT) He then met more families in Middlesbrough on March 29 and told this newspaper after he was “really horrified by the experiences these families have had and continue to have following these appalling failures of care”.
“I want to make sure the Government delivers for them,” he added.
Just this week an inquest jury found flaws in the care of Stockton mum Donna Levin before she died in January 2020, including poor handovers, incomplete records and a missed observation in the hours before she was found in her hospital room.
Donna Levin. (Image: FAMILY) The 54-year-old teacher’s family said: “The findings highlight the need for a public inquiry.”
During the meeting in February Cheryl Allan told Mr Streeting how failings in her son Ty Channce’s care contributed to his death aged 20 in 2021. He was found dead having been allowed out of hospital for the first time in nine months.
Today would have been Ty’s 25th birthday.
Ty Channce with mum Cheryl Allan. (Image: FAMILY) Cheryl told the Echo: “I don’t want him to forget Ty’s, or any of our stories. It would have been Ty’s 25th birthday today.
“We are still in limbo. This is going to keep happening to others unless something changes – I don’t want anyone else to have to celebrate their child’s birthday without them here.”
Speaking directly to the Health Secretary she added: “You said you were coming back to us and you haven’t, we want to know what’s happened.”
Lawyer for the families Alistair Smith added: “Families are naturally disappointed with the lack of response from Mr Streeting since the meeting in March when they were unanimous the only way forward was a statutory public inquiry to address the failings at TEWV which continue today.”
A Department of Health spokesperson said: “Our sympathies are with the patients and families affected. It is clear that care fell well below the safe, high-quality standards that patients should expect, with tragic consequences.
“We are committed to learning from the failures at Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys Trust. We are working closely with those personally affected to ensure that we listen to their concerns and take action to prevent lives being lost in the future.”
TEWV has repeatedly said it would “co-operate fully as required with openness and transparency” with any inquiry.