Public inquiry starts into failings at Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust
Judge John Potter has been appointed as chair
Hundreds of patients and bereaved families are welcoming the long-awaited public inquiry into the failings at Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust.
Chair Judge John Potter will be seeking to find out what went wrong, identify any systemic failings, and make recommendations aimed at improving patient safety and mental health services in the future.
The announcement comes several months after the Government confirmed that a statutory public inquiry would be established following mounting concerns regarding patient safety, care standards and accountability within the Trust.
Whilst families have welcomed the progress, many have expressed frustration at the delay in appointing a chair and commencing the next stage of the Inquiry.
Michael Harnett's daughter, 17 year-old Christie from Newton Aycliffe, died at West Lane Hospital in Middlesbrough in 2019. He said: "I feel relief for it to finally be happening. It's been over seven years for us since Christie died and we've been campaigning the whole time. So although we found out last December that this was happening, obviously it's taken till now to actually be the chair, so it's nice for it to be getting underway finally.
"He obviously he's recently retired but he's had quite a long career in it all so he's the kind of judge we need to be honest. He's got the background and everything but then also now with him being retired he's got the time to actually be able to do this and take as long as needed.
"He's been given a draft one from all the families of what they would like him to look at. He just needs to sit down and go through everything that he's got and then decide on his term of reference. Personally, we'd like Christie's inquest involved in the public inquiry pretty quickly.
"I think his priorities should be fact gathering more than anything. Everybody's notes needs gathering together such as hospitals and doctors because there's been that many different bodies involved in everybody's care. Christie had the local doctors, local hospitals, social services and that's even just for us, so he's got to gather all of that.
"The sooner he can get things put in place for all of that to be put forward to him, the better. Because for us it's been seven years and not many companies hold information and data for too long. So it's getting to the realms of where they would be coming up to getting rid of all of that stuff anyway, so yeah, it needs to be got sooner rather than later.
"Nobody knows about timescale and obviously even the judge won't know. He needs to come up with his Terms of Reference first and that might give him a bit of inclination, but the amount of evidence that needs to be gathered and the amount of people that needs to be so it's going to be like three, four, five years at minimum I imagine."
The statutory inquiry, which officially starts today (Monday 21st September), is expected to examine serious concerns regarding care and service delivery within TEWV, including issues linked to a number of patient deaths and serious incidents.
Alison Smith, chief executive of Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust said: “We welcome the appointment of the Inquiry Chair as an important step forward. Above all, we acknowledge the significance of this moment for the families and loved ones involved, and we continue to hold them in our thoughts.
“We will co-operate fully with the public inquiry with honesty, openness and humility. We are truly sorry for the times when care fell short, and are committed to listening, learning and continuing to improve.”
About Judge Potter
His Honour Judge John Potter is a retired Circuit Judge and former Deputy Judge of the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division), with more than forty years' experience in public service, judicial leadership and the administration of justice.
During his judicial career he was Resident Judge at Manchester Crown Court, one of the busiest Crown Courts in England and Wales. He also has extensive experience reviewing complex evidence, engaging with bereaved families and vulnerable individuals, and participating in public accountability processes.
His background is expected to provide strong and experienced leadership for the inquiry as it moves into its next phase.
Ison Harrison welcomes inquiry
This news comes six years after Alistair Smith and a dedicated team at law firm Ison Harrison first started to campaign alongside the patients, individuals, and bereaved families, who they represent.
Sarah Magson, partner at Ison Harrison, said: "We welcome the appointment of His Honour Judge John Potter and hope this marks a significant step forward for the inquiry and the many individuals and families who have fought so hard to ensure their voices are heard.
“Whilst the announcement is positive, it comes after many months of uncertainty and delay for families who were originally assured that the inquiry would progress at pace. Many of our clients have spent years seeking answers about the care their loved ones received, and the lack of progress since the Inquiry was announced has been extremely difficult. We also urge any existing patients who have been affected to contact us so we can provide them with the advice and support that they need.
"Judge Potter brings considerable judicial and leadership experience to the role. We are encouraged by his commitment to meeting and listening to those affected, and we hope that families will now be placed firmly at the heart of the inquiry process.
"It is essential that momentum is maintained. We look forward to working constructively with the chair and inquiry team as they develop the Terms of Reference and begin the important work of establishing the truth, ensuring accountability and delivering meaningful change."
With a chair now appointed, attention is expected to turn to the development of the inquiry's Terms of Reference and engagement with affected patients and families.
The chair has already indicated that meeting those affected will be an early priority and that their experiences will help shape the future direction of the inquiry.