Leading mental health lawyer invites new chief executive to meet as trust goes into special measures again

A leading lawyer has invited the new chief executive of a failing mental health trust to meet her, to discuss 18 years’ experience of dealing with families bereaved because of the trust’s constant failings.

Sharon Allison is a partner with Ashtons Legal, and over almost two decades has worked on many cases where a tragic family has been let down by the Norfolk and Suffolk Mental Health Trust.

Usually that failure has led to a suicide which, with proper care, could have been prevented.

The NSFT had been placed in special measures in February 2015 because of its failings. It was taken out when there were signs that things might be improving, but today comes the news that it is once more back in special measures.

‘All I can reflect on is the last 18 years of experience representing families who have lost loved ones through failures in the mental health service,’ Sharon Allison says.

‘During those years I’ve sat in countless inquests involving the NSFT. I’ve seen the commitment and dedication of the staff, who are trying to deliver a service in a broken system.

‘My experience is that I am seeing the same cases, happening at the same trust, just each time with a different devastated family.

‘The trust’s governance has to adopt true reflective practice. They have to undertake proper investigations of their failings, which must be shared with all staff so they can learn and ultimately improve patient safety.

‘I invite the new chief executive of NSFT to meet me, so I can share the experiences that have led to the ultimate tragic impact on so many families.’