The wait for justice
Regarding the story Lack of trust over hospital deaths probe (July 1), Operation Magenta is the fourth criminal investigation into the deaths of more than 700 people at Gosport War Memorial Hospital between the years 1987-2001; these deaths happened between 34 to 20 years ago and are still being investigated.
Deputy assistant commissioner Neil Jerome (who heads up Operation Magenta) apparently said: ‘We are aware of concerns raised by a small number of these families’ (surely not only a small number)? 'and remain committed to building trust and confidence amongst them and to carrying out a full and thorough investigation into the standard of care provided to their loved ones’.
Well excuse me, deputy assistant commissioner Jerome, but would you like to define ‘standard of care’ when police are once again looking into more than 700 people dying prematurely after having been admitted to Gosport War Memorial Hospital?
There were blatantly obvious common denominators that were at play then that surely should not have taken all of this time and four police investigations to have got to the bottom of.
It is unbelievable that more than 700 people may have had their lives prematurely ‘shortened’ after having been admitted into Gosport War Memorial Hospital, yet 34 years since the first deaths, apparently no one is culpable?
Could someone, anyone, please explain in simple terms, how can this be?
I'm not alone in having little faith in any form of impartial investigation when things go wrong in hospitals or care home settings (I speak as a retired nurse).
How many years are the families of these 700 people going to have to wait, before anyone has the human decency to actually tell the truth of what happened at Gosport War Memorial Hospital? Who headed up this ‘regime of care’ and who were the other players, individually and collectively, who must have know and still do what was going on, yet to this day remain silent
I cannot imagine what this has done to all of those still waiting for justice.
This is unbelievable.
Pat Huxtable Nettlestone Road, Southsea