Letters We didn’t learn Leveson lessons

WHATEVER our views on the monarchy all of us will be concerned to hear about Princess Kate’s cancer diagnosis. Most of us too, I guess, are deeply exercised about the media feeding frenzy that took place before she spoke publicly.

This distressing story is a dramatic illustration of the failure to implement the recommendations of the Leveson Inquiry. These were that media organisations set up their own regulator to function without interference from government and deal with complaints. It was also meant to look into persistent offending and operate an arbitration system to deal with breach of privacy and libel.

Tragically the Government of the day (led by David Cameron) refused to pass the legislation which would have been necessary. The result has been the loss to our national life of Harry and Meghan and now huge distress to the Princess of Wales and her husband. When, one has to ask, will our politicians have the courage to act to restrain the unprincipled behaviour of those behind this kind of hounding?

This distressing story is a dramatic illustration of the failure to implement the recommendations of the Leveson Inquiry.

Andrew McLuskey

Andrew McLuskey Via email

We must take action to help seriously ill kids

A NEW report from Together for Short Lives, the UK’s children’s palliative care charity, shows that in many places across the UK, families caring for seriously ill child cannot access the palliative and end of life care they need:

Only a third of local areas in England are meeting the required standard for 24/7 end of life care for children at home.

The postcode lottery is being driven by workforce shortages, inconsistencies in the way support is planned and funded by local NHS and council bodies, and an estimated £295m children’s palliative care funding gap in England.

As it launches its Short Lives Can’t Wait campaign, Together for Short Lives is calling for the UK’s governments, NHS bodies and local authorities to take immediate action for the UK’s 99,000 seriously ill children and their families.

It is unacceptable that families of seriously ill children are not getting the palliative and end of life care they need because of where they live. This is care that is clearly set out in standards, guidance and even the law.

Time is short for seriously ill children and their families. They cannot wait months for the next election, the next spending review, the next set of planning guidance.

Neither should they have to rely on the generosity of the public to access the care they need, much of which is provided by the voluntary sector.

We would not accept maternity services relying on donations when a child’s life begins, so why do we accept this for palliative care when a child’s life ends?

The UK’s governments must fill the funding gap, invest in education and training and hold local NHS bodies and councils to account.

Failure to act will not only continue to put added strain on struggling families but will also continue to waste NHS money, at a time when it cannot afford to do so, through avoidable hospital admissions.

Andy Fletcher Chief Executive of Together for Short Lives