Serious life ending Sexual assault on a stroke ward

So do I, it's hard to believe that something like this can happen. I've never read anything more shocking in my life. In hospital. Jesus Christ. Poor Valerie. It makes me angry and frightened.

That's similar to what initial reactions to the reports of grooming gangs were

Id like to think this won't get politicised but given it's about the NHS you could see those with an interest in promoting private health would use it as another reason to undermine state funded healthcare with a corresponding Defend Our Nurses reaction from more leftish quarters.

But the implications of this are bloody terrifying

I don't know if it's just such a horrifying case that many people recoil from it.

And this hasn't "caught" in terms of headlines. It's not showing up on Google news UK or headlines as of now (9.40pm Friday) even though the inquest has concluded

I haven’t been able to bear reading the full details of this. It’s so close to the horrors we learned from the Gisèle Pelicot case.
What is it with these horrors who walk among us?

I don't know why we think we live in a 'civilised' country and everyone else is uncivilised to some degree. 🙄

Poor, poor Valerie.

What on earth has any of that got to do with ‘this government’ ?

I was awake early this morning and found myself thinking of Valerie.

There is no way to make it any better, is there.

I've been thinking about her today too.

It is truly awful.

I do too. She has popped into my head today.
What in gods name was going on that such violence should not be noticed.

The poor family.
What a death.
I hope to goodness there is something going on behind the scenes with the police, because if not, its just unthinkable.

I feel very upset and disturbed by this article. That poor lady. 😞

I wonder how many people (not just women) have had this but the assailant has been clever enough to pack the patient so there is no evidence and there is no PM either because it was an 'expected death'.

I have zero faith in the NHS. I have had abysmal treatment as have family members. A cousin of mine was so neglected there was an enquiry but nobody gets a warning let alone the sack as they are short staffed.

You are at your most vulnerable when you are sick but going to hospital is terrifying.

The old days with a proper hierarchy was better. Now, nobody is accountable for anything.

The most recent BBC report (cannot see that this has been posted)

Blackpool hospital sexual assault victim 'unlawfully killed' - BBC News

It’s very easy to access CQC reports. Took me 2 seconds.

https://www.cqc.org.uk/location/RXL01/reports/LAP-01399/overall

Idk, @FannyCann- but how on earth in practice does ‘closing down a ward’ work - where do the current and future patients go? Especially in an area like Lancashire/South Lakes. The other big hospital in the area, Preston Royal, is overdue for complete replacement. It seems some hospitals, especially Blackpool which is a notably deprived area, have problems recruiting enough good staff.

I don’t understand why that ward/hospital hasn’t been subject to serious investigation and closed down. Where have the CQC been in all this?

Something happened on a ward at my hospital a year or so ago. I honestly don’t know what that something was, staff were ordered not to speak about it and they haven’t. But in the morning the ward was closed, certain staff suspended and all other staff redeployed to other wards. They were given cards to keep in their pockets saying something along the lines of “please don’t ask as I can’t discuss” which they produced if anyone asked any questions. Even my friend whose daughter was a band 6 on the ward doesn’t know.
Qcq were called in and the CEO and head nurse took to doing random 3am tours of the wards. The ward had various rebuilding work and was reopened later in the year. I am sure it was nothing of the magnitude of Blackpool. My own suspicion is staff having an extended sleep on duty while patients wandered or fell out of bed or possibly something drugs related as we do seem to have had a few cases of drugs being misappropriated in certain wards, but those aren’t particularly covered up. Instead we get pharmacy demanding even tighter controls to the point where doing the drug round in the wards must be a nightmare and extremely time consuming.

So why has nothing like this happened in that Blackpool hospital? Has anyone seen the CQC report - there must have been inspections in the last few years?

100% this. 👏🏼

Matthew Pover was struck off last year. The NMC have a huge waiting list for hearings and until they’ve been heard they are, in theory, free to work in nursing.

https://www.nmc.org.uk/globalassets/sitedocuments/ftpoutcomes/2024/april-2024/reasons-pover-ftpcsm-95399-20240430.pdf

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/may/06/blackpool-five-charged-in-investigation-into-ill-treatment-of-stroke-patients

None of the staff come off well and all have previously been charged with various offences including theft of medication. Matthew Powver has been struck off the NMC register.

Remember David Fuller, he sexual abused over 100 dead bodies in the mortuary.

Hijacking a thread, give over! 😵‍💫

They chuck you out though, unless it’s visiting hours.

Poor woman. Every single patient in that hospital right now must be terrified as the chances this was a staff member must be quite high.
I am so sad and angry after reading that. Her family must be in so much pain.