Damning NHS report on mental health trust

Target driven, bureaucratic and controlling - that's how an organisation charged with caring for mental health patients across the region has been described. It follows a catalogue of killings committed by patients with serious mental health problems. Patients who were at the time under the care of Avon and Wiltshire mental health partnership.

A series of Independent inquiry's found serious failings in care and treatment, and concluded that 3 deaths might have been prevented had better care been in place. Now an NHS report has slated the trust.

The report also said the trust needed to listen more to patients, carers and their families.

In response the trust said it accepted it had in the past failed patients. A New chair and Chief Executive are now in post. The trust has apologised unreservedly for its past performance and now has an action plan in place to address the issues raised.