Norfolk and Suffolk mental health campaigners return to Westminster with call for public inquiry
Campaigners told ITV News Anglia's Rob Setchell what they wanted from ministers
Campaigners pushing for an independent inquiry into deaths at one of the country's worst-performing mental health trust have taken their demands back to Westminster.
They believe a proposed budget cut of £17m this year at Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust, which is still in special measures, will pile even more pressure on services.
Among those setting off from Norwich train station on Monday morning were Mark Harrison, from the Campaign to Save Mental Health Services in Norfolk and Suffolk, and Freyja Thomas, a former patient at the trust.
They want the government to grant a public inquiry to look into how many people have died while under the trust's care - something that the trust itself argues would set back its progress.
Mr Harrison once again likened the campaign to the Post Office scandal as he called for government to intervene, highlighting a lack of beds and failures in crisis care.
"It's all about protecting reputation. That's the problem - all the bodies that are supposed to be protecting us and looking after us are all trying to protect their reputations," he said.
"So we want the MPs to understand the complexity of that and break out of that cycle because until we do, people will continue to die unnecessary deaths and there will be continuing suffering."
The trust's chief executive Caroline Donovan insists it is improving and now has a handle on its data, after an independent review last year found it had lost track of patient deaths.
Campaigners arrived at Westminster clutching pictures of their loved ones, in the hope of of winning MPs' support to their cause.
Ms Thomas said she felt compelled to play her part in pushing for change.
"I had to get involved. I felt like if I didn't get involved I'd end up another one of those deaths," she told ITV News Anglia.
"I feel that if I'd had effective mental health support when I was younger I'd be in a very different position in my life now. My kids wouldn't have suffered growing up with me being suicidal."
Trust governor Rebecca Julian was also part of the campaign delegation.
She remembered the struggle to get mental health help for her son a decade ago.
"He got sicker and sicker. His life was in jeopardy a few times and it was awful," she said.
"In the end, I had to go private and it cost me £22,000 a month to keep him in a private facility because nothing was happening for him. And, if I'm honest, I don't see anything much changing."
Cath Byford, deputy chief executive at Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, said the trust was on "an improvement journey" and was meeting campaigners regularly to discuss its work on learning from deaths, and improving future care and services.
"We continue to work closely with them and have found the feedback and insight they have given to our improvement work to help shape future services valuable," she said.
“We know there is still much more work to be done to improve how we deliver care and services, and we are committed to making the necessary changes to ensure that we provide compassionate and effective support to all those who rely on our services.”
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