Eastbourne Woman's case taken to Westminster (Eastbourne and Willingdon Liberal Democrats)

Eastbourne and Willingdon Liberal Democrats <office@eastbournelibdems.org.uk>

Eastbourne Woman's case taken to Westminster

November 9, 2009 12:00 AM

left to right, Mrs Gillian Mackenzie, Stephen Lloyd, Norman Lamb MP, the lawyer John White and the other victims relatives Mrs Gillian Mackenzie of Kings Drive, Eastbourne, presented her case of alleged medical malpractice to Lib Dem Shadow Secretary of State for Health Norman Lamb MP, at Parliament this week. The meeting was organised by Stephen Lloyd to enable Mrs Mackenzie, other victims families affected and their lawyer John White to put their case to Mr Lamb, the reasons why they believe things had gone badly wrong in the past at Gosport Memorial Hospital.

Mrs Mackenzie said: "I felt the meeting with Norman Lamb was a really important milestone in what has been for me, at times, a long and lonely struggle for justice. Ever since 1998 when my Mother died, I believe in suspicious circumstances, at the Gosport Memorial Hospital I and the other families have been fighting for our case to be heard. My profound concerns at what went on at the Hospital demand answers from the statutory bodies."

Stephen Lloyd added: "When Mrs Mackenzie first came to me about six months ago it soon became very clear that a great injustice has been done to Mrs Mackenzie's mother and the parents and grandparents of the other families, so I was determined to do all that it takes to help them. Giving them an opportunity to meet with Norman Lamb and present their case is, I hope, a positive step toward righting this wrong."

Norman Lamb MP added: "This whole case is absolutely shocking. It has dragged on for years been passed backwards and forwards from the GMC (General Medical Council) the NHS, the Police and the Crown Prosecution Service. At last in March of this year the GMC held their inquest - 11 years after Mrs Mackenzie first alerted the authorities - and have found there is a case to answer for the Doctor concerned. Dr. Barton. I am asking that their be a Public Enquiry as a matter of urgency and will be applying as much pressure as I am able to ensure this happens."

Mr John White, the solicitor representing the families said: "We say enough is enough. It is now time that the authorities stopped hiding this issue from the public. The true facts of this disaster in Gosport must be brought out into the open and lessons learned, with nothing less than criminal prosecutions against all those involved and a full public enquiry. Only then can the betrayal and mistrust felt by these families and the fear felt by many others be addressed."

Relatives have spent years trying to access reports about hundreds of deaths at the Hampshire community hospital, which they believe may hold the key into what really happened when Dr Jane Barton worked there between 1989 and 2000. Having received transcripts from Dr Barton's eight-week disciplinary hearing by the GMC, police officers are re-investigating at least 12 deaths that occurred between 1996 and 1998. Relatives are also urging police to consider the action of nurses who were involved in the care of patients.