After the Report - What Next?

January 30th, the day the Redfern Report was published, is a day that we will all remember for a very long time. It was very emotional for most people, and for a few the report and its contents seemed to be too much to take. There was huge media interest, with the Report and interviews with members of PITY II on every radio and TV station in the UK, and many foreign ones as well.

The arrangements for the early access to the report seemed to work well, and most of the hundreds of parents at the Adelphi Hotel in Liverpool were grateful for the chance to read the report in a safe and calm atmosphere.

We would like to thank Pauline Cook, and the others from the Regional Office for the arrangements. Thanks also to Jenny Thomas and the Child Bereavement Trust for arranging counselling. Thanks, and an apology, to Professor John Ashton, Regional Director of Public Health, who had a role as spokesperson for the NHS, and was subject to some verbal aggression. We hope that he will understand that emotion and grief can have profound effects on people.

After waiting for the report there was a great sense of anti climax afterwards. Many people were disappointed that there was not more immediate action taken with more suspensions and disciplinary action.

There is great concern that much of the report seemed to concentrate on van Velzen.

There are many people responsible for what happened to our children, and we need to make sure that all of those responsible are called to account . The evidence is contained in the report - we need to make sure that those in authority use the evidence there.

Although we welcome the suspension of van Velzen by the General Medical Council pending a full hearing, and the suspension of Hilary Rowland and Karen England, there are others who need action taking against them as well.

[Inserted for international explanation; not in original newsletter] This is not a vendetta, but a process of making sure that dreadful lessons are learned and that nothing like this ever happens again, anywhere! In the words of Chief Medical Officer Professor Liam Donaldson, "Never again!"

The PITY II committee is meeting with the legal team to plan out our next steps. These will include:

A meeting for all families will be held on Sunday 18th March, 2.00pm at the Adelphi Hotel in Liverpool to discuss views about the report, and what needs to be done.

In the meantime, any parent who feels they have grounds for complaint against an individual is encouraged to write to the appropriate body. If you make a complaint, please let PITY II know that you have complained.