Blot on the landscape

An open letter to Sir Simon Stevens, Chief Executive of NHS England (NHSE) and Ian Trenholm, Chief Executive of the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Dear Sir Simon & Ian, Following an unannounced inspection by the CQC of five Acute Mental Health Wards of working age adults at Roseberry Park, Cross lane Hospital and West Park Hospital on 20-22nd January 2021, a warning notice under Section 29A of the Health and Social Care Act was issued to Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV) after services were found to be inadequate. When the report was published, it was announced that an external Quality Assurance Board was to be formed to have oversight of the implementation of the action plan to ensure TEWV met its legal obligations and in order for the service to improve. The board was to have representation from NHSE,CQC, local CCG's and TEWV and is chaired by NHSE.  On learning of the lack of any patient or carer representation on the board, I submitted a request, via th...

Another turning point A fork stuck in the road Time grabs you by the wrist Directs you where to go So make the best of this test And don't ask why It's not a question But a lesson learned in time It's something unpredictable But in the end it's right I hope you had the time of your life Green Day. Good Riddance (Time of your life) Wasn’t sure how I’d feel today, I’ve been aware for the past few days that I was feeling a little edgy. Luckily we’ve had some really fab days filled with sunshine, so we could be outside and meet up with family. But all the time, in the back of my mind was today was coming. It’s only another day, but it’s 365 days since that day.  Maybe I should try turning it around and be celebrating that on this day a year ago, things didn’t work out how I’d decided they should. That would be kind of macabre wouldn’t it? I’d prefer to forget it all together, but to do so feels dangerous, reckless. I never ever want to be in a place where the only solution ...