Calls to improve complaints for bereaved families

Deputy Gavin St Pier
Image caption,

Deputy Gavin St Pier is campaigning to change the way the States deals with complaints

  • Published

More support is needed for people making complaints against the States, according to the chair of Guernsey's health watchdog.

It follows criticism of the way Health and Social Care handled the situation surrounding the death of a baby.

Jonny and Jenna Veron's son Oliver died in hospital shortly after his life support was withdrawn in 2016.

Former chief minister Gavin St Pier described a seven-and-a-half year wait for an inquest as "third-world".

The Committee for Health and Social Care has been contacted for comment.

Image caption,

Oliver Veron died on 17 April 2016 at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital

Deputy St Pier said he was working with Policy and Resources (P&R) and HSC to ensure the process of complaints and inquests were better for those involved.

"We need to learn from this and actually put the resources in to enable coroners to do things that they need more quickly, that's part of my mission as part of this case."

Mr St Pier, who was recently voted on to HSC, said he was aware the Veron family were not the only families locally to have had difficulties with the inquest process.

'Not good enough'

"I've already met with His Majesty's Procureur to understand their perspective and I will be contacting Policy and Resources in order to raise the profile of this issue.

"We need to start to work on a plan to do something about this, because we can't just allow this to roll on for another case in 2032 with another family who have had to wait five years to have the experience and still all they get is the cause of death.

"These are the lessons to be learned and it's not good enough to say we want to learn the lessons and then quietly close the chapter and hope it goes away and it won't happen next time, as that's not how things work in practice."

Image caption,

Oliver Veron was put on life support at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital before having care withdrawn after seven hours

Bella Farrell from Carewatch argued it can be difficult for private citizens to engage with big bodies like the States when it comes to complaints and inquests.

She believed there could be scope for a charity or part of the States taking responsibility to help people like the Verons through the process of dealing with the States through an advocacy service.

Politicians ditched plans for an independent ombudsperson, which would deal with complaints against the States, earlier this year.

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