Orchid View families campaign for public inquiry

The care home closed in 2011 and reopened under a new name and management

The families of 19 residents who died at a care home are campaigning for a public inquiry despite being told by the government there would not be one.

The West Sussex coroner ruled that "institutional abuse and negligence" had contributed to five of the deaths at Orchid View in Copthorne.

Penelope Schofield later said there should be a public inquiry.

Relatives have now started a petition after the government turned down their request for an inquiry last month.

The deaths, which were all "unexplained", happened between 2009 and 2011.

Lesley Lincoln said "something good" should come out of what happened at Orchid View

A serious case review in 2014, commissioned by the West Sussex Adults Safeguarding Board, made 34 recommendations, while the Care Quality Commission (CQC) admitted a series of failings.

Orchid View closed in 2011, and reopened under a new name and new management.

Relatives learned from Health Minister David Mowat that their request for a public inquiry had been turned down.

Lesley Lincoln's 86-year-old mother Enid Trodden was one of the five people whose deaths were attributed to neglect.

Enid Trodden had dementia and Parkinson's disease, and died less than a year after going into the home

She said a public inquiry into the regulation of the care industry was the only way to stop any further "institutional neglect".

"We have to protect those still facing it... something good has to come out of what happened at Orchid View.

"The words [are] care home - they should be cared for.

"This is their final journey in life and that should not be the way our loved ones' final journey was," Ms Lincoln said.

The families have the support of local Conservative MPs Jeremy Quin, who represents Horsham, and Henry Smith, who represents Crawley.

Both will be meeting the health minister on 28 November to discuss the matter further.

The Department of Health was asked to comment, but said it was unable to do so ahead of the meeting.