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Press Release

18th May 2003 - For immediate release:

Why wasn't he given more support?

The recent case of Daniel Gardiner, found guilty of the manslaughter of his parents, raises serious issues as to the level of support given to people with disability and their carers.

Apparently, he was receiving 'regular' support from the health services. "That's not good enough," says Andy Berry of Very Much Alive, "why didn't the family receive more support? From the descriptions I've read, a live-in carer was more appropriate than 'occasional' visits. The fact that nothing was 'recorded' as indicating the family was at risk merely indicates the poor state of monitoring and is not an excuse.

"Why is it that people are assumed to be able to cope? I hope the Greenwich Primary Care Trust hold a formal inquiry into the case and ask the social services department to work with them to deliver and monitor all future support packages."

(Footnote: If the state of the Greenwich Primary Care Trust's website (which we visited to try and find the name of the Chief Executive) is any indication of the quality of service provided by them, it raises doubts about their ability to handle future problems.)

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